Cookware abrasion-derived particulates from non-stick cookware induce sublethal ecotoxicological disturbances in Physalaemus cuvieri tadpoles and Allium cepa roots.

Although nonstick cookware is widely used in everyday life, the mechanical wear of its coatings has been proposed as a potential source of particulate release to aquatic environments, but it remains poorly investigated. In this study, we evaluated the composition, heterogeneity, and ecotoxicological effects of cookware abrasion-derived particulates (CADPs) generated under a controlled dry-abrasion protocol using nonstick cookware and a stainless steel scourer, using Physalaemus cuvieri and Allium cepa as complementary model systems. CADPs were characterized by optical microscopy, UV epifluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Organisms were exposed to CADPs at 0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg L-1 (CADP-0.1, CADP-1.0, and CADP-10, respectively) for 7 days, and morphometric, developmental, biochemical, DNA damage, and cytogenetic endpoints were evaluated. Characterization revealed a heterogeneous, multiphasic particulate fraction composed of dark fragments consistent with coating delamination, metallic particles, and hybrid structures, with marked occurrence of F, C, O, Fe, Al, Ti, and Cr, together with minor elements likely associated with pigments, fillers, additives, or abrasive residues. No mortality was observed in either model. However, in tadpoles, CADP-10 reduced developmental progression, increased ROS, MDA, nitrite, catalase, esterases, CYP450-type oxidase, total proteins, and triglycerides, reduced total soluble carbohydrates, and increased the frequency of nucleoids showing intermediate DNA damage, without increasing the overall mean DNA damage. In A. cepa, CADPs reduced root emission and integrated root growth, altered root growth patterns, increased MDA and nitrite levels, reduced ROS and SOD activity, and impaired mitotic activity and progression, without evidence of recurrent chromosomal damage. Multivariate analyses confirmed distinct biological response profiles among treatments, and the integrated Cross model Integrated Biological Disturbance Score indicated greater overall sensitivity in A. cepa and intensified biological disturbance at CADP-10. These findings demonstrate that CADPs generated under controlled dry-abrasion conditions constitute a multiphasic bioactive particulate mixture capable of inducing integrated sublethal responses in distinct biological systems. In contrast, their release under actual household washing conditions remains to be determined.