Grant: Discovery Launch Supplement

Analyzing the multigenerational impact of global climate change and environmental stressors on aquatic invertebrates Environmental pollution and its adverse effects on aquatic organisms are of great concern to the health of marine ecosystems. Although, in addition to anthropogenic pollution, the impact of global warming on climate change parameters (CCPs) (e.g., temperature, salinity, pH level, and O2 levels) and environmental pollutants (EPs) (microplastics and nanoplastics [MP and NPs]) is known, their mechanisms of toxicity remain unclear. Studies show that tire wear particles (TWPs), comprised of metals, microplastics, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons are a significant source of xenobiotics in urban runoff. Furthermore, the MPs from TWP contribute to a large proportion of plastic debris in the ocean. Besides, MPs may function as a vector for toxic chemicals and microorganisms, resulting in the bioaccumulation of environmental pollutants in the aquatic environment. Since TWP constituents are toxic to terrestrial and aquatic organisms, it is imperative to understand their toxicity mechanism and develop an `adverse outcome pathway' (AOP) that combines environmental pollutants with CCPs in aquatic organisms. The following research program will analyze differences in toxicity mechanisms from TWPs and MPs in conjunction with CCPs through an integrated multi-omics approach, using non-model aquatic invertebrate species (NMIs), the copepods. Specifically, the project will focus on developing and using methods and tools to analyze the following: 1a) Analyze the physiological and phenotypic response of copepods to changes in CCPs (i.e., pH level and temperature) and establish a baseline response profile (in-vivo endpoints). 1b) Analyze the physiological and potential phenotypic impact of TWPs (MP/NPs and 6PPD-quinone) exposure in conjunction with CCPs in copepods through single and multi- exposure studies. 2) Quantify the impact of changing CCPs and exposure to TWPs (MP/NPs and 6PPD-quinone) through in-vitro bioassays and correlate to the changes in in-vivo endpoints over multigeneration (F0-F3) 3) Quantify the accumulation of MPs (1b and 1d) at various CCPs levels (single and combined exposure) in copepods and analyze the alterations in host-microbiome compositions and metabolites in response to multigenerational exposure of ES. 4) Following a systems-based approach, characterize the molecular events and the cellular pathways responsible for homeostasis and resistance to the toxic insult. Specifically, analyze multigenerational toxicity (F0-F3), decontaminating potential, and adaptive responses utilizing OMICS (transcriptome, microbiome, metabolome), and phenotype of NMIs due to synergistic impact of multigenerational exposure to CCPs and TWPs (MP/NPs and 6PPD-quinone). This research program will provide a better insight in understanding the detrimental impacts of ES over multigenerations in the aquatic life.