Deleterious Effects of Polypropylene Microplastic Ingestion in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 111; no. 1; p. 13
• Main Authors: do Nascimento, Luan Souza, de Oliveira, Susana Luporini, da Costa, Camila Carlino, Aracati, Mayumi Fernanda, Rodrigues, Letícia Franchin, Charlie-Silva, Ives, Conde, Gabriel, Mansano, Cleber Fernando Menegasso, Andreani, Dora Ines Kozusny, de Andrade Belo, Marco Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.07.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Addition polymerization; Aerobic microorganisms; Animal Feed - analysis; Animals; Aquariums; Aquatic organisms; Aquatic Pollution; Aspartate aminotransferase; aspartate transaminase; blood platelets; blood sampling; blood serum; Body weight; bulls; Cholesterol; Cichlids - physiology; Diet; Dietary Supplements - analysis; Digestive system; dose response; Dose-response effects; Earth and Environmental Science; Eating; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Fish; fish health; Gastrointestinal tract; heart; Inflammation; Ingestion; Intestinal microflora; intestinal microorganisms; Intestine; intestines; Kidneys; Leukocytes; Liver; Lymphocytes; Microbiological analysis; Microorganisms; Microplastics; Morphometry; Oreochromis niloticus; Plastic pollution; Plastics; Pollution; Polymers; Polypropylene; polypropylenes; Polypropylenes - toxicity; Soil Science & Conservation; spleen; Stomach; Thrombocytes; Tilapia; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Fish; Environmental pollution; Waste; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquaculture
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-023-03772-y

The effect of daily ingestion of polypropylene microplastic on the health of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, was evaluated. 60 fish (± 200 g) were placed in 6 aquariums (n = 10, 100 L each), constituting the following treatments: Control (without the addition of polymer), fed with 100 and 500 µg of polypropylene/kg of body weight (b.w.), respectively. After 30 days of feeding, the animals were submitted to blood collection for hemogram and biochemical study and later euthanized for gut microbiological analysis, somatic index of liver, spleen, heart, kidney, stomach, and intestine. In the serum biochemical study, an increase in cholesterol and serum Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) activity levels was observed in animals treated with 500 µg of polypropylene. Tilapia-fed polypropylene in the diet showed an increase in thrombocyte and total leukocyte counts, marked by a significant increase in the number of circulating lymphocytes. The results of the somatic study revealed a significant increase in the stomach, liver, and heart of tilapia fed with the polymer. Increase in the number of Gram-negative microorganisms and decrease in mesophilic aerobic microorganisms were observed in the gut of fish exposed to the polymer, including a dose-response effect was observed for these analyses. Therefore, tilapias fed daily with diets containing polypropylene for 30 consecutive days showed deleterious effects, resulting in systemic inflammatory disturbs by altering liver functions, leukocyte profile, and organ morphometry, as well as changes in the intestinal microbiota. Such results demonstrate the impairment of fish health, highlighting the need for further studies that evaluate the impact of microplastics on aquatic organisms.