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Combined toxicity of chloride-based and eco-friendly deicers with nanoplastics on Lemna minor and Salvinia natans
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This study evaluated the combined toxicity of four deicers — including sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and an eco-friendly calcium magnesium acetate alternative — with nanoplastics on two floating aquatic plants. The eco-friendly deicer showed lower individual toxicity but still produced combined effects with nanoplastics, indicating co-exposure risks in winter-affected waterways.
With the increasing frequency of heavy snow events projected under climate change, the use of deicers for winter road maintenance is expected to rise, leading to their discharge into freshwaters where they may co-occur with nanoplastics (NP). This study evaluated the combined toxicity of four deicers, sodium chloride (NaCl), calcium chloride (CaCl₂), a NaCl-CaCl₂ mixture, and the eco-friendly calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) with polystyrene NP to the aquatic plants Lemna minor and Salvinia natans. Endpoints included growth inhibition, root cell viability, and photosynthetic performance. Co-exposure outcomes were deicer-specific and generally increased with NP concentration; however, interaction analysis indicated no clear synergistic toxicity. Notably, CMA produced lower EC₅₀ values than the chloride salts and elicited a distinct response pattern, potentially related to oxygen demand during CMA degradation. Species-specific physiological differences were also observed between L. minor and S. natans. These results indicate that nanoplastics can modify deicer toxicity and that both traditional and eco-friendly deicers may pose ecological risks, underscoring the need for careful regulation and evaluation of alternative deicing agents.
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Researchers examined the combined effects of nanoplastics and the antibiotic sulphamethoxazole on free-floating algae, assessing whether nanoplastics alter antibiotic toxicity. The co-exposure produced greater inhibitory effects on algal growth than either substance alone.
The interfacial interaction between Dechlorane Plus (DP) and polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs): An overlooked influence factor for the algal toxicity of PSNPs
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Researchers investigated how a flame retardant chemical called Dechlorane Plus interacts with polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the two pollutants bind together and become more harmful to algae than either one alone. When exposed to both contaminants simultaneously, algae showed reduced photosynthesis, greater growth inhibition, and significantly increased oxidative damage. The study suggests that the combined effects of nanoplastics and their chemical additives pose greater environmental risks than previously recognized.
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The road salt used to melt ice in winter contains tiny plastic particles, and once these particles hit salty water, they break down faster and become more toxic to algae, a key organism at the bottom of the food chain. Since algae support aquatic ecosystems that eventually connect to our food and water supply, this research suggests winter deicing may be a hidden source of harmful plastic pollution that's been largely overlooked.
Nanoplastics and their combined effects with sulphamethoxazole on the free-floating aquatic plant Lemna major
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Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole on free-floating freshwater organisms, examining how co-exposure to these two pollutants interacts compared to individual exposures. Nanoplastics altered the bioavailability and toxicity of the antibiotic, demonstrating complex mixture effects in aquatic systems.
Single and combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and Cd on submerged plants Ceratophyllum demersum L.
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Researchers studied the combined effects of nanoplastics and cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, on the aquatic plant Ceratophyllum demersum. They found that nanoplastics worsened cadmium's harmful effects on plant growth, photosynthesis, and cellular health, reducing growth rates by over 35%. The study suggests that when nanoplastics and heavy metals co-occur in water, their combined impact on aquatic plants may be more severe than either pollutant alone.
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