Toxicity of water-soluble polymers polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol for fish and frog embryos

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173154
• Publication Date: 2024-05-10T15:17:51Z
• Authors: Giorgia Zicarelli; Caterina Faggio; Jana Blahova; Barbora Riesova; Renata Hesova; Veronika Doubkova; Zdenka Svobodova; Pavla Lakdawala
• Keywords: Danio; Polyvinyl Alcohol; Heart beat; Developmental toxicity

Personal Care Products (PCPs) have been one of the most studied chemicals in last twenty years since they were identified as pseudo-persistent pollutants by European Union early 2000s. The accumulation PCPs aquatic environment and their effects on non-target species make it necessary to find new, less harmful, substances. Polyethylene glycol (PEGs) polyvinyl alcohol (PVAs) are two polymers that increased presence composition recent years, but little is known about effect species. Through embryotoxicity tests common models organisms (Danio rerio Xenopus laevis), this work aims increase knowledge PEGs PVAs' Animals exposed pollutant for 96 h. main endpoint (mortality, hatching, malformations, heartbeat rate) was recorded every 24 significant results hatching delay Danio both chemicals, malformations (oedema, body changes pigmentation deformations spine tail) D. X. laevis change rate (decrease or animals all tested.