Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Co-exposure toxicity of microplastic and sumithion in Nile tilapia – changes in growth, hematology, histopathology of internal tissues and immune-antioxidant genes expression

Researchers studied the combined effects of polyamide microplastics and the pesticide sumithion on Nile tilapia, a widely farmed fish species. They found that co-exposure reduced growth, disrupted blood parameters, caused tissue damage in gills and intestines, and altered immune and antioxidant gene expression more severely than either pollutant alone. The study highlights that microplastics and pesticides together may pose amplified threats to fish health in contaminated aquaculture environments.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of mixture of polyethylene microplastics and Up Grade® pesticide on Oreochromis niloticus juvenile: I. Hemato-biochemical and histopathological alterations

Researchers exposed juvenile Nile tilapia to a pesticide and polyethylene microplastics, both individually and in combination, and measured blood chemistry changes and organ damage over 15 days. The combination treatment caused more severe effects than either pollutant alone, including reduced red blood cell counts, elevated liver enzymes, and significant tissue damage to the gills and intestines. The study demonstrates that microplastics can worsen the toxic effects of agricultural pesticides on commercially important fish species.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and Combined Effects of Microplastics and Cadmium on the Cadmium Accumulation and Biochemical and Immunity of Channa argus

Researchers investigated the single and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on juvenile snakehead fish, finding that co-exposure caused greater tissue damage, oxidative stress, and immune disruption than either pollutant alone.

2021 Biological Trace Element Research 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and cadmium on oxidative stress, apoptosis, and GH/IGF axis in zebrafish early life stages

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium, both alone and together, and found that the combination caused significantly worse effects than either pollutant individually. Co-exposure amplified oxidative stress, increased cell death in the spine and esophagus, and disrupted growth hormone pathways more severely than single exposures. The findings suggest that microplastics and heavy metals in waterways may interact to create heightened risks for developing fish.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on atrazine in zebrafish: Exogenous toxicity and endogenous mechanism

Researchers found that combining polystyrene microplastics with the common herbicide atrazine was more toxic to zebrafish than either pollutant alone, causing greater liver and gut damage. The combination also degraded water quality by reducing oxygen levels and increasing harmful nitrogen compounds. This is important because microplastics and pesticides frequently co-exist in the environment, meaning their combined effects on aquatic life and food safety may be worse than studies of individual pollutants suggest.

2025 Environmental Pollution 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and benzo[a]pyrene on Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer growth and expression of functional genes

Researchers exposed juvenile Asian sea bass to polyethylene microplastics and the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene, both individually and in combination, over 56 days. They found that co-exposure caused more severe effects on growth and gene expression related to immune function and stress response than either contaminant alone. The study highlights that microplastics may worsen the toxic effects of chemical pollutants already present in marine environments.

2024 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus)

Researchers found that combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium in juvenile grass carp caused greater physiological stress than either pollutant alone, with microplastics enhancing cadmium accumulation and intensifying oxidative stress and immune responses.

2022 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined neurotoxicity of aged microplastics and thiamethoxam in the early developmental stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

This study found that aged (weathered) microplastics combined with the insecticide thiamethoxam caused worse neurological damage to zebrafish larvae than either pollutant alone. The combined exposure reduced heart rate and movement, disrupted antioxidant defenses, and altered neurotransmitter levels in ways that were synergistic rather than simply additive. This is relevant to human health because both microplastics and pesticides are common in the environment, and their combined effects may pose greater risks than either one individually.

2024 Environmental Pollution 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Individual and combined effects of microplastics and diphenyl phthalate as plastic additives on male goldfish: A biochemical and physiological investigation

Male goldfish exposed to both microplastics and the plasticizer chemical DPP (diphenyl phthalate) together showed significant liver damage, disrupted fat and sugar metabolism, and hormonal imbalances including decreased testosterone and increased estrogen. The combined exposure was more harmful than either pollutant alone, demonstrating how microplastics and their chemical additives can work together to disrupt the endocrine system.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

A realistic combined exposure scenario: effect of microplastics and atrazine on Piaractus mesopotamicus

Scientists studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and the herbicide atrazine on juvenile pacu fish in a realistic exposure scenario. Researchers found that the combination of these contaminants caused tissue damage and biochemical changes, including altered enzyme activity and genetic damage. The study suggests that microplastics and agricultural chemicals together may pose greater risks to freshwater fish than either pollutant alone.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of co-exposure of microplastics and lead in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Researchers exposed African catfish to lead, microplastics, and a combination of both for 15 days and found that the combined exposure was more harmful than either pollutant alone. The mixture caused the greatest damage to blood cells, triggered stronger inflammatory responses, and disrupted the fish's antioxidant defenses. Since microplastics can carry heavy metals like lead on their surfaces, this study shows how microplastics may amplify the toxic effects of other pollutants in freshwater fish that people eat.

2023 Frontiers in Veterinary Science 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and bisphenol A induces hepato- and intestinal-toxicity and disturbs gut microbiota in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Researchers exposed channel catfish to nanoplastics and bisphenol A, both alone and combined, and found the combination caused more severe liver and intestinal damage than either substance alone. The co-exposure also disrupted gut bacteria in ways that amplified toxicity. Since nanoplastics and BPA commonly co-exist in polluted water, their combined effects on aquatic organisms may be worse than what single-pollutant studies suggest.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxic effects of polystyrene microplastic and benzophenone-4 on the bioaccumulation, feeding, growth, and reproduction of Daphnia magna

Researchers examined the combined toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics and the UV filter chemical benzophenone-4 on water fleas over 21 days. They found that exposure to both contaminants together caused greater harm to feeding, growth, and reproduction than either pollutant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics and personal care product chemicals can interact to amplify their negative effects on freshwater organisms.

2024 Environmental Pollution 7 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

Multi‐Biomarkers' Responses in Gills of Oreochromis niloticus Exposed to Glyphosate and Polyethylene Microplastic, Isolated and in Mixture

Researchers exposed tilapia fish to polyethylene microplastics and the herbicide glyphosate, both alone and in combination, and examined gill tissue for signs of damage. They found that the mixture of both contaminants caused more severe oxidative stress and tissue damage than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics and agricultural chemicals may interact in waterways to amplify harmful effects on fish health.

2024 Environmental Toxicology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Joint effects of micro-sized polystyrene and chlorpyrifos on zebrafish based on multiple endpoints and gut microbial effects

Researchers found that micro-sized polystyrene particles accumulated in zebrafish gut and liver, causing oxidative stress and gut microbiome disruption, and that co-exposure with chlorpyrifos pesticide amplified toxic effects at the individual level.

2022 Journal of Environmental Sciences 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Additive effects of microplastics on accumulation and toxicity of cadmium in male zebrafish

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene microplastics and cadmium, both individually and in combination, for 21 days. They found that microplastics and cadmium together produced additive toxic effects, increasing cadmium accumulation in fish tissues, altering behavior, and causing more severe organ damage. The study suggests that microplastics in contaminated waterways may worsen the harmful effects of heavy metals on aquatic life.

2023 Chemosphere 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and cypermethrin enhanced the effects on hepatic phospholipid metabolism and gut microbes in adult zebrafish

When zebrafish were exposed to both polystyrene microplastics and the pesticide cypermethrin together, the combination caused significantly more liver damage than either pollutant alone. The mixture disrupted fat metabolism in the liver and altered gut bacteria in ways not seen with individual exposures. This matters because microplastics and pesticides frequently co-exist in waterways, and their combined effects on fish health could affect the safety of fish as food.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of co-exposure to microcystin-LR and polystyrene microplastics on growth, brain pathology and thyroid hormone homeostasis in adult zebrafish

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.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined polystyrene microplastics and chlorpyrifos decrease levels of nutritional parameters in muscle of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Researchers exposed rainbow trout to polystyrene microplastics combined with the pesticide chlorpyrifos and found that the combination significantly reduced key nutritional parameters (protein, lipid, and moisture content) in muscle tissue compared to either contaminant alone.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Individual and Combined Toxic Effects of Nano-ZnO and Polyethylene Microplastics on Mosquito Fish (Gambusia holbrooki)

Researchers studied the individual and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and zinc oxide nanoparticles on mosquito fish. The combination caused greater damage to liver tissue, blood parameters, and antioxidant systems than either pollutant alone. The findings suggest that microplastics interacting with other environmental contaminants can amplify toxic effects in aquatic organisms.

2023 Water 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergetic effects of polyethylene microplastic and abamectin pesticides on the eyes of zebrafish larvae and adults through activation of apoptosis signaling pathways

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polyethylene microplastics and the pesticide abamectin, both individually and in combination, and found that the mixture caused significantly worse eye damage and lower survival rates than either pollutant alone. The combined exposure triggered higher levels of oxidative stress and activated cell death pathways in eye tissues. The study reveals that microplastics and pesticides can interact to produce amplified toxic effects on aquatic organisms, particularly affecting their vision.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 25 citations
Article Tier 2

The Role of Synthetic Polymers in the Aquatic Environment and Its Implications in Danio Rerio as a Model Organism

Exposing zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics combined with silver nanoparticles caused significantly more oxidative damage, tissue injury in gills and intestines, and higher mortality than either contaminant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics can act as carriers that enhance the toxicity of co-pollutants like silver nanoparticles, a combination effect that is highly relevant to understanding real-world aquatic contamination where multiple pollutants co-occur.

2023 Apple Academic Press eBooks
Article Tier 2

Combined exposure effects: Multilevel impact analysis of cycloxaprid and microplastics on Penaeus vannamei

Researchers conducted a multilevel analysis of the combined effects of cycloxaprid insecticide and microplastics on a non-target organism, finding synergistic toxicity greater than either contaminant alone. The study highlights risks from simultaneous exposure to agrochemicals and plastic pollution in agricultural environments.

2024 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 1 citations