Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Study of the toxicological effects of emerging contaminants on Daphnia similis associating polyethylene microplastics with the agrochemical imidacloprid.

Brazilian researchers tested the ecotoxicological effects of combining polyethylene microplastics with the insecticide imidacloprid on the freshwater crustacean Daphnia, finding combined exposures were more toxic than either pollutant alone. These results suggest that microplastics and pesticides together pose greater risks to aquatic organisms than studies of single pollutants indicate.

2023 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics increase the toxicity of chlorpyrifos to the marine copepod Acartia tonsa

Researchers investigated the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and the pesticide chlorpyrifos on the marine copepod Acartia tonsa. The study found that microplastics significantly increased the toxicity of chlorpyrifos, lowering the lethal concentration by approximately four-fold and dramatically reducing feeding and egg production. The findings confirm that microplastics can act as vectors for pollutants, increasing their availability and potential harm to marine organisms.

2020 Environmental Pollution 125 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Particles’ Effects on Aquatic Organisms and Their Role as Transporters of Organic Pollutants

Researchers tested the effects of polyethylene microplastics, both pure and contaminated with pesticides and hydrocarbons, on water fleas and ostracods. While pure microplastics alone did not cause significant harm, particles loaded with pollutants like chlorpyrifos and phenanthrene reduced reproduction and survival over longer exposure periods. The study provides evidence that microplastics primarily pose risks to aquatic organisms by acting as carriers of more toxic chemical pollutants.

2023 Water 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics and pesticides on Daphnia

Researchers investigated the combined and individual impacts of microplastics and pesticides on Daphnia magna, a model crustacean widely used in freshwater ecotoxicology, to assess how these co-occurring pollutants affect aquatic ecosystem health. The study examined survival, reproduction, and physiological responses in D. magna exposed to varying concentrations of both stressors under controlled conditions.

2025 Fisher Digital Publications (St. John Fisher College)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics, chlorpyrifos and their mixtures modulate immune processes in the terrestrial crustacean Porcellio scaber

Researchers investigated how polyester fiber and crumb rubber microplastics affect the immune system of the crustacean Porcellio scaber, alone and in combination with the pesticide chlorpyrifos. The study found that while microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations caused only slight immune changes, mixtures of microplastics and chlorpyrifos produced different effects than either pollutant alone, suggesting microplastics may alter the bioavailability of co-occurring pesticides.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure of polycarbonate microplastics aggravated the toxic effects of imidacloprid on the liver and gut microbiota in mice

Researchers studied the combined toxic effects of polycarbonate microplastics and the pesticide imidacloprid in mice, finding that exposure to both together caused significantly worse liver damage and gut disruption than either pollutant alone. The microplastics appeared to increase accumulation of the pesticide in liver tissue, amplifying oxidative stress and tissue damage. The findings suggest that microplastics may act as carriers that worsen the harmful effects of pesticides they encounter in the environment.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics enhance Daphnia magna sensitivity to the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin: Effects on life history traits

Researchers tested whether polyethylene microplastics alter the toxicity of the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin to Daphnia magna and found that microplastic presence increased sensitivity to deltamethrin, reducing survival and reproductive output at concentrations that were not toxic without microplastics.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polystyrene microplastics on juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) after individual and combined exposure with chlorpyrifos

Researchers tested the effects of pristine and chlorpyrifos-loaded polystyrene microplastics on juvenile rainbow trout, examining tissue damage and physiological responses. They found that microplastics carrying the pesticide caused more severe histopathological changes in the gills and liver than either contaminant alone. The study provides evidence that microplastics can act as vectors for pesticides, amplifying their toxic effects on freshwater fish.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 138 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastic particles in combination with pesticides and antiviral drugs: Toxicity and genotoxicity in Ceriodaphnia dubia

Researchers investigated the toxic and genotoxic effects of polystyrene microplastics alone and in combination with the antiviral drug acyclovir and the insecticide imidacloprid on the freshwater crustacean Ceriodaphnia dubia. The study found that microplastics can act as carriers for other pollutants in a 'Trojan horse effect,' and that mixtures of these contaminants produced combined toxicity in this sensitive freshwater organism.

2022 Environmental Pollution 60 citations
Article Tier 2

The particle effect: comparative toxicity of chlorpyrifos in combination with microplastics and phytoplankton particles in mussel

Researchers compared how microplastics and natural phytoplankton particles each affect the toxicity of the pesticide chlorpyrifos in mussels. They found that both particle types adsorbed the pesticide and transferred it to the mussels, but the biological effects differed depending on the carrier. The study suggests that microplastics are not uniquely dangerous as pollutant carriers, since natural particles in the environment can play a similar role in shuttling chemicals into marine organisms.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of single and combined exposure of virgin or aged polyethylene microplastics and penthiopyrad on zebrafish (Danio rerio)

This study found that polyethylene microplastics can increase the toxicity of a common fungicide (penthiopyrad) in zebrafish by helping the chemical build up in their bodies. The combination caused more intestinal damage and disrupted gut bacteria than either pollutant alone. This highlights an important concern: microplastics in the environment can act as carriers for pesticides, potentially amplifying their harmful effects on organisms including those in the human food chain.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of combined nutrient and pesticide exposure on algal biomass, and Daphnia magna abundance

This study tested how fertilizers and pesticides, alone and combined, affect tiny water organisms (Daphnia) and algae growth. Higher pesticide levels killed off Daphnia populations while allowing algae to bloom unchecked, disrupting the natural balance of aquatic ecosystems. While not directly about microplastics, these findings are relevant because microplastics in water can carry pesticide residues, potentially amplifying these harmful effects on the organisms that form the base of aquatic food webs.

2024 ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics and lambda-cyhalothrin on gut of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics can adsorb the pesticide lambda-cyhalothrin from water and then release it in the guts of zebrafish, worsening its toxic effects. Fish exposed to both microplastics and the pesticide showed greater oxidative stress, immune disruption, and gut microbiome changes than those exposed to the pesticide alone. This demonstrates how microplastics can act as carriers that amplify the toxicity of other environmental pollutants in aquatic organisms consumed by humans.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecological risks under combined pollution: Toxicological effects of clothianidin and microplastics on Penaeus vannamei

This study examined the combined effects of a common insecticide (clothianidin) and microplastics on Pacific white shrimp over 28 days. Researchers found that exposure to both pollutants together was significantly more harmful than either alone, causing reduced growth, immune system disruption, altered energy metabolism, and nervous system interference. The results underscore that real-world pollution involves mixtures of contaminants whose combined effects can be worse than expected.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of microplastics and co-occurring toxicants on survival and life-history traits of the cladoceran Moina macrocopa

Researchers tested the effects of four types of microplastics on the freshwater cladoceran Moina macrocopa, both alone and in combination with copper, insecticides, and diesel fuel. The study found that only polystyrene-based microplastics induced direct toxicity, while other polymer types modulated the toxicity of co-occurring chemical contaminants in varying ways.

2025 Limnology and Freshwater Biology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxicity of perfluoroalkyl substances and microplastics on the sentinel species Daphnia magna: Implications for freshwater ecosystems

This study tested how PFAS chemicals (common industrial pollutants) and PET microplastics affect water fleas, both alone and together. The combination caused worse developmental and reproductive problems than either pollutant alone, and organisms with prior chemical exposure history responded differently, showing that microplastics can amplify the harm of other environmental contaminants in ways that are difficult to predict.

2024 Environmental Pollution 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and acetochlor on accumulation and intestinal toxicity of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

This study found that polyethylene microplastics significantly increased the toxicity of acetochlor, a common herbicide, in zebrafish. The microplastics boosted the accumulation of the pesticide in fish tissues and worsened intestinal damage including inflammation and disrupted gut barrier function. The findings are important because microplastics and pesticides frequently co-exist in agricultural waterways, and their combination may pose greater risks than either pollutant alone.

2023 Environmental Pollution 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics modify the toxicity of glyphosate on Daphnia magna

Daphnia magna were exposed to three glyphosate formulations combined with polyethylene microbeads or PET/PA fibers for one week, finding that microplastics altered (mostly reduced) the toxicity of glyphosate depending on formulation and plastic type. The study demonstrates that microplastics can modulate pesticide bioavailability and toxicity in freshwater crustaceans.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Toxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Pyriproxyfen to Daphnia magna

Researchers evaluated the combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the insecticide pyriproxyfen on the water flea Daphnia magna under both acute and chronic exposure conditions. They found that nanoplastics initially reduced the acute toxicity of the pesticide within 24 hours but worsened chronic effects over longer periods. The study suggests that nanoplastics can alter how other environmental contaminants affect aquatic organisms, complicating risk assessments.

2024 Sustainability 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics alter toxicity of the insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis to chironomid larvae in different ways depending on particle size

Researchers tested the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and the biological insecticide Bti on aquatic midge larvae over 21 days. They found that while microplastics alone did not affect larval survival, they modified the toxicity of Bti in a size-dependent manner, with smaller particles reducing Bti toxicity and larger particles increasing it. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems could alter the effectiveness of biological pest control agents.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Microplastics Modulate the Toxicity of the Hydrophilic Insecticide Thiacloprid for Chironomid Larvae and Also Influence Their Burrowing Behavior

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics altered the toxicity of the hydrophilic insecticide thiamethoxam to aquatic invertebrates, with the combined exposure producing different effects than either stressor alone. The study highlights that microplastics can act as vectors that change the bioavailability and ecotoxicological impact of water-soluble pesticides.

2022 Microplastics 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic Beads and Fibers on Waterflea (Ceriodaphnia dubia) Survival, Growth, and Reproduction: Implications of Single and Mixture Exposures

Researchers tested the acute and chronic effects of polyester fibers and polyethylene beads, both individually and as mixtures, on the freshwater zooplankton Ceriodaphnia dubia. Both types caused dose-dependent survival effects in acute exposures, and chronic exposure reduced growth and reproduction even at lower concentrations. The study found that fiber-bead mixtures produced less than additive effects, suggesting the two forms of microplastics interact in complex ways.

2017 Environmental Science & Technology 437 citations
Article Tier 2

Individual and combined impact of microplastics and lead acetate on the freshwater shrimp (Caridina fossarum): Biochemical effects and physiological responses

Freshwater shrimp exposed to polyethylene microplastics combined with lead showed significantly worse toxic effects than when exposed to either pollutant alone, with microplastics increasing how much lead accumulated in the shrimp's tissues. This demonstrates that microplastics can act as carriers that amplify the toxicity of heavy metals in aquatic food chains, potentially increasing human exposure to dangerous metals through seafood.

2024 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effect of polystyrene nanoparticles and chlorpyrifos to Daphnia magna

This study examined the combined effects of polystyrene nanoparticles and chlorpyrifos pesticide on Daphnia magna, a standard aquatic toxicity test organism. The two contaminants together caused greater mortality and reproductive impairment than either alone, suggesting synergistic toxicity.

2024 Chemosphere 1 citations