Determination of Cancerogenic Potentials Microplastic and recycled plastic on Oreochromis niloticus using Micronucleus Assay

Micronuclei (MN) play a fundamental role during cancer evolution and metastatic progression. Water pollution means that these bodies are polluted with harmful substances, resulting in serious health hazards. Microplastics are currently a significant source of global concern. Environmental exposures are known risk factors for cancer etiology. These carcinogens also accumulate in aquatic organisms consumed by humans, eventually entering our food chain. In our study, the effects of microplastic (MP) and recycled plastic (RP = plastic bottle caps) concentrations on the erythrocytes of the fish Oreochromis niloticus (Nile Tilapia) were investigated for their carcinogenic and hematological effects on red blood cells (RBCs) through MN testing and erythrocyte counting. The results indicated that, due to the effects of MP and RP concentrations, the frequency of MN in erythrocytes increased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, leading to cancer in living organisms and causing a decrease in the number of red blood cells (anemia).