Negligible additive effect of environmental concentrations of fragmented polyethylene terephthalate microplastics on the growth and reproductive performance of Java medaka exposed to 17β-estradiol and bisphenol A

• Published in: Aquatic toxicology 2024-09, Vol.274, p.107052, Article 107052
• Main Authors: Nam, Sang-Eun, Haque, Md. Niamul, Lee, Somyeong, Kim, Chae Hwa, Kim, Tae Hee, Rhee, Jae-Sung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: additive effect; bisphenol A; body length; egg production; Endocrine disrupting chemical; females; fish; Fragmented microplastic; gonadosomatic index; hepatosomatic index; Java medaka; microplastics; Oryzias javanicus; Polyethylene; polyethylene terephthalates; reproductive performance; sex ratio; toxicity; Vitellogenin
• ISSN: 0166-445X; 1879-1514; 1879-1514
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.107052

•Java medaka were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of E2 and BPA with fragmented PET MPs.•Exposure to the PET MPs induced no significant effect on the growth parameters of Java medaka.•Exposure to the PET MPs induced an additive toxic effect on egg production in Java medaka exposed to BPA.•An additive effect of the PET MPs on the GSI value was observed in Java medaka exposed to BPA.•Additive effects of the PET MPs were observed on VTG levels in males exposed to E2 and BPA. To investigate whether environmental concentrations of fragmented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics (MPs) have additional or combined effects on endocrine-disrupting activity, Java medaka (Oryzias javanicus) were exposed to 17β-estradiol (E2; 5, 10, 50, and 100 ng L−1), bisphenol A (BPA; 5, 10, 50, and 100 µg L−1), and E2 and BPA combined with PET MPs (1 and 100 particles L−1) for 200 days. The growth parameters, such as body length and weight, were significantly decreased by the highest concentrations of E2 and BPA. A significant reduction in egg production was observed in female fish exposed to BPA, with an additive toxic effect of PET MPs. A female-biased sex ratio was observed in fish exposed to both chemicals. Exposure to E2 significantly increased the hepatosomatic index (HSI) in both sexes, while no significant effect was observed in the gonadosomatic index (GSI). Exposure to BPA significantly increased the HSI in female fish and decreased the GSI in both sexes of fish. An additive effect of PET MPs was observed on the GSI value of female exposed to BPA. Significant elevations in vitellogenin (VTG) levels were observed in both sexes due to exposure to E2 and BPA. Additive effects of PET MPs were observed on VTG levels in males exposed to E2 and BPA. Taken together, even long-term treatment with PET MPs induced only a negligible additive effect on the endocrine-disrupting activity in Java medaka at environmentally relevant concentrations.