Microplastic-Mediated Delivery of Di-butyl Phthalate Alters <i>C. elegans</i> Lifespan and Reproductive Fidelity.

ABSTRACT: Microplastics harbor chemical additives and absorb pollutants from the environment. Microplastics pose a human health threat and have been found in nearly all human tissues. The toxicological pathways and physiological effects of microplastic-mediated chemical exposure following ingestion remain unknown. Here we use Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the effects of di-butyl phthalate and polystyrene microplastic mixtures on fertility and lifespan. Our studies demonstrate that 1 μm microplastics at 1 mg/L exposure levels result in decreased brood size, whereas 1000 times fewer microplastics (1 μg/L) did not affect the number of eggs laid. While there was no change in brood size at 1 μg/L microplastic exposure levels, there was an increase in embryonic lethality. Microplastics-medi

SUBMITTER: Maldonado CAO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12889887 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature