2020-08-012024-05-17https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/675280摘要：塑膠廢棄物對環境的潛在危害為全球性的環境議題。塑膠廢棄物在降解過程中，因環境中物理作用力、UV、溫度與生物降解等作用，逐漸碎裂並慢慢形成微米塑膠，甚至會形成難以進一步分解的奈米塑膠，且因其量大、長存於環境及活性改變等特性，可能對於生態構成慢性毒性危害。目前研究多著重於微米塑膠之毒性探討，大多聚焦它可能流入河川、海洋，進入食物鏈。然而奈米塑膠乃為環境中塑膠降解的最終產物，因奈米塑膠之性質不同於微米塑膠，且能夠更長存於環境中，進而構成生態系統的慢性暴露風險。然而目前對於「奈米塑膠」的毒性效應及其可能造成的潛在環境風險的相關研究仍相當匱乏。本研究提出三年的計畫，針對最常見的奈米塑膠之一：奈米聚苯乙烯(polystyrene nanoparticles, nPS)，其中包括未進行表面修飾、經羧基(carboxyl)與氨基(amine)修飾而帶有不同表面電荷的奈米塑膠，並以生態毒理常用的模式生物Caenorhabditis elegans，探討奈米塑膠nPS對生物造成的生殖、表觀遺傳及攝食行為之毒性效應及其作用機制，最終評估nPS的慢性暴露是否在長遠而言會造成生物族群的減少。本研究之成果將幫助釐清奈米塑膠是否造成生物族群 的存活能力下降，協助推動塑膠減量相關科學依據，以避免長遠下來造成奈米塑膠之累積並造成生態環境潛在風險。<br> Abstract: Plastic debris is an emergent global environmental issue. Plastic debris is fragmented due to environmental physical force, UV radiation, temperature, and biological degradation, leading to formation of microplastics, and ultimately nanoplastics. Due to their enormous quantity, recalcitrant nature, and unique physicochemical properties, nanoplastics exposure to organisms might be chronic posing potential toxicity risk to the ecosystem. Current research mostly investigated the toxic effects of microplastics, focusing on their entry to river, ocean, and food chains. In contrast, the ultimate products of plastic debris degradation are nanoplastics and their chemical property is different from that of microplastics. In addition, nanoplastics tend to exist in the environment for a long time, thereby posing potential chronic toxicity risk to the ecosystem. However, research on toxic effects and potential environmental risk of nanoplastics is limited. We therefore propose a 3-year grant to investigate chronic exposure toxicity of one of the most common nanoplastics, polystyrene nanoparticles (nPS), using its pristine form, carboxyl-modified form, and amino-modified form by using Caenorhabditis elegans as model organism. We propose to examine the effects of chronic exposure to nanoplastics on reproduction, epigenetics, and feeding behaviors of C. elegans and the underlying mechanisms to elucidate the potential population decline upon chronic exposure of nanoplastics. Results from this study would help to assess the chronic toxicity of nanoplastics on potential population decline in the ecosystem, thus providing scientific evidence for management on plastic reduction, and ultimately leading to prevention of ecosystem decay.奈米塑膠慢性暴露族群下降生殖表觀遺傳攝食行為C. elegansnanoplasticchronic exposurepopulation declinereproductionepigeneticfeeding behaviorC. elegans