Papers

20 results
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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

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

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

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

Polystyrene modulation of perfluorooctanoic acid toxicity in zebrafish: Transcriptomic and toxicological insights

Researchers exposed zebrafish to the industrial chemical PFOA both alone and in combination with polystyrene microplastics of different sizes to understand how the particles influence chemical toxicity. They found that PFOA disrupted neurotransmitter pathways, and the addition of microplastics modified this toxicity in a size-dependent manner, with smaller particles generally increasing harmful effects. The study provides evidence that microplastics can alter how other environmental pollutants affect living organisms.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 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

Toxic effect of chronic exposure to polyethylene nano/microplastics on oxidative stress, neurotoxicity and gut microbiota of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene microplastics and nanoplastics for 21 days and found both caused oxidative damage to organs, disrupted brain function, and altered gut bacteria. Surprisingly, the toxic effects of microplastics and nanoplastics were similar in terms of brain and gut impacts, though organ-level oxidative damage varied by tissue type. These findings are concerning because they show that the plastic particles commonly found in food and water can simultaneously harm the brain, gut, and vital organs.

2023 Chemosphere 76 citations
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

Co-exposure to microplastics and tire particles exacerbates oxidative stress and gut microbiome dysbiosis in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish for 21 days to environmentally relevant mixtures of microplastics and tire particles and found that combined exposure caused more severe oxidative stress and gut microbiome disruption than either pollutant alone. Particle accumulation occurred mainly in the gut with secondary deposition in the liver, and the most pronounced tissue damage was observed under the highest combined exposure. Gut microbiota analysis revealed significant shifts in community structure, including reduced beneficial bacteria and increased pollutant-tolerant species.

2026 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastic exposure and concurrent effect with Aeromonas hydrophila infection on zebrafish

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastic exposure in zebrafish caused oxidative stress, altered antioxidant enzyme activity, and induced intestinal damage, with concurrent Aeromonas hydrophila infection amplifying these toxic effects and increasing mortality rates.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28 citations
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

Toxicity evaluation of the combination of emerging pollutants with polyethylene microplastics in zebrafish: Perspective study of genotoxicity, mutagenicity, and redox unbalance

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene microplastics combined with a mixture of common water pollutants for 15 days and assessed DNA damage, mutation rates, and oxidative stress. They found that microplastics alone caused DNA damage and nuclear abnormalities as severe as those caused by the pollutant mixture, challenging the assumption that microplastics are less harmful than chemical contaminants. The study revealed that the fish's antioxidant defenses were overwhelmed across multiple organs, suggesting widespread oxidative damage from microplastic exposure.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxicity of nanoplastics and sodium fluoride to zebrafish liver: Impact on gut-liver axis homeostasis and lipid metabolism

Researchers used zebrafish to evaluate the combined toxicity of nanoplastics and sodium fluoride on the gut-liver axis, finding that combined exposure at environmental concentrations disrupted lipid metabolism and gut microbiome homeostasis more than either pollutant alone. The results raise concerns about the co-exposure risks of these two widespread contaminants.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Combined neurotoxicity of aged microplastics and thiamethoxam in the early developmental stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

This study found that aged (weathered) microplastics combined with the insecticide thiamethoxam caused worse neurological damage to zebrafish larvae than either pollutant alone. The combined exposure reduced heart rate and movement, disrupted antioxidant defenses, and altered neurotransmitter levels in ways that were synergistic rather than simply additive. This is relevant to human health because both microplastics and pesticides are common in the environment, and their combined effects may pose greater risks than either one individually.

2024 Environmental Pollution 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic neurotoxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles and MEHP in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene nanoparticles and MEHP (a phthalate plasticizer breakdown product) individually and in combination, finding synergistic neurotoxicity in co-exposed larvae driven by oxidative stress that disrupted glycerophospholipid metabolism and cholinergic neurotransmitter synthesis — with combined exposure amplifying bioaccumulation and embryonic cell death beyond what either pollutant caused alone.

2025 Environmental Pollution 1 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

Interactive effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonates on the histomorphology, oxidative stress and gut microbiota in Hainan Medaka (Oryzias curvinotus)

Researchers exposed a freshwater fish species to nanoplastics and a fluorinated chemical pollutant, both alone and in combination, and found that the mixture caused more severe tissue damage than either substance alone. The combined exposure harmed gills, liver, and intestines while disrupting antioxidant systems and gut bacteria. The study suggests nanoplastics can worsen the effects of industrial chemicals on aquatic life.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics and Sulfamethoxazole on Early Neurodevelopment in Embryo–Larval Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed embryo-larval zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole to assess their individual and combined effects on early neurodevelopment. The study found that both contaminants individually caused neurodevelopmental toxicity, and their combination produced a significant synergistic effect, suggesting that co-exposure to microplastics and antibiotics may pose greater risks than either pollutant alone.

2026 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Combined toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics and lambda-cyhalothrin on gut of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics can adsorb the pesticide lambda-cyhalothrin from water and then release it in the guts of zebrafish, worsening its toxic effects. Fish exposed to both microplastics and the pesticide showed greater oxidative stress, immune disruption, and gut microbiome changes than those exposed to the pesticide alone. This demonstrates how microplastics can act as carriers that amplify the toxicity of other environmental pollutants in aquatic organisms consumed by humans.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 21 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