Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics drive toxicity under co-exposure with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid in human intestinal cells

Researchers exposed human intestinal cells to nanoplastics, the industrial chemical PFOS, and their combination, and found that co-exposure caused more severe cellular disruption than either substance alone. Nanoplastics primarily damaged mitochondria while PFOS affected cell membranes and internal structures, and their combination triggered broader metabolic changes including disrupted amino acid and lipid metabolism. The study suggests that the interaction between nanoplastics and common environmental chemicals may pose compounding risks to gut health.

2025 Environmental Chemistry Letters 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined toxicity effects of microplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid on submerged macrophytes and biofilms

Researchers tested the combined effects of four common microplastic types and PFOA (a forever chemical) on aquatic plants and their associated biofilms. The pollutants together caused more damage to plant growth, photosynthesis, and microbial communities than either pollutant alone. Since microplastics and PFOA frequently co-occur in the environment, their combined toxic effects on aquatic ecosystems could have downstream consequences for water quality and human exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics magnify inhibitive effects of perfluorooctanoic acid on the marine microbial loop

Researchers studied how microplastics interact with a common industrial chemical called PFOA in ocean ecosystems. They found that polystyrene microplastics significantly amplified the harmful effects of PFOA on tiny marine organisms essential to carbon cycling, including bacteria and plankton. The study suggests that when these two pollutants co-exist in seawater, the ecological risks are considerably worse than from either pollutant alone.

2025 Environmental Research 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics enhanced the effect of PFOA on Chlorella sorokiniana: Perspective from the cellular and molecular levels

This study found that polystyrene microplastics made the toxic effects of PFOA (a "forever chemical") worse on algae by increasing cell membrane permeability, allowing more PFOA to enter the cells. The findings matter because microplastics and PFOA often exist together in the environment, and their combined effect can be more harmful than either pollutant alone.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of the co-exposure of microplastics and tetrabromobisphenol A on human gut: Simulation in vitro with human cell Caco-2 and gut microbiota

Researchers studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and the flame retardant TBBPA on human gut cells and gut bacteria in laboratory experiments. The study found that both substances damaged human intestinal cells, with TBBPA playing the larger role, while microplastics amplified certain harmful effects at high concentrations. TBBPA also selectively killed beneficial gut bacteria like Lactobacillus while promoting potentially harmful species, and microplastics enhanced this imbalance.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 115 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid can exacerbate lipid metabolism disorders and liver damage in adult zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics and the persistent pollutant PFOA separately and together for 28 days, finding that combined exposure caused greater intestinal barrier breakdown, liver damage, lipid metabolism disruption, and gut microbiome dysbiosis than either contaminant alone — raising concerns about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease risk from co-occurring plastic and chemical pollution.

2025 Journal of Environmental Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of polystyrene nanoparticles on the toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A in human intestinal cell lines

When human intestinal cells were exposed to both polystyrene nanoparticles and the flame retardant TBBPA together, the chemical pollutant dominated the toxic response, causing oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disruption of mitochondrial function. The study shows that mixing microplastics with other contaminants can produce complex, hard-to-predict health effects in gut cells, which matters because people are routinely exposed to multiple pollutants at once.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as carriers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic environment: interactions and ecotoxicological effects

Researchers reviewed how microplastics serve as carriers for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes called forever chemicals, in aquatic environments. The study found that PFAS can attach to microplastic surfaces and accumulate in organisms through the food chain, potentially amplifying the toxic effects of both pollutants. The findings suggest that the combined presence of microplastics and PFAS poses a greater environmental and health risk than either pollutant alone.

2023 Water Emerging Contaminants & Nanoplastics 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and perfluorobutane sulfonate on mouse liver: Impact on lipid metabolism and gut-liver axis disruption

This study examined what happens when mice are exposed to both polystyrene microplastics and PFBS (a type of "forever chemical") at the same time. The combination caused significantly worse liver damage than either pollutant alone, disrupting fat metabolism and triggering gut bacteria imbalances that further harmed the liver through the gut-liver connection. These findings are concerning because microplastics can absorb PFAS chemicals in the environment, meaning people may often be exposed to both together.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic toxicity of PFAS and microplastic mixtures across five human cell lines

Researchers tested the combined toxicity of PFAS chemicals and microplastics on five types of human cells representing the kidney, liver, prostate, skin, and lung. They found that mixtures of these common environmental contaminants produced synergistic harmful effects, particularly in kidney and liver cells, including increased oxidative stress and DNA damage. The study suggests that the combined exposure to PFAS and microplastics, which frequently co-occur in the environment, may pose greater health risks than either pollutant alone.

2025 Environmental Pollution 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The exploration of chronic combined toxic mechanisms of environmental PFOA and polyethylene micro/nanoplastics on adult zebrafish (Danio rerio), using aquatic microcosm systems

Researchers studied the combined toxic effects of polyethylene micro/nanoplastics and the chemical pollutant PFOA on zebrafish in conditions mimicking real aquaculture systems. They found that the combination produced time-dependent toxicity patterns, with effects on the liver, gut, and reproductive systems that were sometimes more severe than either pollutant alone. The study highlights that microplastics and industrial chemicals can interact in ways that amplify their individual harms to aquatic life.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Response mechanisms of Chlorella sorokiniana to microplastics and PFOA stress: Photosynthesis, oxidative stress, extracellular polymeric substances and antioxidant system

Researchers exposed green algae to polystyrene microplastics and PFOA (a forever chemical) both separately and together, finding that the combination was more toxic than either pollutant alone. Microplastics mainly harmed the algae by blocking light for photosynthesis, while PFOA caused oxidative damage inside cells. Since microplastics and PFAS often co-exist in polluted water, their combined effects on aquatic food chains could be greater than studies of individual pollutants suggest.

2023 Chemosphere 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate and enzymatic response of co-exposed photoaged nanoplastic and PFAS: Insights from a human gastrointestinal simulation

This study simulated human digestion to examine what happens when nanoplastics and PFAS (forever chemicals) are consumed together. Sun-aged nanoplastics were far more bioaccessible in the digestive system than fresh ones, and the combination with certain PFAS types increased absorption of both pollutants. The results suggest that real-world exposure, where weathered nanoplastics and forever chemicals co-exist, may pose greater health risks than studies of individual pollutants indicate.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Exacerbated interfacial impacts of nanoplastics and 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate by natural organic matter in adult zebrafish: Evidence through histopathology, gut microbiota, and transcriptomic analysis

In a zebrafish study, nanoplastics combined with a fluorinated chemical pollutant and natural organic matter caused more severe liver and intestinal damage than any single pollutant alone. The mixture triggered greater oxidative stress, gut inflammation, and harmful changes to gut bacteria. This research shows that in the real world, where nanoplastics mix with other pollutants, the combined health effects may be worse than studies of individual chemicals suggest.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity evaluation of micro- and nanoplastic particles, with co-exposure to metal ions on human intestinal models

This study exposed human intestinal cell models to both micro- and nanoplastic particles combined with metal ions to test combined toxicity effects. The results showed that co-exposure can amplify harmful effects on intestinal cells compared to either contaminant alone. This is relevant to human health because people are simultaneously exposed to microplastics and heavy metals through food, meaning the gut may face synergistic stressors that single-contaminant studies would miss.

2023 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Combined exposure with microplastics increases the toxic effects of PFOS and its alternative F-53B in adult zebrafish

Researchers found that when zebrafish were exposed to microplastics along with PFOS or its replacement chemical F-53B (both are "forever chemicals"), the combined toxic effects were worse than either pollutant alone. The microplastics worsened liver inflammation, disrupted energy metabolism, and altered gut bacteria. This is relevant to human health because people are simultaneously exposed to both microplastics and PFAS chemicals through food and water.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and ammonium perfluorooctanoate to Daphnia magna: Mediation of intestinal blockage

Researchers evaluated the combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and a perfluorinated compound (ammonium perfluorooctanoate) to Daphnia magna using multiple toxicity assessment methods. They found that the interaction between microplastics and the fluorinated chemical produced antagonistic effects at some concentrations and synergistic effects at others, mediated partly by intestinal blockage from the plastic particles. The study reveals that microplastics can alter the bioavailability and toxicity of co-occurring fluorinated contaminants through physical mechanisms in the gut.

2022 Water Research 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxicity of polyethylene micro/nanoplastics and PFOA in zebrafish (Danio rerio): Impacts on antioxidant, neurotransmission, and gut microbiota

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polyethylene micro/nanoplastics and the industrial pollutant PFOA individually and in combination, assessing antioxidant capacity, neurotransmission, and gut microbiome composition. Combined exposure caused greater oxidative stress, more severe neurotransmitter disruption, and larger gut microbiome shifts than either contaminant alone, highlighting synergistic risks of co-occurring plastic and PFAS pollution.

2025 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology
Article Tier 2

Combined Environmental Impacts and Toxicological Interactions of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Microplastics (MPs)

This review examines how microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) frequently co-occur in the environment and interact to alter each other's environmental fate and biological effects. Researchers found that co-exposure can enhance PFAS bioaccumulation by up to 2.5-fold compared to PFAS alone, accompanied by amplified oxidative stress, immune disruption, and reproductive impairment in aquatic organisms. The magnitude and direction of combined effects depend heavily on polymer type, particle size, surface aging, and biological context.

2026 Environments
Article Tier 2

Molecular-Scale Insights into the Interactions between Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Polyethylene

Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called microplastics can strongly attract and hold onto toxic "forever chemicals" called PFAS, which are already found in drinking water and food. This means microplastics in our environment could act like sponges that collect these harmful chemicals and potentially transport them to new places, including into our bodies. The research helps explain why these two types of pollution might work together to create bigger health risks than either one alone.

2026 The Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Article Tier 2

Interactions of microplastics and organic compounds in aquatic environments: A case study of augmented joint toxicity

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics interact with the antimicrobial compound triclosan in simulated environmental and cellular conditions. They found that surface-functionalized microplastics adsorbed significantly more triclosan and released it under cellular conditions, with the combination producing greater toxicity to human intestinal cells than either contaminant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the harmful effects of co-occurring organic pollutants.

2021 Chemosphere 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Trojan horse in the intestine: A review on the biotoxicity of microplastics combined environmental contaminants

This review examines how microplastics act as 'Trojan horses' by carrying other environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and pathogens into the intestinal system. Researchers analyzed the mechanisms by which microplastics adsorb and release these co-contaminants and how the combinations affect the gut barrier. The study highlights that the interactive toxicity of microplastics with other pollutants may be more harmful than either pollutant alone, particularly to intestinal health.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 144 citations
Article Tier 2

Intestinal barrier disruption by cadmium and microplastics: Mechanistic insights from integrated metabolomic and proteomic analysis in mice

A mouse study found that combined exposure to cadmium (a toxic metal) and microplastics caused more severe intestinal damage than either pollutant alone. The co-exposure disrupted key metabolic pathways and compromised the gut barrier, potentially promoting cancer cell growth and invasion. Since both cadmium and microplastics are widespread environmental contaminants that humans encounter together, this research highlights the importance of studying how multiple pollutants interact to harm health.

2025 Environmental Pollution 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of micro/nanoplastics and benzo[a]pyrene on cellular and molecular responses of Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka, 1867) during intestinal regeneration

Researchers exposed sea cucumbers to micro- and nanoplastics combined with a cancer-causing chemical (benzo[a]pyrene) and found that the combination slowed intestinal healing and caused more oxidative stress than either pollutant alone. Nanoplastics were particularly harmful, disrupting protein-building processes in cells, while larger microplastics mainly affected fat metabolism. Since marine organisms are exposed to both plastic particles and chemical pollutants simultaneously, this study shows that the real-world health effects may be worse than what single-pollutant studies suggest.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations