<i>In vivo</i> hepatic effects and post-exposure recovery following polyethylene terephthalate microplastic ingestion in Swiss Albino mice ( <i>Mus musculus</i> )

The study focuses on the <i>in vivo</i> toxicity of two concentrations of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) microplastics (MPs) (average size 30.22 ± 10.21 µm; 1 mg/mL and 2 mg/mL in distilled water) in Swiss Albino mice after 14 days of exposure via their feeding bottles, followed by a depuration period of 7 days. After 14 days of exposure, PET-MPs induced significant effects on the activities of Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Catalase (CAT) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) in the liver (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Additionally, the levels of total carbohydrates, total proteins, Reduced Glutathione (GSH) and Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were also significantly altered (<i>p</i> < 0.001; <i>p</i> < 0.01 for proteins). Upon completion of the depuration phase, parameters largely reverted to baseline although several remained statistically distinct from the control values, except for GSH and TBARS. Genotoxicity assessed by the comet assay was not observed with the concentrations used in the study.