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Endocrine disrupting effect and reproductive toxicity of the separate exposure and co-exposure of nano-polystyrene and diethylstilbestrol to zebrafish
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Researchers exposed zebrafish to nano-polystyrene and the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol separately and together, finding that combined exposure caused additive disruption of sex hormones and vitellogenin, a dramatic drop in egg production from 1,031 to 306, and a 65% embryo abnormality rate — substantially worse than either pollutant alone.
The co-occurrence of nanoplastics and other pollutants in the environment has gotten a lot of attention, but information on the biological toxicity of their co-exposure was limited. This study aims to reveal the endocrine disrupting effect and reproductive toxicity of nano-polystyrene (NPS) and diethylstilbestrol (DES) to zebrafish under separate and combined exposure. Results indicated that NPS and DES exposure in isolation reduced the hepatosomatic index and gonadosomatic index, and altered the cell maturity in gonads in both cases. Even worse, the co-exposure of NPS and DES exacerbated the damage to the liver and gonads of fish. The two pollutants individually inhibited the secretion of sex hormones and vitellogenin. The inhibition effect of DES was especially dose-dependent, while NPS had weaker effect than DES. Their combined action on the secretion of sex hormones and vitellogenin exhibited additive effect. However, NPS did not affect the content of thyroid hormones in fish, and also had no significant effect on the reduction of thyroid hormone caused by DES exposure. Furthermore, their co-exposure decreased the cumulative eggs from 1031 to 306, and the spawning number from 12 to 8. The fertilization rate and hatchability rete of eggs were reduced by 30.9% and 40.4%, respectively. The abnormality rate of embryos was 65.0%, significantly higher than in separate DES and NPS groups (55.7% and 30.8% respectively). The abnormal development of offspring was mainly pericardial cyst, spinal curvature, and growth retardation.
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Effects of combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and 17α-Methyltestosterone on the reproductive system of zebrafish
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Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics combined with a synthetic hormone (17-alpha-methyltestosterone) and found that the combination caused more severe reproductive damage than either substance alone. The co-exposure reduced mature egg and sperm production, disrupted hormone-related gene expression, and lowered reproductive hormone levels. This suggests that microplastics can make the effects of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment worse, which is concerning for both wildlife and human reproductive health.
Initial evaluation of the combined effects of nanoplastics and 17α-ethinylestradiol on D. magna
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This laboratory study examined the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol on small aquatic organisms, finding that the combination had different effects than either contaminant alone. The results suggest that nanoplastics can modify how other environmental pollutants affect aquatic life, complicating risk assessment for real-world multi-contaminant exposures.
Combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and sulfamethoxazole on zebrafish embryos
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Researchers investigated the combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole on zebrafish embryos. They found that co-exposure caused significant mortality, malformations, reduced movement, increased heartbeat rates, and endocrine disruption including elevated vitellogenin and hormone levels. While the two pollutants showed antagonistic rather than synergistic interactions, their combined effects were still substantial, highlighting the importance of studying microplastic-pollutant mixtures in aquatic environments.
Synergistic endocrine disruption and cellular toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and bisphenol A in MLTC-1 cells and zebrafish
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When zebrafish and testicular cells were exposed to polyethylene microplastics and the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) together, the combination caused significantly worse reproductive harm than either pollutant alone, including reduced cell survival and disrupted hormone-producing gene activity. This matters because people are commonly exposed to both microplastics and BPA through food packaging, and their combined effect on reproductive health may be greater than expected.
Female zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces reproductive toxicity in mother and their offspring
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Researchers exposed female zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics for six weeks and found the particles disrupted sex hormone levels and oocyte development, reducing egg production in the exposed generation and carrying endocrine disruption effects into unexposed offspring through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
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