*For correspondence: m_chingiz@yahoo.com
Chingiz Mammadov: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5785-2392 Rovshan Khalilov: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8684-1390
The vast presence of metal nanoparticles within the global aquatic environment and the detrimental effect on human health have become issues of global concern. Therefore, the research focus of this project was to investigate the microscopic bioaccumulation and localization of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles within the cellular structures of Cyprinus carpio L. (Common Carp) in aqueous environments. A number of researchers have reported the accumulation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles by aquatic organisms, including fish and have also described the numerous pathological changes caused to the host organism by the presence of these particles. This study examined the bioaccumulation of iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles in the intestinal tissue of Cyprinus carpio L., which was raised in an aquaculture environment, as well as the effects of the presence of these nanoparticles on the early stages of embryonic development during artificial breeding. After being exposed to Fe3O4 nanoparticles (10 and 100 mg/10g of food) over 7 days in the current investigation using the Common Carp, it was noted that the intestinal tissue exhibited pronounced pathomorphological changes. These included: 1) loss of microvilli; 2) cytoplasmic edema; 3) damage to mitochondria; and 4) damage to vascular endothelium. At the lowest dose (10 mg) used in the study, clear indications of damage, such as villi breakdown in the intestine and pathology of cytoplasmic structure in enterocytes, were visible. Electron microscopy demonstrated the sequential entry and bioaccumulation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles through the enterocytes, beginning with the microvilli and progressing through various cellular organelles. The size of the nanoparticles found in the structural components of the fish intestine was consistent at up to 20 nm. The results demonstrate that Fe3O4 nanoparticles may accumulate in fish at all stages of breeding and can be used in practice in aquaculture. The use of nanoparticles as a result of studies on the effects of the nanoparticles on the embryonic development of fish resulted in an increase in the amount of viable free embryos and the number of fertilized eggs by approximately 12-14% when 0.001 grams of Fe₃O₄ was added to the sperm before it fertilized the eggs. These results can be important for determining the toxicity of the nanoparticles at different stages of fish reproduction and could have practical applications in aquaculture.
The authors express their sincere gratitude to the staff of the aquaculture and microscopy laboratories of Baku State University for their technical assistance and support during the experimental procedures. Special thanks are extended to colleagues who provided valuable consultations during the electron microscopy analyses and embryological observations.
All experimental procedures involving live fish were conducted in strict accordance with internationally accepted guidelines for the care and use of aquatic organisms in scientific research. The study design complied with ethical principles aimed at minimizing stress, suffering, and the number of animals used. Handling, feeding, exposure to iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles, sampling, and euthanasia procedures were performed following standard aquaculture and laboratory animal welfare protocols. The experimental procedures were approved by the relevant institutional ethics committee of Baku State University, and all efforts were made to ensure humane treatment of the experimental animals throughout the study.
This scientific research was carried out during 2024–2025 with financial support from the Science Foundation of the Republic of Azerbaijan under Grant No. AEF-MGC-2024-2(50), awarded within the framework of the “Year of Solidarity for a Green World” Main Grant Competition.
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.
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Received: November 08, 2025; Reviewed: December 11, 2025; Accepted: December 18, 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62088/timbb/9.2.9Keywords:
Common carp, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, small intestine, bioaccumulation, embryonic development, fertilization rate
Mammadov, C., Khalilov, R.. (2025). INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF IRON OXIDE (FE3O4) NANOPARTICLES ON THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE INTESTINE AND ON THE EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT OF COMMON CARP (CYPRINUS CARPIO LINNAEUS, 1758) REARED UNDER AQUACULTURE CONDITIONS. TIMBB, 9 (2), 69-78.