We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Unraveling individual and combined toxicity of microplastics and tetracycline at environment-related concentrations to coral holobionts
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested how microplastics alone and combined with the antibiotic tetracycline affect coral organisms at levels actually found in the ocean. The combination was more toxic than either pollutant alone, disrupting the coral's symbiotic algae, microbiome, and immune responses. Since coral reefs support fisheries and coastal communities worldwide, this damage from microplastic pollution could have cascading effects on both marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them.
Coral holobionts constitute the foundational organisms of coral reef ecosystems. As an emerging pollutant, the projected accumulated levels of microplastics (MPs) are expected to continue increasing. Meanwhile, due to their properties, MPs can absorb multiple other marine pollutants, such as antibiotics (ATs). However, the co-toxicity mechanism of MPs and ATs to coral holobionts remains to be explored. Here, using Zoanthus sociatus as a model organism, we investigate the individual and combined toxicity of MPs and tetracycline (TC) at environment-related concentrations to coral holobionts. Microbiomics indicate that MPs and TC increase coral holobionts bacterial species richness while concurrently reducing the microbial community structure stability. The key metabolites and enzyme activity results demonstrated that the impacts of MPs and TC on corals encompassed antioxidant capacity, detoxification capability, immune function, and lipid metabolism. Transcriptomics shows that MPs and TC disrupt coral-algae relationships mainly through host nutrition limitation and inhibition of symbiotic algae carbon/nitrogen metabolism, respectively. A synergistic effect between MPs and TC has also been observed. In contrast, coral holobionts have shown adaptability through activating coral-symbiodiniaceae-bacteria interactions, mainly including: 1) enhancing the abundance of BMCs (beneficial microorganisms for corals); 2) enhancing host lipid accumulation; 3) immunoregulation; 4) symbiotic regulation. Overall, our findings provide new insights into the co-toxicity of MPs and TC, and highlight those MPs and TC at current environment concentration and predicted for most oceans in the coming decades, can ultimately cause coral bleaching.
More Papers Like This
Microbiome dysbiosis and decreased survival in coral larvae exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of nanoplastics and sulfamethoxazole
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed coral larvae to nanoplastics and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole at environmentally relevant concentrations and found significantly reduced survival, tissue damage, and disrupted bacterial symbiont communities. The study suggests that co-exposure to these pollutants causes more severe harm than either alone, potentially threatening coral reef recovery by impairing larval health and microbial nutrient cycling.
Microplastics and tetracycline affecting apoptosis, enzyme activities and metabolism processes in the Aurelia aurita polyps: insights into combined pollutant effects
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how microplastics and the antibiotic tetracycline together affect moon jellyfish polyps, examining cell death, enzyme activity, and metabolism. They found that combined exposure triggered more severe oxidative stress and metabolic disruption than either pollutant alone. The findings suggest that the co-presence of microplastics and antibiotics in marine environments may pose compounding threats to bottom-dwelling organisms.
Microplastics and antibiotic toxicity in aquatic organisms: Exposure, interactions and mechanisms.
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes existing studies on water-dwelling animals exposed to both microplastics and antibiotics together. Results varied: some studies found combined effects were stronger, weaker, or inconsistent depending on dose and outcome measured. The authors propose a framework for judging how strong this evidence is, noting current research has not established clear cause-and-effect at realistic exposure levels.
Meta-analysis unravels the complex combined toxicity of microplastics and antibiotics in aquatic ecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
A meta-analysis of 730 datasets found that microplastics amplify antibiotic accumulation in aquatic organisms and worsen effects on growth, development, and immune function, but paradoxically appear to mitigate reproductive toxicity from antibiotics. The impact depends on biological response pathway, microplastic concentration, antibiotic properties, and exposure time, with an inverse relationship between antibiotic toxicity and both microplastic concentration and exposure duration.
Combined pollution of tetracyclines and microplastics in the aquatic environment: Insights into the occurrence, interaction mechanisms and effects
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics and tetracycline antibiotics interact in water environments, since microplastics can absorb and carry antibiotics on their surfaces. Factors like pH, heavy metals, and organic matter in water influence how tightly antibiotics bind to microplastics, and the combined pollution is more harmful to aquatic life than either pollutant alone. This is relevant to human health because these microplastic-antibiotic combinations can enter drinking water supplies and promote antibiotic resistance.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.