Knowledge on the interaction between microplastics (MPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) is limited. Here, we investigated effects of embryo-larvae exposure to 500 μg/L polystyrene MPs (5 µm), 1200 μg/L ZnO NPs (< 100 nm), 500 μg/L dissolved Zn²⁺ from ZnSO4^, and the mixtures of MPs and ZnO NPs or ZnSO4 on exposed F0 larvae and unexposed F1 larvae. Consequently, ZnO particles adhered to MPs surfaces rather than Zn²⁺, and increased Zn transport into larvae. Growth inhibition, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and disturbance of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) axis were induced by MPs and ZnO NPs alone, which were further aggravated by their co-exposure in F0 larvae. MPs + ZnO increased apoptotic cells in the gill and esophagus compared with MPs and ZnO NPs alone. Reduced growth and antioxidant capacity and down-regulated GH/IGF axis were merely observed in F1 larvae from F0 parents exposed to MPs + ZnO. Contrary to ZnO NPs, dissolved Zn²⁺ reversed MPs toxicity, suggesting the protective role of Zn²⁺ may be not enough to ameliorate thfie negative effects of ZnO particles. To summarize, we found that particles rather than released Zn²⁺ from ZnO nanoparticles amplified MPs toxicity in early stages of exposed zebrafish and their unexposed offspring.

关于微塑料 (MPs) 和氧化锌纳米粒子 (ZnO NPs) 之间相互作用的知识是有限的。在这里，我们研究了胚胎幼虫暴露于 500 μg/L 聚苯乙烯 MPs (5 μm)、1200 μg/L ZnO NPs (< 100 nm)、500 μg/L ZnSO4^{中溶解的 Zn 2+}以及 MPs 混合物的影响。暴露的 F0 幼虫和未暴露的 F1 幼虫上的 ZnO NPs 或 ZnSO4。因此，ZnO 颗粒附着在 MPs 表面而不是 Zn ²⁺，并增加锌向幼虫的转运。MPs 和 ZnO NPs 单独诱导生长抑制、氧化应激、细胞凋亡以及生长激素和胰岛素样生长因子 (GH/IGF) 轴的紊乱，它们在 F0 幼虫中的共同暴露进一步加剧了这种情况。与单独的 MPs 和 ZnO NPs 相比，MPs + ZnO 增加了鳃和食道中的凋亡细胞。仅在暴露于 MPs + ZnO 的 F0 亲本的 F1 幼虫中观察到生长和抗氧化能力降低以及 GH/IGF 轴下调。与 ZnO NPs 相反，溶解的 Zn ²⁺逆转了 MPs 的毒性，表明 Zn ²⁺的保护作用可能不足以改善 ZnO 颗粒的负面影响。总而言之，我们发现颗粒而不是释放 Zn ²⁺ 来自 ZnO 纳米粒子的 MPs 在暴露斑马鱼及其未暴露后代的早期阶段的毒性放大。