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Effects of single and combined exposure of virgin or aged polyethylene microplastics and penthiopyrad on zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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This study found that polyethylene microplastics can increase the toxicity of a common fungicide (penthiopyrad) in zebrafish by helping the chemical build up in their bodies. The combination caused more intestinal damage and disrupted gut bacteria than either pollutant alone. This highlights an important concern: microplastics in the environment can act as carriers for pesticides, potentially amplifying their harmful effects on organisms including those in the human food chain.
The interaction between pesticides and microplastics (MPs) can lead to changes in their mode of action and biological toxicity, creating substantial uncertainty in risk assessments. Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides, a common fungicide type, are widely used. However, little is known about how penthiopyrad (PTH), a member of the SDHI fungicide group, interacts with polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs). This study primarily investigates the individual and combined effects of virgin or aged PE-MPs and penthiopyrad on zebrafish (Danio rerio), including acute toxicity, bioaccumulation, tissue pathology, enzyme activities, gut microbiota, and gene expression. Short-term exposure revealed that PE-MPs enhance the acute toxicity of penthiopyrad. Long-term exposure demonstrated that PE-MPs, to some extent, enhance the accumulation of penthiopyrad in zebrafish, leading to increased oxidative stress injury in their intestines by the 7th day. Furthermore, exposure to penthiopyrad and/or PE-MPs did not result in histopathological damage to intestinal tissue but altered the gut flora at the phylum level. Regarding gene transcription, penthiopyrad exposure significantly modified the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in the zebrafish gut, with these effects being mitigated when VPE or APE was introduced. These findings offer a novel perspective on environmental behavior and underscore the importance of assessing the combined toxicity of PE-MPs and fungicides on organisms.
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Combined toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics and lambda-cyhalothrin on gut of zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics can adsorb the pesticide lambda-cyhalothrin from water and then release it in the guts of zebrafish, worsening its toxic effects. Fish exposed to both microplastics and the pesticide showed greater oxidative stress, immune disruption, and gut microbiome changes than those exposed to the pesticide alone. This demonstrates how microplastics can act as carriers that amplify the toxicity of other environmental pollutants in aquatic organisms consumed by humans.
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.
Combined effects of polyethylene terephthalate and abamectin on enzymatic activity and histopathology response in juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers studied the combined effects of PET microplastic fragments and the pesticide abamectin on juvenile zebrafish over 96 hours. They found that microplastics increased the bioavailability and toxicity of the pesticide by inhibiting protective enzymes in the fish, and the combination caused tissue damage in the liver and kidney. The study highlights that microplastics can act as carriers for other environmental contaminants, amplifying their harmful effects on aquatic life.
Pyraclostrobin-induced reproductive and intergenerational developmental toxicity in zebrafish: Modulatory effects of microplastics
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Researchers assessed the reproductive and intergenerational developmental toxicity of the fungicide pyraclostrobin in zebrafish, with and without polyethylene microplastic co-exposure. The study found that pyraclostrobin bioaccumulated in multiple tissues with the highest levels in the intestine and liver, and co-exposure with microplastics modulated its toxicity and maternal transfer potential.
Combined neurotoxicity of aged microplastics and thiamethoxam in the early developmental stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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This study found that aged (weathered) microplastics combined with the insecticide thiamethoxam caused worse neurological damage to zebrafish larvae than either pollutant alone. The combined exposure reduced heart rate and movement, disrupted antioxidant defenses, and altered neurotransmitter levels in ways that were synergistic rather than simply additive. This is relevant to human health because both microplastics and pesticides are common in the environment, and their combined effects may pose greater risks than either one individually.
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