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Using zebrafish as a model to investigate the potential threat of nanoplastics to aquatic species

Rafael Trevisan, PhD
Friday, December 06, 2019
11:45 am - 1:00 pm
Rafael Trevisan, PhD, Duke University post-doctoral researcher
Duke University Program in Environmental Health & Toxicology Fall Seminar Series (Pharm 847-S/ENV 847-S)

Dr. Trevisan's seminar will address the effects of plastic pollution on wildlife. Plastics are recognized as a worldwide threat to the environment, possibly affecting human health and wildlife. Although the ecological implications of macroplastics pollution are well documented, less is known about smaller plastic particles such as nanoplastics. Dr. Trevisan will discuss how these small plastic particles (nanoplastics) are absorbed from the water by zebrafish embryos during early development, causing effects on their development and behavior. He will also address how nanoplastics can be transferred to the next generation through the ovaries of exposed females, and the role of the Trojan Horse effect on nanoplastic toxicity. Lastly, he will discuss how nanoplastics also target and disrupt mitochondrial energy production during embryonic and larval stages, and if such negative effects could be detrimental under multiple-stressors exposures and energy-demanding scenarios.

Contact: Alexis Sharp