Papers

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Article Tier 2

Toxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in the Liver and Intestine of Normal and High-Fat-Diet Juvenile Zebrafish

Researchers exposed juvenile zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics combined with a high-fat diet and found that the combination caused gastrointestinal injury and disrupted lipid metabolism. The nanoplastics alone perturbed gut microbiota stability, and the effects were amplified when paired with a high-fat diet. The study suggests that dietary factors may influence the severity of nanoplastic toxicity, highlighting the importance of considering real-world exposure scenarios.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of high-fat diet and polystyrene microplastic exposure on microplastic bioaccumulation and lipid metabolism in zebrafish

Researchers studied how a high-fat diet combined with polystyrene microplastic exposure affects zebrafish, finding that obese fish accumulated significantly more microplastics in their tissues. The high-fat diet disrupted lipid metabolism and created conditions that increased microplastic retention in the body. This suggests that diet and body fat levels may influence how much microplastic accumulates in living organisms, with potential implications for human health.

2023 Fish & Shellfish Immunology 37 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

Microplastics induce intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and disorders of metabolome and microbiome in zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and found significant intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of both the gut microbiome and metabolic processes. The microplastics altered the balance of beneficial and harmful gut bacteria and changed the levels of key metabolites involved in energy and amino acid metabolism. The study provides detailed evidence that microplastic ingestion can cause widespread disruption to gut health in aquatic organisms.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 898 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

Polystyrene microplastics induce microbiota dysbiosis and inflammation in the gut of adult zebrafish

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics of two different sizes for 14 days and found significant disruptions to the gut microbiome, including shifts in key bacterial populations. Smaller microplastic particles also triggered inflammatory responses in the gut, with elevated levels of inflammatory markers at both the gene and protein level. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion can disturb gut bacteria balance and cause intestinal inflammation in aquatic organisms.

2018 Environmental Pollution 801 citations
Article Tier 2

Oral Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics of Mice on a Normal or High-Fat Diet and Intestinal and Metabolic Outcomes

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics caused metabolic problems like diabetes and fatty liver disease in mice, but only when combined with a high-fat diet. The high-fat diet appeared to damage the gut lining enough to allow microplastics to deposit in the intestinal wall, triggering inflammation that altered nutrient absorption. This suggests that people with poor diets may be more vulnerable to the harmful effects of microplastic exposure.

2023 Environmental Health Perspectives 115 citations
Article Tier 2

Integrated analysis of zebrafish gut microbiota and liver transcriptome responses to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium, both individually and combined, and found that combined exposure caused more severe disruption to gut bacteria and liver gene expression than either pollutant alone. The study revealed that microplastics decreased beneficial gut bacteria while increasing pathogenic species, and the combined treatment suppressed liver xenobiotic metabolism and antioxidant pathways.

2026 Aquaculture Reports
Article Tier 2

Aged polystyrene microplastics exacerbate cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity in zebrafish through gut-liver axis metabolic dysregulation

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, and found that weathered (aged) microplastics absorbed more cadmium and caused worse liver damage — disrupting the gut barrier, altering gut bacteria, and triggering fat buildup in the liver — compared to either pollutant alone.

2025 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 8 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

Polystyrene nano/microplastics induce microbiota dysbiosis, oxidative damage, and innate immune disruption in zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene particles of two different sizes and found that both nano- and micro-sized plastics disrupted gut bacteria, caused oxidative damage, and altered immune responses. The severity of effects depended on particle size and concentration, with smaller particles and higher doses causing more harm. The study suggests that plastic particles in waterways may pose a broader threat to fish health than previously understood, affecting digestion, stress defenses, and immunity simultaneously.

2022 Microbial Pathogenesis 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiota related response of Oryzias melastigma to combined exposure of polystyrene microplastics and tetracycline

Researchers exposed estuarine fish to polystyrene microplastics and the antibiotic tetracycline, both alone and in combination, for four weeks. The combined exposure caused more severe disruption to gut bacteria and liver tissue than either pollutant alone, with microplastics appearing to worsen the effects of tetracycline. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of microplastics and antibiotics in coastal waters may pose greater ecological risks than either contaminant by itself.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics exposure increases the disruption of intestinal barrier integrity and gut microbiota homeostasis during obesity and aging

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastic exposure worsened intestinal barrier dysfunction in mice on high-fat diets, with the combination of obesity and microplastic exposure producing greater gut permeability and inflammation than either factor alone, suggesting compounding risks in metabolically vulnerable individuals.

2025 Journal of Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

Interactions between intestinal microbiota and metabolites in zebrafish larvae exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics: Implications for intestinal health and glycolipid metabolism

Zebrafish larvae exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics suffered intestinal damage, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted gut bacteria -- with increases in bacteria linked to gut disease. The nanoplastics also altered metabolism related to sugar and fat processing, suggesting that ingesting these tiny particles could harm digestive health and disrupt how the body processes nutrients.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic impacts of polystyrene nanoplastics and PCB77 in blunt snout bream: Evidence from tissue morphology, oxidative stress and intestinal microbiome

Researchers studied the combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and a persistent organic pollutant (PCB77) in freshwater fish. They found that co-exposure caused worse tissue damage, higher oxidative stress, and greater disruption to gut bacteria than either contaminant alone. The study highlights that microplastics can worsen the harmful effects of other environmental pollutants when organisms are exposed to both simultaneously.

2025 Geoscience Frontiers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined exposure to polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene microplastics induces liver injury and perturbs gut microbial and serum metabolic homeostasis in mice

Mice exposed to a combination of PVC and polystyrene microplastics for 60 days developed liver damage, gut barrier breakdown, and disrupted gut bacteria. The co-exposure also raised cholesterol and triglyceride levels in both blood and liver, and altered hundreds of metabolites related to fat metabolism. Since people are typically exposed to multiple types of microplastics simultaneously, this study suggests the combined effects may be worse than exposure to a single type alone.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 30 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

Combined effects of polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene microplastics with cadmium on the intestine of zebrafish at environmentally relevant concentrations

Researchers exposed zebrafish to PVC or polypropylene microplastics combined with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal often used in plastic manufacturing. The microplastics increased cadmium buildup in the fish intestines and worsened gut damage, including inflammation and disruption of the intestinal barrier. This is relevant to human health because people can be exposed to similar combinations of microplastics and heavy metals through contaminated seafood.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the composition of the microbiome and metabolism in larval zebrafish

Researchers exposed larval zebrafish to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics and found significant changes in gut microbiome composition and metabolic activity. The microplastics altered the abundance and diversity of gut bacteria and disrupted metabolic pathways important for development. The study suggests that early-life exposure to microplastics could have meaningful biological consequences by reshaping the gut environment of developing organisms.

2018 Chemosphere 472 citations
Article Tier 2

Low-dose polystyrene microplastics exposure increases susceptibility to obesity-induced MASLD via disrupting intestinal barrier integrity and gut microbiota homeostasis

A mouse study found that even low doses of polystyrene microplastics made fatty liver disease significantly worse when combined with a high-fat diet, creating a "double hit" effect. The microplastics damaged the gut lining, disrupted beneficial gut bacteria, and triggered inflammation that spread to the liver, and these harmful effects were difficult to reverse even after two weeks of stopping exposure.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of micro-/nano-plastics and oxytetracycline on the intestinal histopathology and microbiome in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers studied the combined effects of micro- and nano-sized plastics with the antibiotic oxytetracycline on zebrafish intestines over 30 days. Nano-sized plastics caused more intestinal damage than micro-sized ones, and combined exposures altered gut bacterial communities and increased antibiotic resistance genes. The findings suggest that the co-occurrence of plastic particles and antibiotics in aquatic environments may have compounding negative effects on fish gut health.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics exacerbated the toxicity of okadaic acid to the small intestine in mice

Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and okadaic acid, a marine toxin, on the small intestines of mice. They found that co-exposure significantly worsened intestinal damage compared to either contaminant alone, increasing oxidative stress and disrupting the gut barrier. The study suggests that microplastics may amplify the harmful effects of naturally occurring marine toxins when both are consumed through seafood.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of microplastics and phenanthrene to zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics, the pollutant phenanthrene, and a combination of both to assess their toxicity over 24 days. They found that co-exposure amplified oxidative stress, suppressed immune gene expression, and significantly disrupted the gut microbiome compared to either contaminant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can worsen the toxic effects of organic pollutants in aquatic organisms by altering how chemicals accumulate and interact in the body.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 190 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-Omics Platforms Reveal Synergistic Intestinal Toxicity in Tilapia from Acute Co-Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics, Sulfamethoxazole, and BDE153

Researchers exposed tilapia to polystyrene microplastics combined with an antibiotic and a flame retardant to study their combined effects on gut health. Using multiple analytical methods, they found that the pollutant mixtures caused significant intestinal damage, including reduced immune activity, disrupted lipid metabolism, and decreased goblet cell density. The study suggests that microplastics and co-occurring contaminants can work together to amplify harmful effects on fish digestive systems.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 3 citations