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Single and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus
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Researchers examined the individual and combined toxic effects of cadmium and microplastics on sea cucumbers. The study found that cadmium was the primary driver of negative effects including reduced growth, digestive enzyme suppression, and disruption of gut microbiota, but the presence of microplastics increased cadmium's toxicity when both pollutants were present at high concentrations.
Microplastic pollution of the ocean has received extensive attention as plastic pollution increases globally, but the potential ecological risks caused by microplastic interactions with trace metals still require further research. In this study, Apostichopus japonicus was used to explore the individual and combined toxicities of cadmium (Cd) and microplastics and their effects on growth, Cd tissue accumulation, digestive enzymes, and gut microbes. The body weight gain and specific growth rate of animals exposed to a combination of high concentrations of Cd and microplastics decreased. The addition of high concentrations of cadmium to the diet led to an increase in cadmium content in the respiratory tree, digestive tract and body wall. Amylase, lipase and trypsin decreased to different degrees in the group treated with high concentrations of Cd/microplastics. Firmicutes were significantly reduced across multiple treatment groups, with the order Lactobacillales being the most significantly affected. Cd is the pollutant causing the greatest negative impact, but the presence of microplastics undoubtedly increases its toxicity.
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Response and adaptation mechanisms of Apostichopus japonicus to single and combined anthropogenic stresses of polystyrene microplastics or cadmium
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Researchers examined how sea cucumbers respond to polystyrene microplastics, cadmium, and their combination over an extended exposure period. They found that combined exposure caused more severe effects on growth, immune function, and oxidative stress than either stressor alone, and that the animals activated specific molecular defense pathways. The study reveals that the interaction between microplastics and heavy metals in marine environments can create compounding stress on commercially and ecologically important species.
Adverse Effects of Co-Exposure to Cd and Microplastic in Tigriopus japonicus
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Researchers exposed the marine copepod Tigriopus japonicus to combined cadmium and polystyrene microplastic exposure using a full concentration-response design. Co-exposure increased toxicity compared to either contaminant alone, with effects on survival, reproduction, and development, indicating synergistic or additive interactions between cadmium and microplastics.
Interactive Effects of Cadmium and Microplastics on Oxidative Stress and Digestive Physiology in the Male Euryhaline Species Poecilia sphenops
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Researchers exposed the euryhaline fish Poecilia sphenops to polyethylene microplastics and cadmium individually and in combination, finding synergistic reductions in growth, hemoglobin, red and white blood cell counts, and antioxidant enzyme activities, alongside impaired digestive enzyme function — suggesting co-exposure is more damaging than either contaminant alone.
Multi-Biomarker Responses of Asian Clam Corbicula fluminea (Bivalvia, Corbiculidea) to Cadmium and Microplastics Pollutants
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Researchers exposed Asian clams to cadmium, microplastics, and their mixtures, then measured a battery of biomarkers including oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and neurotoxicity indicators. They found that the combined exposure to cadmium and microplastics produced interactive effects that differed from exposure to either contaminant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics can modify the toxicity of heavy metals in freshwater bivalves, highlighting the importance of studying pollutant mixtures rather than individual contaminants.
The Combined Effects of Cadmium and Microplastic Mixtures on the Digestion, Energy Metabolism, Oxidative Stress Regulation, Immune Function, and Metabolomes in the Pearl Oyster (Pinctada fucata martensii)
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Researchers studied the combined effects of cadmium and microplastics on pearl oysters, measuring impacts on digestion, energy use, immune function, and metabolism. They found that co-exposure to both pollutants caused more severe damage than either alone, disrupting the oysters' antioxidant defenses and metabolic processes. The study highlights the compounding threat that metal and microplastic pollution together pose to marine shellfish.
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