Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Synergy under the Sun? Nanoplastics Enhance Estrogenicity of Common UV-Blocker

Human cells and zebrafish co-exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics and the UV filter homosalate showed higher plastic accumulation in tissues, greater estrogenic activity, and more pronounced gene expression changes than with either exposure alone.

2024 Environmental Health Perspectives 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption of PFOS onto polystyrene microplastics potentiates synergistic toxic effects during zebrafish embryogenesis and neurodevelopment

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics can absorb PFOS (a persistent industrial chemical) from water and deliver it to zebrafish embryos in a more concentrated form. The combination caused worse developmental problems than either pollutant alone, including delayed hatching, higher death rates, birth defects, and impaired brain development. This shows microplastics can act as carriers that intensify the toxic effects of other environmental chemicals.

2024 Chemosphere 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactive neurotoxicity of environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics and butyl methoxydibenzoyl methane on early zebrafish embryos

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics and the UV sunscreen chemical BM-DBM interact synergistically to cause neurotoxicity in zebrafish at environmentally relevant concentrations, disrupting nervous system development and gene expression more severely in combination than either pollutant alone.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Endogenous 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid mediates amplified estrogenic responses under nanoplastic–homosalate coexposure

Researchers investigated how co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and the UV filter homosalate amplifies estrogenic effects in mice and human cell models. The study identified endogenous 15(S)-HETE as a key mediator of these amplified responses, providing evidence for a mechanism behind the so-called Trojan horse effect where nanoplastics enhance the toxicity of co-occurring chemicals.

2026 Environment International
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics increase in vitro oestrogenic activity of neurotherapeutic drugs

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics significantly enhance the estrogenic activity of neurotherapeutic drugs in vitro, suggesting that nanoplastic contamination of drinking water and food could increase hormonal exposures from pharmaceutical residues.

2024 Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics alter the cytotoxicity of human pharmaceuticals on marine fish cell lines

Researchers exposed marine fish cell lines to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that while the nanoplastics alone were not directly toxic, they significantly altered the cytotoxicity of human pharmaceuticals, with one cell line proving more sensitive than the other, underscoring how nanoplastics can change the hazard profile of co-occurring chemical pollutants.

2019 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 105 citations
Article Tier 2

Initial evaluation of the combined effects of nanoplastics and 17α-ethinylestradiol on D. magna

This laboratory study examined the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol on small aquatic organisms, finding that the combination had different effects than either contaminant alone. The results suggest that nanoplastics can modify how other environmental pollutants affect aquatic life, complicating risk assessment for real-world multi-contaminant exposures.

2017 Lund University Publications Student Papers (Lund University)
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics increase estrogenic effects of 17α-ethynylestradiol on male marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics increased the estrogenic effects of 17a-ethynylestradiol in male marine medaka, with co-exposure at higher MP concentrations causing greater reproductive disruption than the estrogen alone.

2021 Chemosphere 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of polystyrene nanoplastic and its binary mixtures with nonylphenol on zebrafish nervous system: From oxidative stress to impaired neurotransmitter system

Researchers investigated the individual and combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the industrial chemical nonylphenol on the zebrafish nervous system over 45 days. Both substances induced oxidative stress and disrupted neurotransmitter systems, with combined exposure generally producing more severe effects on glutamate metabolism and brain tissue damage. The study suggests that the interaction between nanoplastics and co-occurring environmental pollutants can amplify neurotoxic effects in fish.

2022 Environmental Pollution 52 citations
Article Tier 2

From cradle to grave: Deciphering sex-specific disruptions of the nervous and reproductive systems through interactions of 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and nanoplastics in adult zebrafish

Adult zebrafish exposed to a common sunscreen chemical (4-MBC) combined with nanoplastics showed significant damage to both their nervous and reproductive systems, with effects that differed between males and females. The nanoplastics acted as carriers that increased the accumulation of the sunscreen chemical in brain and reproductive tissues. These combined effects were passed to the next generation, raising concerns about how cosmetic chemicals and plastic pollution together may affect long-term reproductive health.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics mediated the toxicity of silver nanoparticles in zebrafish embryos

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with silver nanoparticles and affect zebrafish embryo development. They found that nanoplastics can act as carriers for silver nanoparticles in water, and the combination altered patterns of oxidative stress, immune response, and metabolic function compared to either pollutant alone. The study highlights how nanoplastics may change the way other environmental contaminants affect aquatic organisms.

2023 Frontiers in Marine Science 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and 17α-Methyltestosterone on the reproductive system of zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics combined with a synthetic hormone (17-alpha-methyltestosterone) and found that the combination caused more severe reproductive damage than either substance alone. The co-exposure reduced mature egg and sperm production, disrupted hormone-related gene expression, and lowered reproductive hormone levels. This suggests that microplastics can make the effects of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment worse, which is concerning for both wildlife and human reproductive health.

2023 Theriogenology 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Nanoplastics and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane on Early Zebrafish Embryos Identified by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

Researchers used single-cell RNA sequencing to study how polystyrene nanoplastics and the sunscreen chemical BMDBM affect early zebrafish embryo development. The study found that both pollutants targeted neural cells and disrupted brain development pathways, though combined exposure appeared to reduce some adverse effects compared to individual exposures, highlighting the complexity of nanoplastic interactions with co-occurring contaminants.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 92 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics enhance the microcystin-LR-induced gonadal damage and reproductive endocrine disruption in zebrafish

Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene microplastics along with microcystin-LR (a common toxin from algae blooms) suffered worse reproductive damage than when exposed to either pollutant alone. The microplastics acted as carriers that increased the amount of toxin accumulating in the fish's reproductive organs. This study demonstrates that microplastics can worsen the effects of other water pollutants by helping toxic chemicals build up in the body.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Endocrine disrupting effect and reproductive toxicity of the separate exposure and co-exposure of nano-polystyrene and diethylstilbestrol to zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish to nano-polystyrene and the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol separately and together, finding that combined exposure caused additive disruption of sex hormones and vitellogenin, a dramatic drop in egg production from 1,031 to 306, and a 65% embryo abnormality rate — substantially worse than either pollutant alone.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Interfacial sorption of 17β-E2 on nano-microplastics: Effects of particle size, functional groups and hydrochemical conditions

This study examined how nanoscale polystyrene particles — a form of nanoplastic — bind to 17β-estradiol, a natural estrogen that is also an emerging environmental contaminant. Smaller particles adsorbed more of the hormone due to their larger surface area, and surface chemistry played a key role: hydrophobic (water-repelling) surfaces bound more estrogen than particles modified with polar chemical groups. The findings suggest that nanoplastics in water bodies could act as vectors, concentrating and transporting hormones to fish and other aquatic life, potentially amplifying endocrine disruption.

2025 Environmental Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoparticles enhance the adverse effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on male reproductive system in mice

Researchers investigated the combined reproductive toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles and the plasticizer DEHP in male mice over 35 days. The study found that co-exposure to nanoparticles and DEHP produced enhanced adverse effects on sperm quality and testicular tissue compared to either substance alone, suggesting nanoplastics may amplify the endocrine-disrupting effects of plasticizers.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics modulate the toxic effects of bisphenol A in the early stages of zebrafish development

This study investigated whether polystyrene microplastics affect the toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) during zebrafish embryo development by co-exposing fish to both contaminants. The PS microplastics modulated BPA toxicity in complex ways—in some developmental endpoints amplifying harm, in others providing partial protection—underscoring the unpredictability of combined plastic-chemical exposures.

2025 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology
Article Tier 2

Enhanced neurotoxic effect of PCB-153 when co-exposed with polystyrene nanoplastics in zebrafish larvae

Researchers found that when zebrafish larvae were exposed to both polystyrene nanoplastics and the toxic chemical PCB-153 together, the neurological damage was significantly worse than from either pollutant alone. The combined exposure caused hyperactive swimming behavior and suppressed immune, brain, and detoxification pathways at the genetic level. This is concerning because nanoplastics and persistent organic pollutants frequently co-exist in the environment, meaning their real-world health effects on aquatic life and humans may be greater than studies of single pollutants suggest.

2024 Chemosphere 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics act as endocrine disruptors altering neurotransmitter levels and locomotor activity via estrogen receptor during early zebrafish development

Researchers showed that polystyrene nanoplastics act as endocrine disruptors in developing zebrafish by activating estrogen receptor pathways, causing reduced dopamine neuron area, increased brain cell death, and impaired movement — effects that were reversed when the estrogen receptor was blocked.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced uptake of perfluorooctanoic acid by polystyrene nanoparticles in Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas)

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoparticles significantly enhanced the uptake of the toxic chemical PFOA in Pacific oysters. The presence of 20 nm nanoparticles increased PFOA absorption by up to 3.2-fold and amplified PFOA-induced oxidative stress by 3-fold, suggesting that nanoplastics can act as carriers that worsen the effects of other environmental contaminants in marine organisms.

2024 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The Trojan horse effect of nanoplastics exacerbates methylmercury-induced neurotoxicity during zebrafish development

This zebrafish study showed that 250 nm polystyrene nanoplastics can act as a Trojan horse by enhancing methylmercury accumulation and directing it toward the head and eyes of larvae over 30 days. Combined exposure worsened behavioral impairment and developmental defects beyond what either contaminant caused alone.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Silver and polystyrene nanoparticles activate oestrogen signalling via cytoplasmic oestrogen receptor

This study found that both nanoplastic polystyrene particles and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) activate estrogen signaling in breast cancer cells by binding to cytoplasmic estrogen receptors. The results suggest these two common nanomaterials are endocrine disruptors capable of mimicking estrogenic activity, with potential implications for hormone-driven diseases.

2025 Scientific Reports
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on androgen- and estrogen receptor activity and steroidogenesis in vitro

Researchers tested how polystyrene micro and nanoplastics of various sizes affect hormone receptor activity and steroid hormone production in human cells grown in the lab. Smaller nanoplastics (50-1000 nm) were taken up into cells and interfered with both estrogen and androgen receptor signaling, while also altering the production of key hormones. This study provides direct evidence that nanoplastics can disrupt the human endocrine system at the cellular level, which could have implications for reproductive health.

2024 Toxicology in Vitro 13 citations