Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Combined effect of polystyrene nanoplastic and di-n-butyl phthalate on testicular health of male Swiss albino mice: analysis of sperm-related parameters and potential toxic effects

This mouse study found that combined exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and a common plasticizer chemical (DBP) caused worse damage to male reproductive health than either substance alone. The combination significantly reduced sperm quality, lowered antioxidant defenses, and damaged testicular tissue over 60 days. These findings are concerning because people are often exposed to both nanoplastics and plasticizer chemicals at the same time through food packaging and everyday products.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 13 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 nanoplastics aggravated dibutyl phthalate-induced blood-testis barrier dysfunction via suppressing autophagy in male mice

In a mouse study, polystyrene nanoplastics combined with dibutyl phthalate (a common plasticizer chemical) caused significantly worse damage to the blood-testis barrier than either substance alone. The nanoplastics carried the phthalate into the reproductive system, where the combination reduced sperm quality, impaired sperm development, and damaged the protective barrier around the testes. This research shows how nanoplastics can make other common plastic chemicals more dangerous to male fertility.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and lipopolysaccharide on testosterone biosynthesis and inflammation in mouse testis

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics combined with bacterial toxins (LPS) caused worse damage to mouse testicles than either substance alone, reducing sperm count, lowering testosterone levels, and increasing inflammation. Since microplastics in the environment can carry bacteria and their toxins, this combination exposure is realistic. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution could amplify the reproductive harm caused by bacterial infections in males.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 21 citations
Article Tier 2

The single and combined effects of decabromodiphenyl ethane and mixed microplastics on male mice reproductive toxicity

Researchers investigated the combined reproductive toxicity of mixed microplastics and the flame retardant DBDPE in male mice over seven weeks. The study found that DBDPE alone decreased sex hormone levels and sperm count, and when combined with microplastics, the effects on testicular damage, sperm malformation, and oxidative stress were compounded, suggesting that microplastics may amplify the toxicity of co-occurring chemical contaminants.

2025 Biology of Reproduction 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined exposure to titanium nanoparticles and nanoplastics damages the male reproductive system and sperm activity

This study assessed the effects of combined TiO2 nanoparticles and polystyrene nanoplastics on male reproductive function in animal models, finding that co-exposure caused greater damage to sperm motility, testicular structure, and hormone levels than either material alone. The results raise concerns about combined environmental exposure to two common industrial nanomaterials.

2025 Materials Today Bio
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and hexachlorocyclohexane induces enhanced human sperm toxicity in vitro

Scientists found that when human sperm are exposed to both tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) and a pesticide chemical at the same time, it causes much more damage than either substance alone. The combination severely reduced sperm's ability to swim and function properly, which could contribute to male fertility problems. This suggests that the growing presence of microplastics in our environment might make other harmful chemicals even more dangerous to reproductive health.

2026 Reproductive Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics aggravate reproductive system damage in obese male mice by perturbation of the testis redox homeostasis

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics worsened reproductive damage in male mice already fed a high-fat diet, reducing sperm quality and testosterone production beyond what obesity alone caused. The nanoplastics disrupted the protective blood-testis barrier and increased oxidative stress in reproductive tissues. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure combined with obesity may create compounding risks to male fertility.

2023 Environmental Toxicology 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic assault of DEHP and MPs: Unmasking the ER stress-triggered autophagic injury male fertility

Researchers found that mice co-exposed to microplastics and the common plasticizer DEHP through drinking water experienced severe impairment of male reproductive function, including disrupted testicular structure, declining sperm quality, and hormonal dysregulation. The combined exposure activated endoplasmic reticulum stress and triggered excessive autophagy, contributing to reproductive damage beyond what either pollutant caused alone. The study highlights the significant risks of simultaneous exposure to microplastics and plastic additives for male fertility.

2026 Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
Article Tier 2

Arsenic and polystyrene-nano plastics co-exposure induced testicular toxicity: Triggers oxidative stress and promotes apoptosis and inflammation in mice.

Combined exposure of mice to polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic caused greater testicular damage than either pollutant alone, with co-exposure triggering amplified oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammatory signaling in testicular tissue, pointing to compounding reproductive toxicity from these co-occurring environmental contaminants.

2024 Environmental toxicology
Article Tier 2

Exploring the impact of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics on male reproductive health: Insights from a mouse model study

Researchers investigated the effects of PET nanoplastics on male reproductive function, examining sperm quality, hormone levels, and testicular tissue in animal models. PET nanoplastic exposure reduced sperm motility and caused histological changes in testicular tissue, suggesting a potential role in male infertility.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Exploring the impact of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics on male reproductive health: Insights from a mouse model study

Researchers investigated the impact of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics on male reproductive health, examining whether nanoplastic exposure contributes to infertility by affecting sperm function, hormone levels, or testicular tissue. Results showed PET nanoplastics impaired reproductive endpoints in the male reproductive system, adding to growing concern about plastic particle effects on fertility.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to polystyrene microplastics induces testis developmental disorder and affects male fertility in mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice and their offspring to polystyrene microplastics from gestation through early life and found significant disruption to testicular development and male reproductive function. The exposed males showed reduced sperm quality, lower testosterone levels, and structural damage to testicular tissue. The study suggests that early-life microplastic exposure may have lasting effects on male fertility.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 116 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the impact of sub-chronic polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastic exposure on male reproductive health in mice

Researchers exposed male mice to nanoplastics made from PET (the same plastic used in water bottles and food containers) and found significant damage to their reproductive health. The nanoplastics reduced sperm quality, damaged testicular tissue, and disrupted hormone levels, raising concerns about how everyday plastic packaging may affect male fertility.

2025 Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Microplastics Affect the Reproductive Performance of Male Mice and Lipid Homeostasis in Their Offspring

Researchers found that long-term exposure to environmentally relevant doses of polystyrene microplastics over 21 weeks significantly impaired reproductive function in male mice, including decreased testicle weight and sperm quality. The study also revealed transgenerational effects, with offspring showing disrupted lipid homeostasis.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effect of polystyrene microplastics and cadmium on rat blood-testis barrier integrity and sperm quality

Researchers exposed male rats to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium, both separately and together, and found that both substances damaged testicular tissue, disrupted the blood-testis barrier, and reduced sperm quality. Notably, the combined exposure was less severe than cadmium alone, likely because microplastics absorbed some cadmium in the gut and reduced its bioavailability. The study also found for the first time that microplastics trigger autophagy in reproductive cells as a protective response.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced reproductive toxicities induced by phthalates contaminated microplastics in male mice (Mus musculus)

Researchers investigated the combined reproductive toxicity of phthalate-contaminated microplastics in male mice over a 30-day exposure period. They found that microplastics enhanced the accumulation of phthalates in the liver and gut, and the combination significantly worsened reproductive damage including reduced sperm quality and testicular tissue changes. The study suggests that microplastics may amplify the harmful effects of chemical contaminants they carry by increasing their bioavailability in the body.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 187 citations
Article Tier 2

The emerging risk of exposure to nano(micro)plastics on endocrine disturbance and reproductive toxicity: From a hypothetical scenario to a global public health challenge

Researchers administered polystyrene nanoplastics orally to male rats for five weeks and found significant reductions in testosterone, LH, and FSH levels, sperm DNA damage, altered testicular gene expression, and dose-dependent histological lesions, indicating that nanoplastic exposure disrupts the hormonal axis governing male reproductive function.

2020 Environmental Pollution 297 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and microcystin-LR aggravated male reproductive toxicity in mice

Researchers found that exposing mice to a combination of polystyrene microplastics and microcystin-LR, a toxin produced by algae, caused more severe damage to male reproductive organs than either pollutant alone. The microplastics increased the amount of the toxin that accumulated in testicular tissue. The study suggests that the interaction between microplastics and other environmental contaminants may amplify reproductive health risks.

2023 Food and Chemical Toxicology 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Reproductive toxicity of polystyrene microplastics: In vivo experimental study on testicular toxicity in mice

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics and examined the effects on male reproductive function. They found that microplastic exposure significantly reduced viable sperm count, increased sperm abnormalities, and caused structural damage to testicular tissue, suggesting that microplastics may pose risks to male fertility.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 437 citations
Article Tier 2

Subchronic co-exposure of polystyrene nanoplastics and 3-BHA significantly aggravated the reproductive toxicity of ovaries and uterus in female mice

Researchers exposed female mice to polystyrene nanoplastics combined with 3-BHA (a food preservative) for 35 days and found that the combination caused significantly worse damage to ovaries and uterus than either substance alone. The co-exposure led to reduced organ size, hormonal disruption, increased cell death, and heightened inflammation in reproductive tissues. This is concerning because humans are regularly exposed to both nanoplastics and food additives like 3-BHA simultaneously.

2024 Environmental Pollution 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity to the Male Reproductive System after Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics: A Macrogenomic and Metabolomic Analysis

Researchers exposed male mice to polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes through their drinking water for four months and found significant harm to reproductive function. The nanoplastics disrupted gene activity and metabolic pathways in the gut, which was linked to reduced sperm quality and testicular damage. The study suggests that long-term nanoplastic exposure through drinking water may pose risks to male reproductive health.

2024 Toxics 6 citations
Article Tier 2

PPARγ mediated lysosomal membrane permeabilization and lipophagy blockage were involved in microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate co-exposure induced immature testis injury

Mice exposed to both polystyrene microplastics and DEHP, a common plastic additive, suffered significantly worse testicular damage than those exposed to either substance alone. The combined exposure disrupted fat metabolism in reproductive cells by damaging lysosomes (cellular recycling centers) and blocking the normal breakdown of lipids. This is especially relevant to human health because people are typically exposed to microplastics and plastic additives like DEHP at the same time through everyday products.

2025 Free Radical Biology and Medicine 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics impairs sperm metabolism and pre-implantation embryo development in mice

This study found that male mice given polystyrene nanoplastics by mouth showed significant harm to sperm function and early embryo development, with changes in gene expression that could affect offspring. The findings raise concerns that nanoplastic exposure could impair male fertility and potentially pass harmful effects to the next generation.

2025 Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 10 citations