{"title":"Eco-friendly Nanobioengineered CuO Platform mediated through Ficus religiosa Latex for Malathion Detection","authors":"Kshitij R. B. Singh, Pooja Singh, Shyam S. Pandey","doi":"10.1039/d5en00234f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en00234f","url":null,"abstract":"Nanobioengineered platforms are increasingly recognized for their unique properties and high surface area-to-volume ratio, making them ideal for sensitive and selective biosensing applications. This study presents the synthesis and utilization of biogenic copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) for fabricating a biosensor for malathion sensing. The synthesized CuO NPs were initially characterized to confirm their structure and stability. Subsequently, CuO NPs were electrodeposited on the substrate via electrophoretic deposition and immobilized with Choline Oxidase (ChO) enzyme to fabricate ChO-CuO NPs/ITO nanobioengineered electrodes. This platform demonstrated high selectivity and sensitivity for detecting the organophosphate pesticide malathion, showcasing a notable electro-oxidation response. In comparison to existing malathion biosensors, this platform offers a novel combination of high selectivity and enhanced sensitivity, providing a significantly lower detection limit of 0.41 μM. The sensor displayed a sensitivity of 159.2 μA μM<small><sup>-1</sup></small>cm<small><sup>-2</sup></small> across a linear range of 1–200 μM, indicating its potential application for rapid, selective, and quantitative malathion detection in environmental and agricultural samples. Thus, this work paves the way for future advancements in eco-friendly, low-cost biosensors for the detection of harmful pesticides, with potential applications in environmental monitoring and food safety.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"164 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145059479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
George Metreveli, Sandra Kurtz, Karin Leuthold, Sebastian Kuehr, Christian Schlechtriem, Simon Lüderwald, Mirco Bundschuh, Ralf Schulz, Gabriele E. Schaumann
{"title":"Distribution of sulfidized silver nanoparticles across abiotic and biotic environmental compartments: a long-term floodplain mesocosm study","authors":"George Metreveli, Sandra Kurtz, Karin Leuthold, Sebastian Kuehr, Christian Schlechtriem, Simon Lüderwald, Mirco Bundschuh, Ralf Schulz, Gabriele E. Schaumann","doi":"10.1039/d4en01170h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4en01170h","url":null,"abstract":"In environmental research, the application of sulfidized silver nanoparticles (S-Ag-NPs) prepared by sulfidation of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) will more realistically simulate the release routes of these nanoparticles and their fate in natural compartments compared to the frequently used pristine Ag-NPs or silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag<small><sub>2</sub></small>S-NPs) prepared by synthesis from dissolved silver which do not fully reflect the environmentally relevant state. Furthermore, the information on the accumulation of S-Ag-NPs in sediments, floodplain soils, biofilms, amphipods, and filter feeding organisms – bivalves – is extremely limited. In this study, we evaluated the distribution of S-Ag-NPs in abiotic and biotic compartments using indoor mesocosms simulating the aquatic-terrestrial transition zone and considering typical dynamics in floodplain areas. High accumulation of silver in sediments and biofilms observed in this study indicates that these compartments represent the most effective sinks for S-Ag-NPs in rivers. In the presence of mussels, immobilization of silver in sediment increased, most likely due to the rejection of nanoparticles as pseudo-feces by mussels. The enrichment of silver originating from S-Ag-NPs in/on biofilms, amphipods, mussels, and leaves suggests an enhanced risk of trophic transfer of these environmentally relevant nanoparticles. While some properties of nanoparticles are different for sulfidized and pristine Ag-NPs such as lower affinity of S-Ag-NPs to biofilms and leaves compared to Ag-NPs, other properties are similar for both nanoparticles such as high accumulation in sediments and soils. Furthermore, the high mobility of a residual nanoparticle fraction in river water seems to be representative for S-Ag-NPs and Ag-NPs indicating an enhanced risk for their long-distance transport in rivers.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145059481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Silica-based nanopesticides vs. non-nano formulations: a comparative study for sustainable agriculture","authors":"Y. L. Zeng, M. Motola","doi":"10.1039/d5en00408j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en00408j","url":null,"abstract":"The use of nanopesticides has emerged as a sustainable alternative to conventional formulations, offering improved delivery and minimized environmental harm. This review critically analyzes 99 peer-reviewed studies from 2016 to 2024, comparing silica-based nanopesticides to their non-nano counterparts in terms of physicochemical properties, efficacy, and environmental performance. Silica-based nanoparticles (SiO<small><sub>2</sub></small> NPs), with high surface area, tunable porosity, and excellent biocompatibility, are shown to improve bioavailability, photostability, and controlled-release efficiency. On average, these nanoformulations demonstrate 32% greater pest control efficacy than conventional alternatives. Special attention is given to particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and responsiveness to external environmental triggers such as pH, temperature, and ultraviolet (UV) exposure. This review also examines the uptake and translocation pathways of silica nanocarriers in plants and their interaction with active ingredients (AIs) at the molecular level. Despite laboratory success, limited field studies and unclear regulatory frameworks restrict their broader application. The porous nature of silica enables high pesticide loading and environmental responsiveness but may also pose long-term accumulation risks. Current definitions of “nanopesticides” based solely on particle size are critically challenged, as many silica-based formulations exceed the 100 nm threshold. Future efforts should prioritize biodegradable silica hybrids, scalable synthesis, and robust, multi-season field validation across diverse agroecological contexts. This review is the first to systematically compare silica-based and non-nano pesticide systems, offering comprehensive insights into performance trade-offs and practical limitations. Our findings highlight the urgent need for interdisciplinary research and harmonized regulatory frameworks to facilitate the safe and effective integration of silica-based nanocarriers into real-world agricultural practice.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"74 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145035336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Piotr Sakiewicz, Krzysztof Piotrowski, Józef Ober, Jozef Soltys, Klaudiusz Golombek, Charli Sitinjak, Małgorzata Kopiec, Krzysztof Kiraga
{"title":"Unrefined aluminosilicates-based coagulants & sorbents for effective removal of phosphorus from wastewater – employment of natural halloysite nanostructures in intensification of a multi-mechanism process","authors":"Piotr Sakiewicz, Krzysztof Piotrowski, Józef Ober, Jozef Soltys, Klaudiusz Golombek, Charli Sitinjak, Małgorzata Kopiec, Krzysztof Kiraga","doi":"10.1039/d5en00651a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en00651a","url":null,"abstract":"The results of laboratory tests and preliminary industrial research related to the original use of coagulants produced from aluminosilicate clay - activated halloysite, based on exemplary unrefined geological mineral, with natural nanostructural elements – nanotubes, nanoplatelets, nanospheres for multi-mechanistic integrated sorption and coagulation-based capture of phosphorus from multi-component sewage are presented. According to the Circular Economy (CE) approach, the use of simple methods of physical pretreatment of halloysite, without chemical functionalization or purification, was a conscious research strategy, justified by technological, economic and environmental aspects. Product manufactured on the basis of unrefined naturally-nanostructural aluminosilicates - halloysite mineral, after dedicated functionalization, can simultaneously act as a sorbent, coagulant and as a weight for the emerging aggregates - flocs, accelerating their sedimentation. The presented original technological concept of a simplified, thus cleaner production process of an adsorbent & coagulant based on halloysite has been positively verified for real sewages. The research based on the selected, exemplary geological deposit of Dunino in Poland, where the mineral containing mainly naturally-nanostructural halloysite but also kaolinite, hematite, magnetite, quartz, magnesioferrite, rutile, ilmenite, geikielite, goyazite, crandallite shown that leaving the minerals naturally co-present in the raw material has a positive effect on the more effective separation of phosphorus from sewage. Their co-presence, as well as elements substitutions both in the spatial nanostructural forms of halloysite and on its surface has proven to be technologically beneficial due to the synergistic physical and chemical interactions, providing in effect more effective sorption and coagulation processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of phosphates removal from the real municipal wastewater using natural, chemically untreated halloysite and to identify the process dependencies between its fractional composition and the resulting coagulation and sorption efficiency in separation of phosphorus compounds from solutions of variable composition.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"72 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145035337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yunpeng Jiang, Ying Feng, Ali Rastegarpanah, Chang Liu, Peiqi Chu, Zhiwei Wang, Lu Wei, Yuxi Liu, Hongxing Dai, Jiguang Deng
{"title":"Perovskite-type Oxide Catalysts for VOCs Removal: Recent Advances and Future Prospects","authors":"Yunpeng Jiang, Ying Feng, Ali Rastegarpanah, Chang Liu, Peiqi Chu, Zhiwei Wang, Lu Wei, Yuxi Liu, Hongxing Dai, Jiguang Deng","doi":"10.1039/d5en00680e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en00680e","url":null,"abstract":"Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pose a significant environmental challenge, necessitating effective and sustainable mitigation strategies. Catalytic oxidation has emerged as a preferred alternative to direct combustion, primarily due to its lower energy consumption and reduced secondary pollution. Perovskite oxide catalysts have sparked significant interest in the environmental field, owing to their adjustable structures, strong redox properties, and superior catalytic stability. A wide range of perovskite oxide catalysts has been designed for the catalytic oxidation of VOCs, aiming to meet increasingly stringent pollutant emission regulations. Due to compositional flexibility of the perovskite structure, key factors such as defect formation, electron and oxygen migration, and the adsorption and activation of oxygen and reactive substrates are strongly influenced by elemental composition, synthesis methods, doping strategies, and surface modifications, thereby determining the catalytic oxidation activity and stability for VOCs. Herein, this review provides a holistic view of recent advances in perovskite oxide catalysts for VOCs catalytic oxidation from various perspectives, with particular focus on how composition, structural design, and surface modification influence catalytic performance. By examining these relationships, the review aims to bridge existing knowledge gaps regarding the structure-performance relationships in diverse perovskite oxide catalysts in VOCs catalytic oxidation. Ultimately, this work provides valuable insights and a practical reference for the future development and application of perovskite oxide catalysts in VOCs oxidation for environmental protection.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"164 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145025762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Carbonyl-Induced Reduction from Co(III) to Co(II) in CoxSy Enables Sulfate Radical-Dominated Peroxymonosulfate Activation","authors":"Liyuan Wu, Chaoyang Wang, Xin Wang, Xun Zhang, Qian Yu, Yuanyuan Jiang, Kaiyu Chen, Wenli Yang, Pengpeng Guo, Haiyan Li","doi":"10.1039/d5en00632e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en00632e","url":null,"abstract":"Cobalt sulfide (CoxSy) shows promise for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), but its application faces key challenges, including low sulfate radical (SO4•–) generation, inefficient PMS decomposition, and limited mineralization efficiency for antibiotic removal. This study addresses these limitations by coordinating carbonyl groups (C=O) with cobalt to stabilize low-valence cobalt species and enhance electron transfer through defect engineering. A lignite-activated coke-supported cobalt sulfide (LAC@CoxSy-V) was synthesized, exhibiting a nearly complete conversion to low-valence cobalt (Co2+) and abundant sulfur vacancies. Compared to CoxSy/PMS system, the Kobs of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation and the mineralization efficiency of SMX in the LAC@CoxSy-V/PMS system are 18-fold and 2-fold higher, respectively. Mechanistic studies revealed that CoxSy complexed on the LAC surface enables cobalt-carbonyl coordination, facilitating electron transfer from the electronegative C=O to Co3+, reducing it to Co2+. The introduction of sulfur vacancies further increases the proportion of low-valence cobalt, promoting PMS activation to generate SO4•–. These radicals act as the primary reactive oxygen species (ROS), while sulfur vacancies simultaneously promote singlet oxygen (1O2) generation, synergistically enhancing SMX degradation. The applicability of this system was validated under various conditions, including matrix interference tests, cyclic stability assessment, and continuous-flow fixed-bed reactor experiments simulating medical wastewater treatment. This study provides valuable insight into defect and ligand engineering strategies for efficient antibiotic removal via PMS-AOPs.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"55 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145017303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Qi Wang, Xuewen Guo, Aiguo Gu, Hong-Zhen Lian, Jie Zou
{"title":"Non-radical oxidation of TBBPA and TBBPS in soil using Fe and Cu co-doped sulfurized carbon nitride: A comparative study of peroxymonosulfate and peroxydisulfate activation","authors":"Qi Wang, Xuewen Guo, Aiguo Gu, Hong-Zhen Lian, Jie Zou","doi":"10.1039/d5en00600g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en00600g","url":null,"abstract":"The non-radical oxidation pathways in persulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (PS-AOPs) offer significant potential for soil and groundwater remediation. However, the construction of non-radical systems and the underlying reaction mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. In this study, Fe and Cu co-doped sulfurized carbon nitride (FeCuS@GFs) were distributed on the surface of graphite felt for non-radical oxidation pathways. FeCuS@GFs activated peroxydisulfate (PDS) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to generate electron transfer process and Fe(IV) active species as the primary non-radical oxidation pathways, respectively. FeCuS@GFs exhibited high efficiency in removing tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS) from aqueous matrices. Comparative analysis demonstrated that Fe(IV) active species exhibited higher reactivity than electron transfer process for degrading TBBPA/S. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experiments further revealed that TBBPS was more resistant to non-radical oxidation than TBBPA. Additionally, soil properties, including pH, Fe-containing minerals and organic matter, influenced the efficiency of electron transfer processes and Fe(IV) active species. FeCuS@GFs/PMS system achieved nearly complete removal of TBBPA/S from various soil samples, highlighting its superior applicability for soil and groundwater remediation. This study provides novel insights into the role of non-radical oxidation pathways in their potential for actual soil and groundwater treatment.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"71 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145002958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Boyan Nie, Jing Wang, Weixuan Hu, Jiaoyue Cong, Yanjun Fang, Lei Wang, Zhenghua Duan
{"title":"Disruption of light–dark rhythms alters embryonic development toxicity and neurotoxicity of nanoplastics on zebrafish larvae by regulating thyroid pathways","authors":"Boyan Nie, Jing Wang, Weixuan Hu, Jiaoyue Cong, Yanjun Fang, Lei Wang, Zhenghua Duan","doi":"10.1039/d5en00661a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en00661a","url":null,"abstract":"Disruption of light–dark rhythms may increase the susceptibility of organisms to contaminants. Herein, the toxicities and related mechanisms of nanoplastics (NPs) under different light–dark rhythms were investigated. Zebrafish embryos exposed to polystyrene NPs (PS-NH<small><sub>2</sub></small> NPs; 50 nm) within environmentally relevant concentrations caused deformities (small eyes, pericardial edema, and spinal curvature) and increased swimming distances in zebrafish larvae. Both continuous light (LL) and continuous darkness (DD) increased the developmental toxicity of nanoplastics in zebrafish embryos, with DD having the stronger effect. The reason was that DD conditions down-regulated the pathways of thyroid, visual development, and cytochrome P450, as NP exposure did, whereas LL conditions down-regulated the first two pathways but up-regulated the cytochrome P450 pathway, which has detoxification effects in organisms. However, LL and DD conditions decreased the swimming distances of NP-treated larvae because they promoted the inhibition effect on eye development and elevated T4 levels in zebrafish larvae. Regulation of light–dark rhythms dominated the swimming behavior of zebrafish larvae under combined exposure. Our findings suggest that the influence of environmental factors on the potential health risks of NPs cannot be ignored.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144987659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rational Cyano Functionalization of Copper Phenylacetylide Paves the Way for Superior Photogenerated Electron Transport Capability and Diclofenac Degradation","authors":"Lingrong Chen, Yishun Wang, Fengyuan Zhang, Yanfang Wang, Yunshuang He, Hongda Zhan, Xiaoyu Zhang, Ping Chen, Zili Lin, Wenying Lv, Guoguang Liu","doi":"10.1039/d5en00654f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en00654f","url":null,"abstract":"Photocatalytic technology is a promising solution for effectively removing diclofenac (DCF) from wastewater. Herein, we report the theoretical design and solvothermal synthesis of a cyano-modified copper phenylacetylide (PhC<small><sub>2</sub></small>Cu) photocatalyst (Cy-PhC<small><sub>2</sub></small>Cu), addressing the bottleneck of rapid charge carrier recombination in pristine PhC<small><sub>2</sub></small>Cu. The strong electron-withdrawing nature of cyano (-CN) not only facilitates photogenerated electron transfer on copper(I) sites and induces oxygen activation but also lowers the valence band (VB) energy level, thereby promoting the generation of highly oxidizing holes (h⁺) to enhance the production of <small><sup>1</sup></small>O<small><sub>2</sub></small> . Characterizations confirm that doping of -CN exhibits a broadened light absorption range and superior photocatalytic activity toward DCF degradation under visible light. Specifically, Cy-PhC<small><sub>2</sub></small>Cu achieved a 97.0% DCF degradation rate within 100 min, which is 5.99 times higher in kinetics than pure PhC<small><sub>2</sub></small>Cu. In the photocatalytic process, electrons are excited by copper(I) and enter the benzene ring ligand through alkynyl groups. The presence of electron-deficient -CN can further capture these electrons, avoiding their rapid return to copper under strong coulomb forces within the molecule, resulting in effective exciton separation, which was confirmed by the combined results of photoluminescence (PL) spectra and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This work demonstrates that rational functional group engineering paves the way for designing advanced photocatalysts with optimized optoelectronic transport for water treatment applications.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144919142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Da Sun, Baihui Wu, Jinghui Yue, Guomeng Zeng, Rongbing Chen and Jia Chen
{"title":"From particle size to brain function: a zebrafish-based review of micro/nanoplastic-induced neurobehavioral toxicity and mechanistic pathways","authors":"Da Sun, Baihui Wu, Jinghui Yue, Guomeng Zeng, Rongbing Chen and Jia Chen","doi":"10.1039/D5EN00469A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EN00469A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Micro- and nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) are emerging neurotoxicants in aquatic environments, with increasing evidence linking their presence to behavioral impairments and molecular disruption in fish. Zebrafish (<em>Danio rerio</em>), a key vertebrate model, have demonstrated a range of neurobehavioral effects following MP/NP exposure, including altered locomotion, anxiety-like responses, disrupted circadian activity, and impaired social interaction. Neurotoxicity appears to be strongly size-dependent: NPs, capable of crossing the blood–brain barrier, induce direct neuronal damage primarily <em>via</em> oxidative stress and neurotransmitter imbalance, whereas larger particles exert indirect effects through systemic inflammation and gut–brain axis perturbation. Key neurochemical alterations, such as changes in acetylcholinesterase, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and serotonin, are consistently associated with behavioral phenotypes. These outcomes are further modulated by exposure concentration, particle chemistry, and interactions with environmental co-contaminants. While mechanistic insights are expanding, most studies rely on simplified laboratory conditions that lack environmental realism and cross-species relevance. To advance ecological risk assessment, future research must adopt integrated, multi-level approaches that reflect real-world exposure scenarios and link mechanistic pathways to functional neurobehavioral outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":" 9","pages":" 4197-4210"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144906213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}