Are microplastics contributing to pollution-induced neurotoxicity? A pilot study with wild fish in a real scenario

Luís Gabriel A Barboza; Xosé L Otero; Ezequiel V Fernández; Luís R Vieira; José O Fernandes; Sara C Cunha; Lúcia Guilhermino

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13070

Are microplastics contributing to pollution-induced neurotoxicity? A pilot study with wild fish in a real scenario

Heliyon. 2023 Jan 20;9(1):e13070. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13070. eCollection 2023 Jan.

Authors

Luís Gabriel A Barboza^{1

2}, Xosé L Otero^{3

4}, Ezequiel V Fernández⁵, Luís R Vieira^{1

2}, José O Fernandes⁶, Sara C Cunha⁶, Lúcia Guilhermino^{2

1}

Affiliations

¹ CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Research Team of Ecotoxicology, Stress Ecology and Environmental Health (ECOTOX), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal.
² ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Department of Populations Study, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Ecology (ECOTOX), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
³ CRETUS Institute, Department of Edaphology and Agricultural Chemistry - Faculty of Biology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain.
⁴ REBUSC, Network of Biological stations of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Marine Biology Station A Graña, Ferrol, Spain.
⁵ RIAIDT, The Network of Infrastructures to Support Research and Technological Development of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Edificio Cactus, Campus Vida, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain.
⁶ LAQV-REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.

Abstract

Pollution-induced neurotoxicity is of high concern. This pilot study investigated the potential relationship between the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the brain of 180 wild fish (Dicentrarchus labrax, Platichthys flesus, Mugil cephalus) from a contaminated estuary and the activity of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme. MPs were found in 9 samples (5% of the total), all of them from D. labrax collected in the summer, which represents 45% of the samples of this species collected in that season (20). Seventeen MPs were recovered from brain samples, with sizes ranging from 8 to 96 μm. Polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid and one biopolymer (zein) were identified by Micro-Raman spectroscopy. Fish with MPs showed lower (p ≤ 0.05) AChE activity than those where MPs were not found. These findings point to the contribution of MPs to the neurotoxicity induced by long-term exposure to pollution, stressing the need of further studies on the topic to increase 'One Health' protection.

Keywords: AChE activity; Brain; Microplastics; Neurotoxicity; One health; Wild fish.