Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora
Microplastics (MPs) pollution and freshwater acidification represent emerging threats to aquatic ecosystems. The combined toxic effects of these stressors on crustaceans and their underlying immune-metabolic mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the individual and combined tox...
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| Format: | Article |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590182625000645 |
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| author | Zhigang Yang Jiani Liu Chunyu Chen Khor Waiho Chenchen Zhang Aqin Chen Youji Wang |
| author_facet | Zhigang Yang Jiani Liu Chunyu Chen Khor Waiho Chenchen Zhang Aqin Chen Youji Wang |
| author_sort | Zhigang Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microplastics (MPs) pollution and freshwater acidification represent emerging threats to aquatic ecosystems. The combined toxic effects of these stressors on crustaceans and their underlying immune-metabolic mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the individual and combined toxic effects of low pH and polystyrene MPs on the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). Through a 21-day exposure experiment combined with enzyme activity analysis, gut microbiota profiling, and hepatopancreas metabolomics, the findings revealed: (1) Combined exposure to low pH (pH 6.5) and MPs exacerbated oxidative damage and immune suppression, demonstrating synergistic toxicity; (2) MPs alone primarily affected pyrimidine metabolism, whereas combined exposure significantly disrupted the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and arginine biosynthesis while activating serotonin metabolism; (3) Although the α-diversity of gut microbiota remained stable, its COG functional profile underwent significant alterations. The results indicate that freshwater acidification amplifies the toxic effects of MPs on crustaceans through immune-metabolic interactions, highlighting the urgency of assessing multiple environmental stressors in the context of climate change. The study provides novel mechanistic insights for aquatic ecological risk assessment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fa99c7b3c78549ae9acbbd495891e213 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2590-1826 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
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| series | Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology |
| spelling | doaj-art-fa99c7b3c78549ae9acbbd495891e2132025-08-20T02:00:52ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology2590-18262025-01-0171095110510.1016/j.enceco.2025.05.015Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microfloraZhigang Yang0Jiani Liu1Chunyu Chen2Khor Waiho3Chenchen Zhang4Aqin Chen5Youji Wang6Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on Environmental Ecology and Fish Nutrition (CREEFN) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, ChinaKey Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on Environmental Ecology and Fish Nutrition (CREEFN) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, ChinaKey Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on Environmental Ecology and Fish Nutrition (CREEFN) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, ChinaHigher Institution Centre of Excellence (HlCoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, 21030, Terengganu, MalaysiaKey Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on Environmental Ecology and Fish Nutrition (CREEFN) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, ChinaKey Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on Environmental Ecology and Fish Nutrition (CREEFN) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Correspondence to: A. Chen, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Centre for Research on Environmental Ecology and Fish Nutrition (CREEFN) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Correspondence to: Y. Wang, International Research Center for Marine Biosciences at Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.Microplastics (MPs) pollution and freshwater acidification represent emerging threats to aquatic ecosystems. The combined toxic effects of these stressors on crustaceans and their underlying immune-metabolic mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the individual and combined toxic effects of low pH and polystyrene MPs on the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). Through a 21-day exposure experiment combined with enzyme activity analysis, gut microbiota profiling, and hepatopancreas metabolomics, the findings revealed: (1) Combined exposure to low pH (pH 6.5) and MPs exacerbated oxidative damage and immune suppression, demonstrating synergistic toxicity; (2) MPs alone primarily affected pyrimidine metabolism, whereas combined exposure significantly disrupted the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and arginine biosynthesis while activating serotonin metabolism; (3) Although the α-diversity of gut microbiota remained stable, its COG functional profile underwent significant alterations. The results indicate that freshwater acidification amplifies the toxic effects of MPs on crustaceans through immune-metabolic interactions, highlighting the urgency of assessing multiple environmental stressors in the context of climate change. The study provides novel mechanistic insights for aquatic ecological risk assessment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590182625000645Chinese mitten crabPolystyrene microplasticsImmune responseOxidative stressGut microbiotaMetabolomics |
| spellingShingle | Zhigang Yang Jiani Liu Chunyu Chen Khor Waiho Chenchen Zhang Aqin Chen Youji Wang Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology Chinese mitten crab Polystyrene microplastics Immune response Oxidative stress Gut microbiota Metabolomics |
| title | Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora |
| title_full | Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora |
| title_fullStr | Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora |
| title_short | Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora |
| title_sort | low ph aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab eriocheir sinensis evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora |
| topic | Chinese mitten crab Polystyrene microplastics Immune response Oxidative stress Gut microbiota Metabolomics |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590182625000645 |
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