Despite a significant amount of research on micronanoplastics (MNPs), there is still a gap in our understanding of their function as transporters of other environmental pollutants (known as the Trojan horse effect) and the combined effects of ingestion, bioaccumulation, and toxicity to organisms. This study examined the individual effects of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) with various surface functionalizations (plain (PS), carboxylated (PS-COOH), and aminated (PS-NH₂)), particle sizes (100 nm and 500 nm), and a pharmaceutical co-contaminant (metformin hydrochloride (MH), an anti-diabetic drug) on the marine crustacean – Artemia salina. The study specifically aimed to determine if MH alters the detrimental effects of PSNPs on A. salina. The potential toxicity of these emerging pollutants was assessed by examining mortality, hatching rate, morphological changes, and biochemical changes. Smaller nanoparticles had a more significant impact than larger ones, and PS-NH₂ was more harmful than PS and PS-COOH. Exposure to the nanoparticle complex with MH resulted in a decrease in hatching rate, an increase in mortality, developmental abnormalities, an increase in reactive oxygen species, catalase, and lipid peroxidase, and a decrease in total protein and superoxide dismutase, indicating a synergistic effect. There were no significant differences between the complex and the individual nanoparticles. However, accumulating these particles in organisms could contaminate the food chain. These results highlight the potential environmental risks associated with the simultaneous exposure of aquatic species to plastics, particularly smaller PS, aminated PS, and pharmaceutical complex PS.

中文翻译：

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纳米塑料对海洋甲壳类动物——卤虫的表面功能化、粒径和药物共污染物的影响

尽管对微纳米塑料 (MNP) 进行了大量研究，但我们对其作为其他环境污染物转运体的功能（称为特洛伊木马效应）以及摄入、生物蓄积和对生物体的毒性的综合影响的理解仍然存在差距。本研究考察了具有不同表面功能化（普通（PS）、羧化（PS-COOH）和胺化（PS-NH ₂））、粒径（100 nm 和 500 nm）以及海洋甲壳类动物——卤虫上的药物共污染物（盐酸二甲双胍 (MH)，一种抗糖尿病药物）。该研究的具体目的是确定 MH 是否会改变 PSNP 对A. salina的有害影响。通过检查死亡率、孵化率、形态变化和生化变化来评估这些新兴污染物的潜在毒性。较小的纳米颗粒比较大的纳米颗粒具有更显着的影响，并且PS-NH ₂比PS和PS-COOH更有害。暴露于含有 MH 的纳米颗粒复合物导致孵化率下降、死亡率增加、发育异常、活性氧、过氧化氢酶和脂质过氧化物酶增加，以及总蛋白和超氧化物歧化酶减少，表明存在协同效应。复合物和单个纳米颗粒之间没有显着差异。然而，这些颗粒在生物体中积累可能会污染食物链。这些结果凸显了水生物种同时接触塑料（特别是较小的 PS、胺化 PS 和药物复合 PS）相关的潜在环境风险。