The potential toxicity of nanoplastics to environmental organisms has gradually received great attention recently. We employed the in vivo assay system of Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the possible transgenerational toxicity of nanopolystyrene particles and the underlying cellular mechanisms. After prolonged exposure, we observed the toxicity of nanopolystyrene particles at concentrations higher than 10 μg L⁻¹. The transgenerational toxicity was further detected in nematodes exposed to nanopolystyrene particles at concentrations higher than 100 μg L⁻¹. This observed transgenerational toxicity of nanopolystyrene particles might be mainly due to the translocation of nanopolystyrene particles into reproductive organs such as the gonad, which potentially in turn led to the transfer of nanopolystyrene particles to the next generation. Leachates from nanopolystyrene particles at concentrations in the range of μg L⁻¹ did not contribute to the development of this transgenerational toxicity. Enhancement of intestinal permeability and extension of defecation cycle length provide the explanation for the observed accumulation and translocation of nanopolystyrene particles in reproductive organs. Therefore, our results demonstrate the potential transgenerational toxicity of nanopolystyrene particles in the range of μg L⁻¹ in environmental organisms.

中文翻译：

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线虫秀丽隐杆线虫 中微克L ^-1范围内的纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒的传代毒性

纳米塑料对环境生物的潜在毒性近来已逐渐引起人们的高度关注。我们采用线虫秀丽隐杆线虫的体内测定系统来研究纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒的可能的世代毒性和潜在的细胞机制。长时间暴露后，我们观察到浓度高于10μgL ^-1的纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒的毒性。在暴露于浓度高于100μgL ^-1的纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒的线虫中进一步检测到了跨代毒性。观察到的纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒的代际毒性可能主要是由于纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒易位到生殖器官（如性腺）中，这有可能导致纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒转移到下一代。来自纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒的浓度为μgL ^-1的渗滤液不会促进这种跨代毒性的发展。肠道通透性的增强和排便周期长度的延长，为观察到的纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒在生殖器官中的积累和转运提供了解释。因此，我们的结果证明了纳米聚苯乙烯颗粒在μgL ^-1范围内的潜在的世代毒性。 在环境生物中。