Effects of environmentally relevant polystyrene microplastics and cadmium on the development and reproduction of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus)

“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.

Impact of Microplastics on Reproductive and Physiological Aspects of Aquatic Inhabitants

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Researchers reviewed how microplastic exposure affects reproduction and physiology in freshwater aquatic organisms, finding that plastic particles disrupt hormonal signaling, reduce fertility, and impair development across a range of sensitive freshwater species.

The Impact of Microplastic Pollution on the Reproduction and Development of Marine Fish: A Case Study of Zebrafish

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Researchers investigated how microplastic exposure affects zebrafish reproduction and offspring development, finding disruptions to gonadal tissue, reduced fertilization rates, and developmental abnormalities in embryos, offering a controlled model for understanding plastic pollution risks to marine fish populations.

Oxidative damage and intestinal microbial imbalance induced by polystyrene microplastics and cadmium in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Individual and Combined Toxicity of Polystyrene Microplastics and Chromium in Artemia franciscana: Impacts on Survival, Growth, Biochemical and Physiological Responses

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A 21-day exposure study found that polystyrene microplastics and chromium individually and synergistically impaired survival, growth, protein levels, and antioxidant defenses in the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana, with combined toxicity exceeding either contaminant alone. This demonstrates that microplastics act as carriers and amplifiers of heavy metal toxicity in aquatic organisms, raising concerns about real-world ecosystems where both pollutants co-occur.