Confined Cascade Metabolic Reprogramming Nanoreactor for Targeted Alcohol Detoxification and Alcoholic Liver Injury Management

??Many researchers have turned their attention to understanding microplastic interaction with marine fauna. Efforts are being made to monitor exposure pathways and concentrations and to assess the impact such interactions may have. To answer these questions, it is important to select appropriate experimental parameters and analytical protocols. This study focuses on medusae of Cassiopea andromeda jellyfish: a unique benthic jellyfish known to favor (sub-)tropical coastal regions which are potentially exposed to plastic waste from land-based sources. Juvenile medusae were exposed to fluorescent poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polypropylene microplastics (<300 ??m), resin embedded, and sectioned before analysis with confocal laser scanning microscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Results show that the fluorescent microplastics were stable enough to be detected with the optimized analytical protocol presented and that their observed interaction with medusae occurs in a manner which is likely driven by the microplastic properties (e.g., density and hydrophobicity).

Automated summary

Many researchers are studying the interaction between microplastics and marine fauna and working to monitor exposure pathways, concentrations, and their impacts. This study focuses on Cassiopea andromeda jellyfish, which live in (sub-)tropical coastal regions that are potentially contaminated by plastic waste. Fluorescent microplastics were detected using an optimized analytical protocol, and their interaction with the jellyfish was found to be influenced by the properties of the microplastics, such as density and hydrophobicity.