Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic in zebrafish (Danio rerio): Oxidative stress, physiological and biochemical responses

In a zebrafish study, polystyrene nanoplastics made arsenic more toxic by helping the poison build up in the liver, gills, and intestines. The nanoplastics increased cell damage and oxidative stress beyond what arsenic alone would cause. This shows that nanoplastics can act as carriers for other toxic substances in water, potentially making environmental pollutants more dangerous to aquatic life and the food chain.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Reproductive toxicity and transgenerational effects of co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and arsenic in zebrafish

This zebrafish study found that combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and arsenic caused more severe reproductive damage than either pollutant alone, including abnormal egg development and disrupted hormone levels. The toxic effects were passed down to the next generation, even though offspring were not directly exposed. Since microplastics can carry arsenic and other heavy metals in the environment, their combined effects on fertility may be worse than studies of individual pollutants suggest.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Integration of physiology, microbiota and metabolomics reveals toxic response of zebrafish gut to co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic

Researchers exposed zebrafish to arsenic combined with polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the nanoplastics significantly increased arsenic accumulation in the gut, by up to 77% at the higher dose. The combined exposure caused more oxidative damage and greater disruption to gut bacteria and metabolism than arsenic alone. This study shows that nanoplastics can make other environmental pollutants more dangerous by helping them accumulate in the digestive system.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 10 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

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

Combined toxicity of microplastics and cadmium on the zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics combined with cadmium to assess their combined toxic effects on aquatic organisms. The study found that co-exposure produced greater negative impacts on survival and heart rate than either pollutant alone, with toxicity increasing in a concentration-dependent manner.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 160 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on atrazine in zebrafish: Exogenous toxicity and endogenous mechanism

Researchers found that combining polystyrene microplastics with the common herbicide atrazine was more toxic to zebrafish than either pollutant alone, causing greater liver and gut damage. The combination also degraded water quality by reducing oxygen levels and increasing harmful nitrogen compounds. This is important because microplastics and pesticides frequently co-exist in the environment, meaning their combined effects on aquatic life and food safety may be worse than studies of individual pollutants suggest.

2025 Environmental Pollution 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics aggravate the adverse effects of methylmercury than inorganic mercury on zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics combined with two forms of mercury and found that the microplastics significantly increased the accumulation of methylmercury in the fish. The combination of microplastics and methylmercury caused worse developmental abnormalities, delayed hatching, and greater oxidative stress than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can act as carriers for toxic metals, amplifying their harmful effects on aquatic organisms.

2024 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
Article Tier 2

The Role of Synthetic Polymers in the Aquatic Environment and Its Implications in Danio Rerio as a Model Organism

Exposing zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics combined with silver nanoparticles caused significantly more oxidative damage, tissue injury in gills and intestines, and higher mortality than either contaminant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics can act as carriers that enhance the toxicity of co-pollutants like silver nanoparticles, a combination effect that is highly relevant to understanding real-world aquatic contamination where multiple pollutants co-occur.

2023 Apple Academic Press eBooks
Article Tier 2

Interface adsorption characteristics of microplastics on multiple morphological arsenic compounds

Researchers studied how polystyrene and PET microplastics adsorb different forms of arsenic, a toxic element commonly found in contaminated water. They found that polystyrene had a much higher capacity to bind arsenic compounds than PET, and that the arsenic-loaded microplastics were more toxic to organisms than either pollutant alone. The study highlights that microplastics can act as carriers for toxic heavy metals, amplifying their environmental harm.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 18 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

Nanoplastics promote arsenic-induced ROS accumulation, mitochondrial damage and disturbances in neurotransmitter metabolism of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish to nanoplastics combined with low concentrations of arsenic and found that nanoplastics significantly worsened arsenic's toxic effects on the brain. The mixture caused increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and disrupted neurotransmitter metabolism beyond what either pollutant caused alone. The study suggests that nanoplastics can act as carriers that amplify the neurotoxicity of other environmental contaminants in fish.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 82 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

Combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and sulfamethoxazole on zebrafish embryos

Researchers investigated the combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole on zebrafish embryos. They found that co-exposure caused significant mortality, malformations, reduced movement, increased heartbeat rates, and endocrine disruption including elevated vitellogenin and hormone levels. While the two pollutants showed antagonistic rather than synergistic interactions, their combined effects were still substantial, highlighting the importance of studying microplastic-pollutant mixtures in aquatic environments.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Screening of the Toxicity of Polystyrene Nano- and Microplastics Alone and in Combination with Benzo(a)pyrene in Brine Shrimp Larvae and Zebrafish Embryos

Researchers found that polystyrene nano- and microplastics alone showed minimal acute toxicity to brine shrimp and zebrafish embryos, but when combined with benzo(a)pyrene, the plastics altered the pollutant's bioavailability and toxic effects.

2022 Nanomaterials 34 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

Microplastic particles increase arsenic toxicity to rice seedlings

Researchers studied how polystyrene and polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics interact with arsenic to affect rice seedling growth. They found that microplastics alone reduced plant biomass and inhibited photosynthesis, while the combination with arsenic at higher concentrations amplified the toxic effects on root activity and cell membranes. The study reveals that microplastic contamination in agricultural settings may worsen the impact of other pollutants on food crops.

2019 Environmental Pollution 444 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics alleviate the developmental toxicity of silver nanoparticles in embryo-larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) at the transcriptomic level

In a surprising finding, researchers discovered that when zebrafish embryos were exposed to both silver nanoparticles and polystyrene microplastics together, the microplastics actually reduced the toxic effects of the silver nanoparticles. The study suggests that microplastics may interact with other pollutants in complex ways, sometimes lessening rather than amplifying their harmful impacts on developing organisms.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microplastics on bisphenol A and bisphenol AF toxicity in aquatic environments: Mechanistic insights for environmental risks

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics interact with the industrial chemicals bisphenol A and bisphenol AF in zebrafish, finding that microplastics can either reduce or worsen the toxicity depending on the specific chemical and biological pathway involved. For bisphenol A, the microplastics partially absorbed the chemical and reduced its harmful effects, but for bisphenol AF, they worsened toxicity to certain organ systems. The study reveals that microplastics play a complicated dual role in modifying how other pollutants affect aquatic life.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of the combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and different concentrations of cadmium in zebrafish

Researchers studied the combined toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics and cadmium at different concentrations in zebrafish over a 10-day exposure period. The study found that microplastics could either amplify or reduce cadmium toxicity depending on the metal concentration, affecting survival, growth, and antioxidant responses in complex ways.

2022 Aquatic Toxicology 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Complex combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and phenanthrene in aquatic models

Researchers investigated the combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and the pollutant phenanthrene in fish cells and zebrafish larvae. They found that the interaction between nanoplastics and phenanthrene was complex and tissue-dependent, with nanoplastics increasing phenanthrene uptake in some cell types while decreasing it in others. Interestingly, zebrafish larvae experienced lower overall toxicity during co-exposure compared to single-pollutant exposure, suggesting the interaction dynamics are more nuanced than previously assumed.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and chemical contaminants on the organ toxicity of zebrafish ( Danio rerio )

Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastics and chemical contaminants like PCBs and methylmercury on zebrafish organs over three weeks of exposure. They found that microplastics carrying adsorbed contaminants produced the most significant effects, particularly on the liver, compared to either microplastics or contaminants alone. The results indicate that microplastics may act as carriers that increase the delivery of harmful chemicals to organisms' tissues.

2018 Environmental Research 406 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and polybrominated diphenyl ethers to zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers investigated the individual and combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the flame retardant BDE-47 on zebrafish embryos. They found that co-exposure worsened developmental deformities including pericardial and yolk sac edema, and disrupted gene expression related to detoxification and antioxidant defense. The study suggests that nanoplastics can act as carriers for persistent organic pollutants, amplifying their harmful effects on aquatic organisms.

2022 Fish & Shellfish Immunology 55 citations
Article Tier 2

The Exploration of Joint Toxicity and Associated Mechanisms of Primary Microplastics and Methamphetamine in Zebrafish Larvae

Researchers studied how microplastics and methamphetamine together affect zebrafish larvae, since both pollutants frequently co-occur in waterways. The study found that polystyrene microplastics were more lethal than PVC types, and when combined with methamphetamine at higher concentrations, the toxic effects on survival, behavior, and intestinal health became significantly worse.

2024 Toxics 9 citations