Co-exposure to Microplastics and Tire Particles Exacerbates Oxidative Stress and Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) and tire particles (TPs) are widespread aquatic pollutants, yet their combined toxic effects, particularly under realistic mixture scenarios, is poorly investigated. In this study, adult zebrafish were chronically exposed for 21 days to environmentally relevant concentrations (1 and 5 mg/L) of mixture of MPs comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP) fragments of different sizes (6.5, 13, and 75 μm for each polymer type), as well as PET and PP fibers (300-450 18 and 300-500 20 , respectively), TPs alone, and combined MPs and TPs (MPs-TPs). Particle accumulation occurred predominantly in the gut, with secondary deposition in the liver. All exposure groups exhibited oxidative stress responses in gill, gut, and liver tissues, with the most pronounced malondialdehyde (MDA) elevation and antioxidant enzyme disruption observed in the liver under 5 mg/L MPs-TPs exposure, reflecting its central role in detoxification. Gut microbiota analysis revealed significant shifts in community structure and diversity, including reduced Proteobacteria abundance and increased pollutant-tolerant taxa, indicating dysbiosis. Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) confirmed distinct microbial clustering by treatment, indicating that MPs, TPs, and especially MPs-TPs co-exposure caused significant structural reorganization of the gut microbiome. These alterations reflected dysbiosis characterized by disrupted microbial balance, followed by…
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