Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Isolated and combined toxicity of PVC microplastics and copper on Pinctada fucata martensii: Immune, oxidative, and metabolomics insights

Researchers studied the individual and combined toxic effects of PVC microplastics and copper on pearl oysters over 13 days. They found that combined exposure caused more severe immune suppression, oxidative damage, and metabolic disruption than either pollutant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics and heavy metals can interact to amplify their harmful effects on marine organisms.

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

Combined Microplastics and Cadmium Exposure Induces Persistent Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis in Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata martensii

Researchers examined the combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the gut microbiome of pearl oysters over a 48-hour exposure followed by a 5-day recovery period. The study found that co-exposure caused persistent shifts in gut microbial community composition that did not fully recover, suggesting that combined pollutant exposure may have lasting effects on the gut health of marine aquaculture species.

2026 Fishes
Article Tier 2

Multi-Biomarker Responses of Asian Clam Corbicula fluminea (Bivalvia, Corbiculidea) to Cadmium and Microplastics Pollutants

Researchers exposed Asian clams to cadmium, microplastics, and their mixtures, then measured a battery of biomarkers including oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and neurotoxicity indicators. They found that the combined exposure to cadmium and microplastics produced interactive effects that differed from exposure to either contaminant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics can modify the toxicity of heavy metals in freshwater bivalves, highlighting the importance of studying pollutant mixtures rather than individual contaminants.

2021 Water 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Depuration and post-exposure recovery of oxidative stress responses to microplastics and cadmium in Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

Researchers exposed Pacific oysters to microplastic beads and cadmium, then transferred them to clean water to study recovery. They found that cadmium was eliminated much more slowly than the plastic beads, and oysters exposed to both contaminants together maintained higher levels of oxidative stress even during the recovery period. The study suggests that microplastics can enhance the toxic effects of heavy metals like cadmium through synergistic interactions that persist after the initial exposure ends.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Simultaneous exposure to microplastics and heavy metal lead induces oxidative stress, histopathological damage, and immune dysfunction in marine mussel Mytilus coruscus

When marine mussels were exposed to both microplastics and the heavy metal lead together, the combined effect was worse than either pollutant alone. The combination caused more severe tissue damage, higher oxidative stress, and greater immune system disruption, which is concerning because in real ocean environments, microplastics and heavy metals commonly occur together.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of Microplastics, Cadmium, and Their Mixtures on Biochemical Biomarkers in the Freshwater Bivalve Corbicula fluminea (Bivalvia, Corbiculidea)

This study evaluated the combined impacts of microplastics and cadmium on biochemical biomarkers in a freshwater organism, finding that co-exposure caused greater oxidative stress and cellular damage than either contaminant alone. Microplastics appear to enhance cadmium bioavailability and toxicity.

2024 Diversity 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Immunotoxicity of microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls alone or in combination to Crassostrea gigas

Researchers exposed oysters to microplastics and PCBs (industrial chemicals) both alone and together, finding that the combination caused significantly worse immune damage than either pollutant on its own. The pollutants reduced the oysters' ability to fight infection, increased cell damage, and triggered cell death pathways. This synergistic effect is concerning because microplastics in the ocean often carry other toxic chemicals, potentially making contaminated seafood a greater health risk.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure to Microplastics and Cadmium: Effects on DNA Damage in Mytilus Galloprovincialis

This study investigated how co-exposure to microplastics and cadmium affects DNA damage in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Microplastics acted as vectors for cadmium, and combined exposure resulted in greater genotoxic effects than either pollutant alone.

2025 Journal of Biological Research - Bollettino della Società Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale
Article Tier 2

Physiological and biochemical responses to caffeine and microplastics in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to caffeine and microplastics both separately and together to measure their combined effects. The combination caused greater oxidative stress and changes in cell function than either pollutant alone. While focused on mussels, the study is relevant to human health because mussels are widely eaten as seafood and can accumulate both microplastics and chemical contaminants.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 65 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of different types of microplastic and acute cadmium exposure on the Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819)

This study examined how different types of microplastics, alone and combined with cadmium, affect Mediterranean mussels that are widely consumed as seafood. Exposure to microplastics and cadmium caused oxidative stress, tissue damage, and neurotoxicity in the mussels, with combined exposure being worse than either pollutant alone. The health risk calculations for human consumers exceeded safety limits, suggesting that microplastic-contaminated mussels could pose a real food safety concern.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus

Researchers examined the individual and combined toxic effects of cadmium and microplastics on sea cucumbers. The study found that cadmium was the primary driver of negative effects including reduced growth, digestive enzyme suppression, and disruption of gut microbiota, but the presence of microplastics increased cadmium's toxicity when both pollutants were present at high concentrations.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined impacts of microplastics and cadmium on the liver function, immune response, and intestinal microbiota of crucian carp (Carassius carassius)

Researchers exposed crucian carp to microplastics and cadmium, both alone and together, and found the combination caused more severe liver damage and immune disruption than either pollutant alone. Co-exposure also significantly altered the fish's gut bacteria after 21 days. This is concerning because microplastics and heavy metals frequently co-occur in polluted waterways, potentially amplifying harm to aquatic life.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of polyamide microplastics and the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus on the immune parameters of Mytilus coruscus

When mussels were exposed to nylon microplastics along with harmful Vibrio bacteria, they suffered gill damage, increased oxidative stress, and weakened immune defenses compared to either stressor alone. The combined exposure suppressed key immune enzymes that mussels need to fight infection. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood, this study raises concerns that microplastic-contaminated shellfish could carry more pathogens and be less safe to eat.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined ecotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics and Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate increase exposure risks to Mytilus coruscus based on the bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, metabolic profiles, and nutritional interferences

Researchers exposed hard-shelled mussels to a common plastic additive (DEHP) and polystyrene microplastics together, and found that the microplastics increased how much DEHP accumulated in the animals' digestive organs. The combined exposure disrupted the mussels' antioxidant defenses and altered their metabolic processes more than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the harmful effects of chemical pollutants in marine organisms.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine mussel metabolism under stress: Dual effects of nanoplastics and coastal hypoxia

This study examined how nanoplastics and low oxygen levels together affect marine mussels, finding that both stressors disrupted the animals' internal balance and energy metabolism. The combination of nanoplastics and oxygen-depleted water was more harmful than either stressor alone, damaging cellular defenses against oxidative stress. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood, these findings raise questions about the safety of shellfish harvested from polluted, oxygen-poor coastal waters.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Response and adaptation mechanisms of Apostichopus japonicus to single and combined anthropogenic stresses of polystyrene microplastics or cadmium

Researchers examined how sea cucumbers respond to polystyrene microplastics, cadmium, and their combination over an extended exposure period. They found that combined exposure caused more severe effects on growth, immune function, and oxidative stress than either stressor alone, and that the animals activated specific molecular defense pathways. The study reveals that the interaction between microplastics and heavy metals in marine environments can create compounding stress on commercially and ecologically important species.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse Effects of Co-Exposure to Cd and Microplastic in Tigriopus japonicus

Researchers exposed the marine copepod Tigriopus japonicus to combined cadmium and polystyrene microplastic exposure using a full concentration-response design. Co-exposure increased toxicity compared to either contaminant alone, with effects on survival, reproduction, and development, indicating synergistic or additive interactions between cadmium and microplastics.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Gonadal Metabolic Disruption in Mytilus Galloprovincialis Exposed to Cadmium and Microplastics

Untargeted GC-MS metabolomics of mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) gonads after combined cadmium and microplastic exposure revealed significant disruption of lipid and amino acid metabolism compared to single-contaminant exposures, suggesting synergistic reproductive toxicity.

2025 Journal of Biological Research - Bollettino della Società Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale
Article Tier 2

Microplastics have additive effects on cadmium accumulation and toxicity in Rice flower carp (Procypris merus)

When a Chinese freshwater fish species was exposed to both microplastics and cadmium together, the microplastics increased cadmium buildup in the liver and gills and worsened tissue damage compared to either pollutant alone. The combined exposure caused greater oxidative stress and disrupted immune and metabolic pathways. This is important because microplastics and heavy metals often coexist in polluted waterways, and their combined effect on fish could affect the safety of freshwater fish that people eat.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

The combined effects of phenanthrene and micro-/nanoplastics mixtures on the cellular stress responses of the thick-shell mussel Mytilus coruscus

Scientists exposed thick-shell mussels to a combination of micro- and nanoplastics along with a common pollutant (phenanthrene) to study their combined effects. The mixtures caused more severe immune cell damage, increased oxidative stress, and stronger inflammatory responses than either pollutant alone. Evidence indicates that micro- and nanoplastics can worsen the toxic effects of organic pollutants in marine shellfish.

2023 Environmental Pollution 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the cadmium accumulation, antioxidant defence and innate immunity of the discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus)

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with cadmium toxicity in discus fish and found that the presence of microplastics actually reduced cadmium accumulation in the fish's body. However, the microplastics independently caused oxidative stress and altered immune responses. The study reveals that the combined effects of microplastics and heavy metals on aquatic organisms are complex and do not simply add together.

2018 Environmental Pollution 414 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the effect of microparticles on bivalves: Exposure of Mytilus galloprovincialis and Ruditapes philippinarum to both microplastics and silt

Researchers exposed mussels and clams to polyethylene microplastics, natural silt particles, and a combination of both, finding that the mixture caused significantly worse mortality and oxidative stress than either substance alone. Clams were more sensitive to microplastic exposure than mussels, while mussels retained more microplastics in their tissues. The study reveals that the combined presence of natural sediment particles and microplastics in coastal waters creates synergistic harmful effects on filter-feeding shellfish that are greater than the sum of individual exposures.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

"Groundbreaking study: Combined effect of marine heatwaves and polyethylene microplastics on Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas"

Researchers studied the combined effects of marine heatwaves and polyethylene microplastics on Pacific oysters, an important aquaculture species. They found that elevated temperatures and microplastic exposure together caused greater stress responses than either factor alone, affecting the oysters' immune function and energy reserves. The study highlights the growing ecological risk from multiple environmental stressors acting simultaneously on marine organisms.

2024 Environmental Pollution 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Breaking new ground: Gadolinium and Microplastics co-exposure and biochemical alterations in marine clam Donax trunculus

Researchers examined the combined effects of the rare earth element gadolinium and microplastics on marine clams and found that the mixture produced different toxicity patterns than either pollutant alone. The co-exposure affected the clams' energy metabolism, antioxidant defenses, and nervous system function in complex ways. The findings suggest that when microplastics interact with other environmental contaminants, the combined impact on marine organisms can be unpredictable and warrants further study.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations