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Microplastics enhance the developmental toxicity of synthetic phenolic antioxidants by disturbing the thyroid function and metabolism in developing zebrafish
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Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics affect the toxicity of BHA, a synthetic antioxidant commonly used in plastics, on developing zebrafish. The study found that co-exposure to microplastics and BHA enhanced developmental toxicity by disrupting thyroid function and metabolism, suggesting that microplastics can amplify the harmful effects of their own chemical additives on aquatic organisms.
Coexposure of MPs and other contaminants adsorbed from the environment has raised many attentions, but the understanding of the combined effects of MPs and plastic additives are limited. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a widely used synthetic phenolic antioxidant in plastics, has gained high concerns due to their unintended environmental release and potential threat to aquatic organisms. This study was conducted to reveal the influences of MPs on the bioaccumulation and developmental toxicity of BHA in zebrafish larvae. As a result, MPs promoted the accumulation of BHA in zebrafish larvae and enhanced the toxicity of BHA in larvae development manifested by reduced hatching rates, increased malformation rates and decreased calcified vertebrae. Although the concentration of MPs was not sufficient to cause obvious developmental toxicity, the impacts of MPs on thyroid hormones status might contribute to the aggravated join toxicity. The metabolomic mechanism was revealed to be that the coexposure of BHA and MPs affected the development of zebrafish larvae via disturbing the metabolism of arachidonic acid, glycerophospholipid, and lipids. Our results emphasized that MPs, even at the nontoxic concentrations, in combination with additives caused health risk that should not be ignored.
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Co-exposure to microplastic and plastic additives causes development impairment in zebrafish embryos
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When zebrafish embryos were exposed to mixtures of polystyrene microplastics combined with common plastic additives (BPS and a phthalate), the combination was far more toxic than any single chemical alone. Even at individually non-toxic doses, the mixtures caused significant developmental abnormalities, oxidative stress, and disrupted thyroid hormone genes. This highlights that real-world exposure to microplastics plus their chemical additives may be more dangerous than studies of individual plastics suggest.
Polystyrene microplastics modulate the toxic effects of bisphenol A in the early stages of zebrafish development
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This study investigated whether polystyrene microplastics affect the toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) during zebrafish embryo development by co-exposing fish to both contaminants. The PS microplastics modulated BPA toxicity in complex ways—in some developmental endpoints amplifying harm, in others providing partial protection—underscoring the unpredictability of combined plastic-chemical exposures.
Microplastics aggravate the adverse effects of methylmercury than inorganic mercury on zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics combined with two forms of mercury and found that the microplastics significantly increased the accumulation of methylmercury in the fish. The combination of microplastics and methylmercury caused worse developmental abnormalities, delayed hatching, and greater oxidative stress than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can act as carriers for toxic metals, amplifying their harmful effects on aquatic organisms.
Influence of microplastics on bisphenol A and bisphenol AF toxicity in aquatic environments: Mechanistic insights for environmental risks
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Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics interact with the industrial chemicals bisphenol A and bisphenol AF in zebrafish, finding that microplastics can either reduce or worsen the toxicity depending on the specific chemical and biological pathway involved. For bisphenol A, the microplastics partially absorbed the chemical and reduced its harmful effects, but for bisphenol AF, they worsened toxicity to certain organ systems. The study reveals that microplastics play a complicated dual role in modifying how other pollutants affect aquatic life.
Combined effects of co-exposure to microcystin-LR and polystyrene microplastics on growth, brain pathology and thyroid hormone homeostasis in adult zebrafish
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Researchers exposed zebrafish to microcystin-LR (a toxin from algal blooms) combined with polystyrene microplastics and found that the combination caused significantly worse brain damage and thyroid hormone disruption than either pollutant alone. The microplastics appeared to overwhelm the fish's ability to compensate for the algal toxin, leading to hormone imbalances that could affect growth and development. This is concerning because algal blooms and microplastics frequently occur together in polluted waterways, and their combined effects on the hormone system may be worse than expected.
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