Biochemical effects from the co-exposure of heavy metals and biomicroplastics in tilapia

The manufacture, characterisation, use, and degradation of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) are the main areas of research into this plastic substitute in light of plastic pollution. However, little is known about PHA's capacity to bioaccumulate in the food chain and serve as a vector for heavy metal contaminants. Thus, information was gathered from the experiments of pollutant sorption, pollutant bioaccumulation, and antioxidant-enzyme modulation of four microparticles in single and co-exposure to lead (Pb) and copper (Cu): poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)], poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB-co-4HB)], polylactic acid (PLA), and polyethylene (PE).鉴于塑料污染问题，聚羟基脂肪酸酯（polyhydroxyalkanoate, PHA）作为塑料替代材料的研究主要围绕其制备、表征、应用及降解展开。然而，目前对于PHA在食物链中发生生物富集以及作为重金属污染物载体的能力仍知之甚少。为此，本研究针对四种微粒材料在单一及复合暴露于铅（lead, Pb）和铜（copper, Cu）环境下的污染物吸附、污染物生物富集以及抗氧化酶调控相关实验进行了信息收集，所涉材料包括：聚(3-羟基丁酸酯) [poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), P(3HB)]、聚(3-羟基丁酸酯-co-4-羟基丁酸酯) [poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate), P(3HB-co-4HB)]、聚乳酸（polylactic acid, PLA）以及聚乙烯（polyethylene, PE）。