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Biointerface interactions and mechanistic ecotoxicity of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics and imidacloprid in juvenile Carassius auratus under single and combined exposure
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Scientists found that when fish farmed for food are exposed to both microplastics and a common pesticide together, their gills suffer more damage than from either pollutant alone, including cell death and disrupted waste processing. Since these fish are raised in ponds near farms and end up on dinner tables, this raises concerns about how combined pollution affects the safety and health of our food sources.
Agricultural intensification zones-especially pesticide-intensive, ponded rice drainage belts-are overlooked hotspots for plastic and pesticide pollution. Rice-fish co-culture is now widely promoted; crucian carp is the principal co-stocked species that provides food and supports crop yield yet experiences high plastic-pesticide exposure. Imidacloprid (IMI) is among the most widely used crop pesticides and fish therapeutics, while polystyrene (PS) constitutes a major share of agricultural plastics. Juvenile carp were exposed for 28 days to PS microplastics (MP) or nanoplastics (NP) at 100μg/L, IMI at 200μg/L, and their mixtures; gills were assessed by histology, physiology, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. Exposure caused treatment-dependent gill injury. MP, NP, IMI, and NP + IMI showed positive oxidative-phosphorylation enrichment, accompanied by treatment-dependent increases in Rhesus (Rh)-family gene expression. In contrast, MP + IMI lacked this response and showed reduced Rh-family expression with the highest gill ammonia content. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified a co-expression module associated with reduced glutathione (GSH) after false discovery rate correction, with enrichment in p53 and apoptosis-related pathways. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) further supported apoptosis-associated injury of pavement cells in the MP + IMI group. Integrated omics highlighted purine-related metabolite signals in MP and MP + IMI, and xanthine oxidase activity was higher in MP + IMI than in MP. Overall, this study simulated a plastic-IMI co-exposure scenario relevant to contamination hotspots in agricultural aquaculture waters and revealed pronounced branchial structural, redox-metabolic, and ammonia-homeostatic disturbances, highlighting the potential risks of plastic-pesticide mixtures in these environments.
More Papers Like This
Title: Co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and permethrin induces gill injury in Gobiocypris rarus involving oxidative stress and microbiota dysbiosis
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Scientists found that when tiny plastic particles (microplastics) and a common pesticide called permethrin mix together in water, they cause much worse damage to fish gills than either pollutant alone, harming cells, disrupting healthy bacteria, and increasing oxidative stress and cell death. This matters because these pollutants often occur together in real rivers and lakes, meaning wildlife (and potentially humans through the food chain and shared water sources) may face greater combined risks than typically assumed when chemicals are tested individually.
Multi‐Biomarkers' Responses in Gills of Oreochromis niloticus Exposed to Glyphosate and Polyethylene Microplastic, Isolated and in Mixture
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Researchers exposed tilapia fish to polyethylene microplastics and the herbicide glyphosate, both alone and in combination, and examined gill tissue for signs of damage. They found that the mixture of both contaminants caused more severe oxidative stress and tissue damage than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics and agricultural chemicals may interact in waterways to amplify harmful effects on fish health.
Synergistic Toxicity of PVC Microplastic and Methyl Thiophanate in Common Carp
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Scientists found that when fish were exposed to both plastic particles (from PVC, a common plastic) and a fungicide used on crops, the combination caused significantly more blood damage, organ stress, and tissue injury than either pollutant alone. This matters because our rivers and lakes often contain mixtures of plastic waste and agricultural chemicals together, not just one at a time, and this study suggests these combos could be more harmful to fish (and potentially other animals, including humans who eat fish or drink from these water sources) than we'd expect from studying each pollutant separately.
Combined impacts of organophosphate pesticide and polyamide microplastics on growth, hematology, and immune responses in juvenile striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)
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Researchers exposed juvenile striped catfish to both polyamide microplastics and an organophosphate pesticide, finding that the combination caused more severe growth reduction, immune suppression, and organ damage than either pollutant alone — evidence that microplastics and pesticides can act together to amplify harm in freshwater fish.
Interactive effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonates on the histomorphology, oxidative stress and gut microbiota in Hainan Medaka (Oryzias curvinotus)
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Researchers exposed a freshwater fish species to nanoplastics and a fluorinated chemical pollutant, both alone and in combination, and found that the mixture caused more severe tissue damage than either substance alone. The combined exposure harmed gills, liver, and intestines while disrupting antioxidant systems and gut bacteria. The study suggests nanoplastics can worsen the effects of industrial chemicals on aquatic life.
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