Investigation of Physiological, Developmental and Behavioral Effects of Brilliant Black BN Dye on Zebrafish Embryos and Larvae

This study investigates the developmental, physiological, and behavioral effects of the synthetic azo dye Brilliant Black BN (E151) on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Embryos were exposed to different concentrations (1, 5, 10, and 100 ppm) of Brilliant Black BN until 96 hours post-fertilization (hpf), and their oxidative stress levels, apoptosis, morphological changes, and swimming behaviors were evaluated. The results showed that high-dose exposure to Brilliant Black BN increased oxidative stress, elevated apoptosis levels, reduced body length and eye diameter, and led to an increase in pericardial edema. Additionally, high-dose exposure altered larval swimming activity, inducing anxiety-like behaviors. These findings suggest that Brilliant Black BN may have toxicological effects on zebrafish and highlight the need for further research on the safe use as food additives.