ECB-ART-55104
Environ Pollut
2026 Jun 10;:128532. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128532.
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Environmental corona defines the in vivo ecotoxicity of polymeric and metal-based nanoparticles in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.
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The environmental behavior and biological effects of nanoparticles (NPs) depend strongly on their transformations in seawater and interactions with biotic interfaces. Here, we investigated the physicochemical evolution and ecotoxicological impact of four representative NPs, on the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus under environmentally relevant exposure scenarios. The four type of NPs used are both polymeric amino and carboxylated polystyrene, PS-NH2 and PS-COOH, and metal-based ones, namely functionalized silver (AgcitLcys) and titanium dioxide (TiO2). Dynamic light scattering, ΞΆ-potential, and electron microscopy analyses revealed rapid formation of environmental coronas (eco-coronas), arising from the adsorption of natural organic matter, proteins, and dissolved ions present in seawater, and the occurrence of aggregation processes, which varied according to NP core composition and surface charge. In vivo exposure assays showed that polymeric NPs induced mild stress responses, while metal-based NPs, characterized by unstable and restructuring coronas, caused marked cytotoxicity, lysosomal destabilization, and activation of immune and antioxidant defenses. Enzymatic biomarkers highlighted tissue-specific oxidative responses, with reduced antioxidant capacity in the sea urchin gonads and the up-regulation of detoxification pathways in the intestine. The integrated use of cellular and enzymatic biomarkers provides mechanistic insights into NPs induced stress responses in marine invertebrates along with eco-corona formation in seawater. As one of the few in vivo studies conducted in vivo with adults of sea urchins at environmentally relevant exposure concentrations, our findings contribute to bridging the gap between bench-scale studies and realistic exposure scenarios in nanoecotoxicological risk assessment of NPs in marine ecosystems.
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