Exposure to multiple pollutants provokes synergistic effects in regeneration of Dugesia tigrina

In recent years, there has been a rise in pollution studies that aim to address the rise in aquatic pollution. Millions of tons of pollutants are becoming increasingly more prevalent. Overall, anthropogenic and zoogenic exposure to pollution has significantly increased as a result of aquatic pollution. As such, humans and marine life are greatly affected. However, no research has been conducted on the synergistic impacts of pollutants on in vivo models. To address this gap, we conducted exposure experiments, in which planarians (Dugesia tigrina), a model organism for toxicology studies, were exposed to PET-MPs, HB101 E. coli, and processed motor oil. We then examined the tissue composition and regeneration of the Planaria utilizing Fiji/ImageJ software and custom scripts, which included the change in length, head size, and pigmentation. Through an ANOVA statistical test, it was found that there is no statistically significant difference in planarian length and head size between all groups. However, there was a significant difference in pigmentation, highlighting the impact synergy places on tissue composition. These results provide further insight into the risks of pollution to life, laying the foundation of the synergistic harm pollutants cause to marine ecosystems and potential implications for human health. Overall, pollutants play a moderate synergistic effect on marine life, especially in terms of pigmentation. However, future research is necessary in understanding the synergistic effects of pollutants on the cellular level, which may be more significant.