Parental Exposure to Nanoplastics and Graphene Oxide Induces Transgenerational Toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Environmental pollution by emerging contaminants such as nanoplastics (NPs) and graphene oxide (GO) represents a growing threat to global health and ecosystems. This study investigated the effects of parental exposure, both isolated and combined, to 100 μg/L NPs (polystyrene, spherical, 100 nm) and 100 mg/L GO, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a biological model. Parental exposure to these contaminants induced oxidative stress and alterations in antioxidant defense enzymes (SOD, CAT, GST), leading to lipid peroxidation and physiological impairments such as reduced reproduction, locomotion, and growth. Notably, these biochemical disruptions were also evident in unexposed offspring, indicating transgenerational inheritance of toxic effects. Overall, our findings highlight persistent oxidative damage as a central mechanism underlying NPs- and GO-induced toxicity and emphasize the need to incorporate generational studies into environmental risk assessment to better predict long-term impacts of emerging contaminants.