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Microplastics enhance cadmium bioaccumulation and chronic toxicity in Daphnia magna: Insights from a tropical river case study and controlled exposure experiments
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Researchers combined field surveys of a Malaysian river with 21-day laboratory exposures to show that polystyrene microplastics increase cadmium bioaccumulation in Daphnia magna by 74% and suppress reproduction by 28%, accompanied by elevated oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis-like responses at environmentally relevant contaminant levels.
Cadmium (Cd) and microplastics (MPs) frequently co-occur in freshwater environments. However, their combined ecological effects remain insufficiently characterized under controlled experimental conditions. In this study, we integrated field surveys with controlled chronic laboratory bioassays to evaluate the co-occurrence patterns of Cd and MPs in the Perai River (Malaysia) and their co-toxicity. Spatial analysis revealed a clear downstream accumulation of both contaminants, with Cd concentrations reaching 3.68 ± 0.57 μg/L and MP abundances up to 143.67 ± 10.34 items/L. A subsequent 21-day chronic exposure experiment conducted at environmentally relevant Cd concentration, demonstrated that the presence of PS-MPs significantly enhanced Cd bioaccumulation in Daphnia magna by 74.35% and further suppressed reproductive output by 27.62%. Co-exposure was further associated with elevated lipid peroxidation, altered antioxidant responses, mitochondrial-related transcriptional responses, dysregulation of DNA repair-related processes, and apoptosis-like cellular responses. By combining field-based contamination data with controlled chronic exposure experiments, this study provided evidence suggesting that MPs could influence Cd toxicity and contributed to a more cautious and mechanistically informed understanding of contaminant mixture risks in tropical freshwater systems.
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Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastics altered cadmium toxicity to Daphnia magna, finding that microplastic co-exposure modified cadmium bioavailability and affected survival, growth, feeding rates, and reproductive outcomes in this ecologically important species.
Adverse Effects of Polystyrene Microplastic Exposure on Daphnia magna: a Comprehensive Assessment of Acute Toxicity, Behavioral Changes, and Oxidative Stress
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Comprehensive toxicity testing of polystyrene microplastics on Daphnia magna showed that 1-µm particles were most toxic (48-h LC50: 23.57 mg/L), reducing swimming speed and feeding behavior while triggering oxidative stress markers including elevated malondialdehyde. These behavioral and biochemical endpoints serve as sensitive early-warning biomarkers for ecological risk, highlighting how nanoscale plastics impair the zooplankton that form the base of aquatic food webs.
Chronic and Acute Water-Soluble Microplastics Uptake and Effects on Growth and Reproduction of Daphnia magna
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Researchers found that two water-soluble microplastics — polyvinyl alcohol and polymethacrylic acid — harm the water flea Daphnia magna, reducing lifespan, reproduction, and causing physical deformities, raising concerns about these less-studied plastic types that dissolve in water rather than forming visible particles.
“Biochemical impacts of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and cadmium on Danio rerio under environmental conditions”
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Twenty-one-day exposures of zebrafish to PET microplastics—alone and combined with the heavy metal cadmium—caused oxidative protein damage and disrupted energy metabolism, with the mixture producing worse effects than either pollutant alone. This synergistic toxicity is significant because fish in real-world waterways encounter microplastics and heavy metals together, making combined-exposure studies critical for assessing actual ecological and food-safety risks.
Assessment of intake and effect of microplastics and its combination with metals in experimental (Daphnia magna) and environmental conditions (freshwater fish)
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Researchers assessed the intake and effects of microplastics and their combination with metals using Daphnia magna as an experimental model and freshwater fish under environmental conditions, investigating how microplastics adsorb and transport harmful metals in freshwater systems.
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