Sweet but toxic? An ecotoxicity assessment of the artificial sweetener sucralose using transcriptomics (2026)

Abstract

Sucralose is a widely used artificial sweetener that is highly persistent and mobile in aquatic environments. Despite its frequent detection in surface, ground, and drinking water, the potential risk to the aquatic environment is largely unknown. This study aimed to assess acute toxicity and potential sublethal molecular effects of sucralose in three ecotoxicological model organisms representing different trophic levels: the aquatic plant Lemna minor, the invertebrate Daphnia magna and the fish Danio rerio. Acute toxicity tests showed no observable effects in any organism. Transcriptomic analyses revealed only limited gene expression changes in D. rerio and D. magna, with no consistent evidence of a treatment-related molecular response. In contrast, L. minor exhibited distinct transcriptional alterations pointing to oxidative stress as a major cellular response. Among the affected genes, several were associated with peroxidase activity and sucrose metabolism supporting the hypothesis that oxidative stress might result from a potential interference with sucrose transport. This interference may disrupt sugar-mediated oxidative defense mechanisms, which could contribute to oxidative stress responses and changes in cellular energy allocation. These findings suggest that while sucralose poses minimal acute risk to aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates, it may induce sublethal physiological stress in aquatic plants. Considering its persistence, mobility, and potential to adversely affect plant metabolism, a detailed chronic ecotoxicological assessment is warranted. Moreover, environmental co-exposure with xenobiotics may exacerbate existing effects and should be further investigated. These results contribute to ongoing decisions by regulatory agencies and highlight the need for cautious, evidence-based environmental management of artificial sweeteners.

Keywords

Artificial sweetener; Ecotoxicology; Transcriptomics; Environmental pollutant; Oxidative stress