Papers

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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

Does triclosan adsorption on polystyrene nanoplastics modify the toxicity of single contaminants?

Researchers investigated whether triclosan adsorption onto polystyrene nanoplastics modifies the toxicity of each contaminant individually, using a multi-tiered approach to assess how nanoplastic carrier effects alter the combined hazard of this common antimicrobial agent in aquatic environments.

2020 Environmental Science Nano 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic toxicity of micro-plastic and micro-pollutants in human cells

Researchers tested the synergistic toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and triclosan in Caco-2 human intestinal cells, finding that sorption of triclosan onto oxidized PS bead surfaces was enhanced compared to unmodified beads, and that 48-hour desorption of triclosan from MP surfaces into cell assays resulted in 25% greater cytotoxicity than simultaneous exposure without desorption time.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Synergistic toxic mechanisms of microplastics and triclosan via multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) inhibition–mediated autophagy in the freshwater water flea Daphnia magna

Researchers exposed water fleas to microplastics and triclosan, a common antimicrobial chemical, and found that the combination was more toxic than either pollutant alone. Microplastics interfered with the organisms' natural defense system for expelling foreign chemicals, allowing triclosan to accumulate and trigger harmful autophagy. This suggests that microplastics may amplify the toxicity of other environmental contaminants in aquatic ecosystems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and triclosan induces synergistic cytotoxicity in human KGN granulosa cells by promoting reactive oxygen species accumulation

Researchers found that when human ovarian cells are exposed to both nanoplastics and triclosan (a common antibacterial chemical) at the same time, the toxic effects are worse than either one alone. The combination triggered more cell damage, harmful oxygen molecules, and cell death than individual exposure. This matters because people are typically exposed to multiple pollutants simultaneously, and this synergy could have implications for female reproductive health.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut–Liver Axis Mediates the Combined Hepatointestinal Toxicity of Triclosan and Polystyrene Microplastics in Mice: Implications for Human Co-Exposure Risks

Mice co-exposed to the antimicrobial triclosan and polystyrene microplastics showed markedly worse intestinal and liver damage than those exposed to either contaminant alone, with gut microbiome disruption identified as a key mediating mechanism.

2025 Toxics
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

Co-exposure to triclosan and polystyrene nanoplastics on neurodevelopmental toxicity and gut microbiota dysbiosis in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers investigated the combined effects of triclosan and polystyrene nanoplastics on zebrafish development and found that co-exposure worsened neurodevelopmental toxicity beyond the effects of either pollutant alone. The combined exposure caused significant gut microbiota disruption and altered expression of genes involved in neural development, suggesting synergistic toxic effects between these two common environmental contaminants.

2025 Environmental Pollution 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and norfloxacin on antioxidant and immune genes in mussels

Researchers studied the combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin on mussels, focusing on genes related to antioxidant defense and immune function. They found that the mixture of both contaminants produced more severe disruptions to gene expression than either substance alone, indicating a synergistic toxic effect. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of nanoplastics and antibiotics in marine environments may pose compounding risks to shellfish health.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects on ciliates under nano-/micro-plastics coexist with silver nanoparticles

Researchers tested the combined effects of different-sized plastic particles with silver nanoparticles on marine microorganisms and found that the mixture was more toxic than either pollutant alone. Smaller nanoplastics combined with silver nanoparticles caused the most severe damage, disrupting energy and fat metabolism and causing DNA and protein damage. This study shows how microplastics can amplify the toxicity of other environmental pollutants in marine food chains.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

The combined effects of nanoplastics and dibutyl phthalate on Streptomyces coelicolor M145

Researchers examined the combined toxicity of nanoplastics and the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate on Streptomyces coelicolor, finding that their co-exposure produces different effects than either contaminant alone, highlighting concerns about combined plastic-related pollution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic effects of marine pollutants and microplastics on the destabilization of lipid bilayers

Researchers found that marine pollutants and microplastics act synergistically to destabilize lipid bilayers, suggesting that the combined presence of plastic particles and co-adsorbed chemicals may amplify cellular membrane damage beyond what either stressor causes alone.

2023
Article Tier 2

Amplified toxic effects of nanoplastic composite norfloxacin on liver cells in mice: Mechanistic insights and multiscale evaluation

Researchers examined the combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin on mouse liver cells and found that co-exposure was significantly more harmful than either contaminant alone. The nanoplastics acted as carriers that increased antibiotic accumulation inside cells, amplifying oxidative damage and disrupting key protective enzymes. The study highlights that nanoplastics in the environment can worsen the toxicity of co-occurring pollutants like antibiotics.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of triclosan and nanoplastics on reproduction performance, population dynamics, and transcriptome regulation of rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis)

Researchers investigated the individual and combined effects of the antimicrobial chemical triclosan and nanoplastics of varying sizes on rotifer reproduction, population dynamics, and gene expression. They found that high-dose triclosan or very small nanoplastics significantly impaired reproductive output and altered biochemical responses. The study suggests that nanoplastics can enhance the toxicity of co-occurring chemical pollutants in marine organisms.

2026 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Microplastic potentiates triclosan toxicity to the marine copepodAcartia tonsa(Dana)

Researchers tested whether microplastics worsen the toxicity of triclosan — an antimicrobial chemical — on marine copepods, finding that microplastic potentiated triclosan's toxic effects, suggesting that microplastics can increase the harm of co-occurring chemical contaminants.

2017 Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Higher toxicity induced by co-exposure of polystyrene microplastics and chloramphenicol to Microcystis aeruginosa: Experimental study and molecular dynamics simulation

Researchers studied what happens when the antibiotic chloramphenicol and polystyrene microplastics are present together in water containing blue-green algae. The study found that the combined exposure was more toxic to the algae than either pollutant alone, disrupting photosynthesis and gene expression. The findings suggest that microplastics and antibiotics may interact in ways that amplify their harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and norfloxacin on mussel: Leveraging biochemical parameters and gut microbiota

Researchers exposed mussels to nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin, both alone and together, and found that the combination caused greater biochemical stress than either pollutant alone. Nanoplastics appeared to carry the antibiotic into mussel tissues, increasing its bioavailability and impact on gut microbiota. The findings suggest that nanoplastics can amplify the toxicity of other contaminants in marine organisms.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics enhance florfenicol toxicity by disturbing detoxification and metabolic processes in nematodes

Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics affect the toxicity of the antibiotic florfenicol in the nematode C. elegans. They found that nanoplastics with different surface charges and sizes enhanced the antibiotic's harmful effects by disrupting detoxification and metabolic pathways. The study suggests that nanoplastic contamination may amplify the risks of co-occurring pollutants in the environment.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics Associated with Triclosan on the Oyster Crassostrea brasiliana: An Integrated Biomarker Approach

Brazilian oysters (Crassostrea brasiliana) were exposed to microplastics alone and in combination with the antibacterial chemical triclosan, with combined exposure causing greater oxidative stress, immune disruption, and genotoxicity than either stressor alone.

2020 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 63 citations
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

Co-Existing Nanoplastics Further Exacerbates the Effects of Triclosan on the Physiological Functions of Human Serum Albumin

Scientists found that when nanoplastics and triclosan (an antimicrobial chemical) are present together, the nanoplastics make triclosan bind more strongly to human serum albumin, a key blood protein. This stronger binding disrupts the protein's normal enzyme function more than triclosan alone would. The findings are concerning because people are exposed to both nanoplastics and triclosan simultaneously, and their combined effect on blood proteins could be worse than either substance individually.

2025 Life 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and joint exposure to nanoplastics and bisphenols: a comparative assessment of in vitro hazards

This study compared the individual and combined toxicity of nanoplastics and bisphenol compounds in biological test systems, finding synergistic effects at certain exposure combinations. The results indicate that co-exposure to these two common plastic-associated contaminants may be more harmful than either alone.

2024 Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
Article Tier 2

Toxicological interactions of microplastics/nanoplastics and environmental contaminants: Current knowledge and future perspectives

This review examines how the combined presence of micro- and nanoplastics with other environmental contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals affects toxicity. Researchers found that plastic particles can alter the bioavailability and toxic effects of co-occurring pollutants, sometimes increasing harm to organisms, which complicates environmental risk assessment.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 501 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of triclosan in aquatic organisms: A review focusing on single and combined exposure of environmental conditions and pollutants

This review examines how triclosan, an antibacterial chemical found in many personal care products, harms aquatic organisms both on its own and in combination with other pollutants including microplastics. When triclosan and microplastics are present together in water, they can produce combined toxic effects that are worse than either alone. Since triclosan is widely used and microplastics are everywhere, their interaction in the environment is an important consideration for both ecosystem and human health.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 39 citations