Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Size-specific effects of microplastics and lead on zebrafish

Researchers studied how microplastics of different sizes interact with lead in zebrafish and found that the combination damaged gut barrier function and triggered liver inflammation more than either pollutant alone. The smallest microplastics paired with lead caused the most significant disruption to gut bacteria diversity. These findings highlight that microplastics can worsen the toxic effects of heavy metals in living organisms.

2023 Chemosphere 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Individual and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on intestinal histology and microflora of Procypris merus

Researchers studied the individual and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the intestines of rice flower carp, a commercially important fish in southern China. They found that both pollutants alone caused intestinal damage and disrupted gut bacteria, but the combination produced even more severe effects. The study highlights how microplastics and heavy metals can interact to amplify harm to fish digestive health in polluted waterways.

2023 Aquaculture Reports 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined impacts of microplastics and cadmium on the liver function, immune response, and intestinal microbiota of crucian carp (Carassius carassius)

Researchers exposed crucian carp to microplastics and cadmium, both alone and together, and found the combination caused more severe liver damage and immune disruption than either pollutant alone. Co-exposure also significantly altered the fish's gut bacteria after 21 days. This is concerning because microplastics and heavy metals frequently co-occur in polluted waterways, potentially amplifying harm to aquatic life.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effect of microplastic and triphenyltin: Insights from the gut-brain axis

Researchers investigated the individual and combined toxicity of microplastics and triphenyltin, an organotin compound, in common carp by examining effects along the gut-brain axis. The study found that co-exposure to microplastics and triphenyltin produced combined toxic effects on the gut microbiome and brain function, suggesting that microplastics may enhance the toxicity of other environmental pollutants through their ability to adsorb contaminants.

2023 Environmental Science and Ecotechnology 27 citations
Article Tier 2

The impact of combined exposure to triphenyltin and microplastics on the oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and digestive function of common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Exposing common carp to triphenyltin and microplastics individually and in combination found that combined exposure caused greater oxidative stress, disrupted energy metabolism more severely, and more strongly impaired digestive enzyme activity than either pollutant alone.

2025 Frontiers in Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Histopathological damage and stress‐ and immune‐related genes' expression in the intestine of common carp, Cyprinus carpio exposed to copper and polyvinyl chloride microparticle

Researchers examined the combined effects of copper and PVC microplastics on common carp intestines, finding that co-exposure caused greater histopathological damage and altered stress- and immune-related gene expression compared to either contaminant alone.

2021 Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A Ecological and Integrative Physiology 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Long-term exposure to polyethylene microplastics and glyphosate interferes with the behavior, intestinal microbial homeostasis, and metabolites of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

Researchers exposed common carp to polyethylene microplastics and the herbicide glyphosate, both individually and combined, over 60 days to study effects on brain and gut health. The combination of both pollutants was more harmful than either alone, suppressing swimming behavior, damaging intestinal barriers, disrupting gut bacteria, and altering metabolism. The study suggests that microplastics and agricultural chemicals together may pose greater risks to fish health than previously recognized.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and copper on antioxidant capacity, gut microbiome, and metabolomics of Pseudorasbora parva

Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastics and copper on the freshwater fish Pseudorasbora parva, examining antioxidant capacity, gut microbiota, and metabolic responses. They found that the presence of microplastics alongside copper actually reduced copper accumulation in tissues and lessened oxidative damage compared to copper exposure alone. The study suggests that while microplastics can alter the toxicity profile of metals in fish, the interactions are complex and involve metabolic adjustments that balance cellular repair and energy expenditure.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of co-exposure of microplastics and lead in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Researchers exposed African catfish to lead, microplastics, and a combination of both for 15 days and found that the combined exposure was more harmful than either pollutant alone. The mixture caused the greatest damage to blood cells, triggered stronger inflammatory responses, and disrupted the fish's antioxidant defenses. Since microplastics can carry heavy metals like lead on their surfaces, this study shows how microplastics may amplify the toxic effects of other pollutants in freshwater fish that people eat.

2023 Frontiers in Veterinary Science 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus)

Researchers found that combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium in juvenile grass carp caused greater physiological stress than either pollutant alone, with microplastics enhancing cadmium accumulation and intensifying oxidative stress and immune responses.

2022 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 22 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
Article Tier 2

Combined exposure of emamectin benzoate and microplastics induces tight junction disorder, immune disorder and inflammation in carp midgut via lysosome/ROS/ferroptosis pathway

This study found that when carp were exposed to both the pesticide emamectin benzoate and microplastics together, the damage to their gut lining, immune system, and inflammation levels was significantly worse than exposure to either pollutant alone. The findings suggest that microplastics may amplify the harmful effects of pesticides in aquatic food sources, which could have implications for human health through seafood consumption.

2024 Water Research 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of nanoplastics and microcystin-LR coexposure on the liver-gut axis of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

Scientists exposed silver carp to both polystyrene nanoplastics and microcystin-LR (a toxin from harmful algae) and found the combination caused more severe gut and liver damage than either pollutant alone. The nanoplastics shortened intestinal structures, changed gut bacteria communities, and disrupted liver metabolism. This is concerning because both contaminants are commonly found together in aquaculture waters, and the fish affected are widely consumed by people.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

The interaction between polyethylene microplastics and ciprofloxacin on inducing hepatotoxicity in Carassius auratus via the gut-liver axis

Researchers co-exposed crucian carp to polyethylene microplastics and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin and assessed liver toxicity through the gut-liver axis. The combination caused greater hepatic injury than either contaminant alone—disrupting gut microbiota, increasing intestinal permeability, and amplifying liver inflammation—highlighting synergistic toxicity when fish are exposed to both antibiotic and plastic pollution.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of single and combined effects of cadmium and micro-plastic particles on biochemical and immunological parameters of common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Researchers investigated the individual and combined toxicity of cadmium and polystyrene microplastics on common carp over 30 days. They found that co-exposure to both pollutants produced more severe effects on liver enzymes, immune function, and biochemical markers than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can enhance the toxicity of heavy metals in aquatic organisms, raising concerns about the combined impact of these co-occurring contaminants.

2019 Chemosphere 323 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and phenanthrene on gut microbiome and metabolome alterations in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma

Researchers exposed marine medaka fish to microplastics combined with phenanthrene, a common organic pollutant, and found that the combination disrupted gut bacteria and metabolism more than either substance alone. Specific gut bacterial communities shifted in response to the combined exposure, leading to changes in important metabolic processes. This study underscores that microplastics in the ocean don't act alone; they interact with other pollutants to amplify harm to aquatic organisms and potentially to the humans who consume seafood.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 33 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

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 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

Combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and copper on antioxidant capacity, immune response and intestinal microbiota of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Researchers examined the combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and copper on Nile tilapia and found that co-exposure increased copper accumulation in the liver and caused tissue damage in multiple organs. High concentrations of both contaminants together triggered oxidative stress, inflammation, and shifts in intestinal microbial communities. The study suggests that microplastics can worsen the toxic effects of heavy metals on freshwater fish.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 67 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

Individual and combined impact of microplastics and lead acetate on the freshwater shrimp (Caridina fossarum): Biochemical effects and physiological responses

Freshwater shrimp exposed to polyethylene microplastics combined with lead showed significantly worse toxic effects than when exposed to either pollutant alone, with microplastics increasing how much lead accumulated in the shrimp's tissues. This demonstrates that microplastics can act as carriers that amplify the toxicity of heavy metals in aquatic food chains, potentially increasing human exposure to dangerous metals through seafood.

2024 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Stressful Effects of Individual and Combined Exposure to Low-Concentration Polylactic Acid Microplastics and Chromium on Marine Medaka Larvae (Oryzias melastigma)

Researchers exposed marine medaka fish larvae to low concentrations of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics and chromium, both individually and together, for 14 days. The combined exposure caused more severe intestinal damage, oxidative stress, and disruption of gut bacteria than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that even biodegradable microplastics can worsen the effects of heavy metal pollution on young fish in marine environments.

2024 Toxics 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the cadmium accumulation, antioxidant defence and innate immunity of the discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus)

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with cadmium toxicity in discus fish and found that the presence of microplastics actually reduced cadmium accumulation in the fish's body. However, the microplastics independently caused oxidative stress and altered immune responses. The study reveals that the combined effects of microplastics and heavy metals on aquatic organisms are complex and do not simply add together.

2018 Environmental Pollution 414 citations