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Polystyrene microplastics exacerbate acetochlor-induced reproductive toxicity and transgenerational effects in zebrafish
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This zebrafish study found that polystyrene microplastics made the herbicide acetochlor significantly more toxic to the reproductive system, and the damage was passed down to the next generation. The microplastics acted as carriers for the pesticide, increasing its absorption and worsening hormone disruption and fertility problems. This is concerning because both microplastics and agricultural chemicals are commonly found together in waterways, where their combined effects may be greater than previously understood.
Microplastic (MPs) can adsorb co-existing pollutants, and alter their behavior and toxicity. Meanwhile, amide herbicides like acetochlor (ACT) are widely used in agriculture, with potential endocrine-disrupting effects that raise ecological concerns. The aim of this research was to examine the effects of MPs on the reproductive endocrine disruption caused by ACT and the effects of maternal transmission. Zebrafish were employed in this study to assess the reproductive toxicity of ACT alone and in combination with polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) of different sizes (200 nm and 2 μm) and concentrations (0.1 and 1 mg/L) over a 63-day exposure experiment. The results indicated that ACT was concentrated in zebrafish tissues in the order: intestine > liver > gill > brain > gonad > muscle. PS-MPs increased ACT bioaccumulation, worsened gonadal damage, led to abnormalities in hormone levels, and caused disruptions in HPG axis gene expression, further exacerbating the reproductive toxicity. Maternal transfer of ACT affected offspring growth, thyroid function, and HPT axis gene expression, with nanoplastics (NPS) amplifying these adverse effects. This study offers crucial insights into the ecological hazards posed by ACT and PS-MPs, emphasizing the increased toxicity due to PS-MPs.
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Single and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and acetochlor on accumulation and intestinal toxicity of zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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This study found that polyethylene microplastics significantly increased the toxicity of acetochlor, a common herbicide, in zebrafish. The microplastics boosted the accumulation of the pesticide in fish tissues and worsened intestinal damage including inflammation and disrupted gut barrier function. The findings are important because microplastics and pesticides frequently co-exist in agricultural waterways, and their combination may pose greater risks than either pollutant alone.
Polystyrene microplastics enhance the microcystin-LR-induced gonadal damage and reproductive endocrine disruption in zebrafish
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Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene microplastics along with microcystin-LR (a common toxin from algae blooms) suffered worse reproductive damage than when exposed to either pollutant alone. The microplastics acted as carriers that increased the amount of toxin accumulating in the fish's reproductive organs. This study demonstrates that microplastics can worsen the effects of other water pollutants by helping toxic chemicals build up in the body.
Reproductive toxicity and transgenerational effects of co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and arsenic in zebrafish
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This zebrafish study found that combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and arsenic caused more severe reproductive damage than either pollutant alone, including abnormal egg development and disrupted hormone levels. The toxic effects were passed down to the next generation, even though offspring were not directly exposed. Since microplastics can carry arsenic and other heavy metals in the environment, their combined effects on fertility may be worse than studies of individual pollutants suggest.
Toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on atrazine in zebrafish: Exogenous toxicity and endogenous mechanism
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Researchers found that combining polystyrene microplastics with the common herbicide atrazine was more toxic to zebrafish than either pollutant alone, causing greater liver and gut damage. The combination also degraded water quality by reducing oxygen levels and increasing harmful nitrogen compounds. This is important because microplastics and pesticides frequently co-exist in the environment, meaning their combined effects on aquatic life and food safety may be worse than studies of individual pollutants suggest.
Sorption of PFOS onto polystyrene microplastics potentiates synergistic toxic effects during zebrafish embryogenesis and neurodevelopment
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Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics can absorb PFOS (a persistent industrial chemical) from water and deliver it to zebrafish embryos in a more concentrated form. The combination caused worse developmental problems than either pollutant alone, including delayed hatching, higher death rates, birth defects, and impaired brain development. This shows microplastics can act as carriers that intensify the toxic effects of other environmental chemicals.
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