Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Sublethal Toxicity and Gene Expression Changes in Hydra vulgaris Exposed to Polyethylene and Polypropylene Nanoparticles

Researchers exposed the freshwater cnidarian Hydra vulgaris to polystyrene nanoplastics over an extended period, measuring sublethal toxicity endpoints and gene expression changes to understand the chronic effects of nanoplastic exposure on a simple but ecologically relevant aquatic animal.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Bioavailability and Effects of Polystyrene Nanoparticles in Hydra circumcincta

Lab experiments exposed the freshwater invertebrate Hydra to polystyrene nanoplastics (50 and 100 nm) at increasing concentrations for 96 hours. The hydra accumulated the particles and showed reduced regenerative capacity and body contractions at higher doses, demonstrating toxicity to a simple but important freshwater organism.

2019 IntechOpen eBooks 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polymethylmethacrylate nanoplastics effects on the freshwater cnidarian Hydra viridissima

Polymethylmethacrylate nanoplastics caused morphological damage and slowed regeneration in the freshwater organism Hydra viridissima, though feeding rates were not significantly affected at most concentrations. The results establish Hydra as a useful model for testing nanoplastic toxicity in freshwater ecosystems.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Sublethal impacts of fragmented polyethylene nanoplastics on Daphnia magna following chronic exposure

Researchers exposed Daphnia magna (water fleas) to fragmented polyethylene nanoplastics over a chronic period and observed adverse sublethal effects. The study suggests that even at concentrations that do not cause outright mortality, fragmented nanoplastics from real-world polyethylene degradation can impair the health and function of these important freshwater organisms.

2026 Environmental Science Advances
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics toxicity in aquatic organisms: a review of effects on selected marine and freshwater species

This review analyzed 128 studies on the effects of nanoplastics on five representative freshwater and marine species, including microalgae, bivalves, crustaceans, and fish. Researchers found that even low concentrations of nanoplastics can cause oxidative stress, membrane damage, developmental disorders, and immune and nervous system dysfunction. The study highlights that particle size, concentration, aging status, and the presence of co-contaminants all influence toxicity, and calls for more research at environmentally realistic exposure levels.

2026 Nanotoxicology
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics toxicity in aquatic organisms: a review of effects on selected marine and freshwater species

This review synthesizes findings from 128 studies on the effects of nanoplastics on five representative freshwater and marine species, from microalgae to fish. Researchers found that even at low concentrations, nanoplastic exposure can cause oxidative stress, membrane damage, developmental disorders, and reproductive impairment across species. The study highlights significant knowledge gaps around chronic, environmentally realistic exposure levels and calls for standardized testing methods.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Effects of Nanoplastics on Aquatic Organisms

This review summarizes how nanoplastics — plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer — affect aquatic organisms, highlighting their ability to penetrate cell membranes, accumulate inside organisms, and cause oxidative stress and reproductive harm.

2022 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics toxicity : microalgae and rotifers studies

This thesis investigated the toxicity of nanoplastics — plastic particles smaller than 100 nm — on microalgae and rotifers, two key components of aquatic food webs. The study found evidence of harm at concentrations that may be relevant to the environment, raising concerns about the ecological effects of nanoplastics as they accumulate in the ocean.

2019 Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of nanoplastics to aquatic organisms: Genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, individual level and beyond individual level

This review examines the toxic effects of nanoplastics on aquatic organisms across multiple levels of the food chain, from bacteria and algae to fish. Researchers found that nanoplastics can cause cell damage, genetic harm, and reproductive problems, with toxicity influenced by particle size, concentration, and surface properties. The study also highlights how nanoplastic effects on individual organisms can cascade to disrupt broader ecosystem dynamics.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 105 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Polyethylene and Polypropylene Microplastics on Daphnia dentifera

Researchers examined the effects of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on the body size, swim speed, and clonal growth rate of the freshwater crustacean Daphnia dentifera, assessing sublethal physiological and behavioural impacts of two common plastic polymer types.

2025 SPARK Scholarship at Parkland (Parkland College)
Article Tier 2

Effects of polymeric nanoparticles on fish : a multiparametric approach

This study assessed the effects of polymeric nanoparticles on fish using multiple endpoints including growth, reproduction, and gene expression, finding significant biological effects even at low concentrations. The results support the conclusion that plastic nanoparticles pose risks to aquatic vertebrates and provide data relevant to understanding the safety of nanoparticle-containing consumer products.

2017 Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Meta-analysis for systematic review of global micro/nano-plastics contamination versus various freshwater microalgae: Toxicological effect patterns, taxon-specific response, and potential eco-risks

A meta-analysis of 1,071 observations found that nanoplastics cause more severe cell membrane damage than microplastics, while microplastics more strongly inhibit photosynthesis in freshwater microalgae. Among polymer types, polyamide caused the highest growth inhibition, polystyrene induced the most toxin release, and diatoms were the most sensitive algal group while cyanobacteria showed exceptional resilience.

2024 Water Research 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Continuum of size from microplastics to nanoplastics: effects on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana at different levels of biological organization.

Researchers exposed the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana to environmental microplastics and nanoplastics at low concentrations (0.008-100 ug/L), along with standard polystyrene nanoplastics, finding ecotoxicological effects on gills and digestive gland tissues at multiple levels of biological organisation.

2022 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Sub-lethal effects of nanoplastics upon chronic exposure to Daphnia magna

Researchers exposed Daphnia magna to nanoplastics for 21 days and found that 20 nm particles at 50 mg/L caused significant sublethal effects including reduced reproduction and altered growth, while 200 nm particles at the same mass concentration had less impact.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Teratogenic effects of environmental concentration of plastic particles on freshwater organisms

Researchers tested the effects of plastic particles at environmentally relevant concentrations on freshwater diatoms and hydra. They found significant developmental abnormalities in diatoms and reduced regeneration ability in hydra at concentrations as low as 0.1 micrograms per liter. The study highlights that even very low levels of plastic particle pollution can disrupt the growth and recovery of sensitive freshwater organisms.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastic toxicity on aquatic life: Determining factors

This comprehensive review examined the key factors that determine the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics to aquatic organisms. Researchers found that harmful effects depend on particle concentration, size, exposure time, shape, polymer type, and the species being exposed. The most commonly reported impacts included disrupted growth, oxidative stress, inflammation, immune system changes, and altered metabolism, with smaller particles generally causing more severe effects.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 493 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of environmental and polystyrene plastic particles on the bivalve Corbicula fluminea: focus on the molecular responses

Researchers exposed freshwater bivalves to environmental microplastics and nanoplastics collected from a river, as well as to laboratory polystyrene nanoparticles, and measured molecular-level responses. Gene expression analysis revealed that plastic particle exposure activated stress response and immune defense pathways in gill and visceral tissues. The study indicates that even environmentally relevant concentrations of plastic particles can trigger measurable biological stress in filter-feeding organisms.

2024 Ecotoxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Continuum from microplastics to nanoplastics: effects of size and source on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana

Researchers exposed the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana to environmentally realistic concentrations of both microplastics and nanoplastics to compare their toxic effects. The study found that particle size influenced toxicity profiles differently in gill and digestive gland tissues, suggesting that nanoplastics may pose distinct ecotoxicological risks compared to larger microplastic particles in estuarine organisms.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Sublethal effects induced by different plastic nano-sized particles in Daphnia magna at environmentally relevant concentrations

Researchers tested whether nanoplastics made from three different plastics — polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) — harm tiny water fleas called Daphnia magna at environmentally realistic concentrations, finding that PVC nanoplastics caused the most damage to both cellular health and swimming behavior. This suggests that studies focused only on polystyrene nanoplastics may be underestimating the true hazard of nanoplastic pollution.

2023 Environmental Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics in Aquatic Environments: Impacts on Aquatic Species and Interactions with Environmental Factors and Pollutants

This review examines how nanoplastics affect aquatic species, focusing on their cellular and molecular toxicity as well as how environmental factors like temperature, salinity, and co-existing pollutants influence their harmful effects. Researchers found that nanoplastics can be absorbed more easily than larger plastic particles, transfer through food webs, and disrupt cellular function in aquatic organisms. The study highlights the need to consider real-world environmental conditions when assessing nanoplastic risks.

2022 Toxics 104 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating sublethal effects of long-term exposure of Daphnia magna to nanoplastics at a low concentration

Lab experiments exposed Daphnia magna — a water flea that links primary producers to larger predators — to nanoplastics at low concentrations over multiple generations. The nanoplastics caused sublethal reproductive effects that became more pronounced over successive generations, suggesting that long-term, low-level nanoplastic exposure in the environment could gradually impair aquatic invertebrate population health.

2020
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of microplastic (polyethylene) exposure: Bioaccumulation, hematological parameters and antioxidant responses in crucian carp, Carassius carassius

Researchers exposed crucian carp to polyethylene microplastics at various concentrations and found that the particles accumulated in tissues including gills, gut, and liver. The microplastics altered blood cell counts and disrupted the fish's antioxidant defense system in a dose-dependent manner. The study suggests that even common polyethylene microplastics can cause measurable biological harm in freshwater fish.

2023 Chemosphere 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Size fractionation of high-density polyethylene breakdown nanoplastics reveals different toxic response in Daphnia magna

Researchers found that mechanical breakdown of high-density polyethylene produces oxidized nanoplastics around 110 nm in diameter that are non-toxic to Daphnia magna at tested concentrations, but that an ultra-small fraction below approximately 3 nm is toxic, suggesting particle size is a critical determinant of nanoplastic toxicity.

2022 Scientific Reports 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic Affects Growth ofS. obliquusand Reproduction ofD. magna

Researchers tested the effects of nanoplastics on freshwater algae and tiny water fleas, two organisms at the base of aquatic food chains. They found that nano-polystyrene particles reduced algae growth through physical binding to cell surfaces and inhibited reproduction in water fleas at concentrations as low as 30 milligrams per liter. The study demonstrates that nanoplastics can harm freshwater organisms at multiple levels of the food web, even at relatively low concentrations.

2014 Environmental Science & Technology 1098 citations