Papers

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Article Tier 2

Particulate matter and nanoplastics: synergistic impact on Artemia salina

Combining nanoplastics with particulate matter (airborne or aquatic fine particles) produces worse outcomes for the brine shrimp Artemia salina than either pollutant alone, reducing survival and vitality. This synergistic toxicity is important because in real environments, nanoplastics rarely exist in isolation — they co-occur with other pollutants, making risk assessments based on single-contaminant studies likely to underestimate harm.

2024 Environmental Science Atmospheres 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic impact of nanoplastics and nanopesticides on Artemia salina and toxicity analysis

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with nanopermethrin, a nano-sized pesticide, and their combined toxic effects on brine shrimp. The study found that nanoplastics acted as carriers for the pesticide, and the combination was significantly more toxic than either substance alone, lowering the lethal concentration from 4.5 to 3.1 mg per liter. These findings suggest that nanoplastics in the environment can amplify the harmful effects of pesticides on aquatic organisms.

2024 Nanoscale Advances 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastic and copper oxide nanoparticle in Artemia salina: Single and combined effects on stress responses

Researchers tested polystyrene nanoplastics and copper oxide nanoparticles individually and in combination in brine shrimp (Artemia salina) and found synergistic toxicity — the combined exposure caused greater growth inhibition, oxidative stress, and cholinesterase disruption than either contaminant alone.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 9 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

The interfacial interaction between Dechlorane Plus (DP) and polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs): An overlooked influence factor for the algal toxicity of PSNPs

Researchers investigated how a flame retardant chemical called Dechlorane Plus interacts with polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the two pollutants bind together and become more harmful to algae than either one alone. When exposed to both contaminants simultaneously, algae showed reduced photosynthesis, greater growth inhibition, and significantly increased oxidative damage. The study suggests that the combined effects of nanoplastics and their chemical additives pose greater environmental risks than previously recognized.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactive effect of nanoplastic particles and phototoxicant on microalgae

Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene nanoparticles and methylene blue, a phototoxic compound, on two species of freshwater microalgae. Depending on concentrations and exposure duration, the combination produced synergistic, additive, or antagonistic toxic effects on algal growth. The study highlights that nanoplastics can modify the toxicity of other pollutants in complex and sometimes unpredictable ways.

2026 Advances in Natural Sciences Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics increase the toxicity of a pharmaceutical, at environmentally relevant concentrations – A mixture design with Daphnia magna

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics significantly increased the toxicity of the pharmaceutical diphenhydramine to Daphnia magna water fleas at environmentally relevant concentrations. The combination caused oxidative damage that was not observed when organisms were exposed to either substance alone, indicating a synergistic interaction. The study highlights that the co-occurrence of nanoplastics and pharmaceutical pollutants in water may create compounding risks for aquatic organisms.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects on ciliates under nano-/micro-plastics coexist with silver nanoparticles

Researchers tested the combined effects of different-sized plastic particles with silver nanoparticles on marine microorganisms and found that the mixture was more toxic than either pollutant alone. Smaller nanoplastics combined with silver nanoparticles caused the most severe damage, disrupting energy and fat metabolism and causing DNA and protein damage. This study shows how microplastics can amplify the toxicity of other environmental pollutants in marine food chains.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined toxicity of amino-functionalized polystyrene nanoparticles with potassium dichromate and copper sulfate on brine shrimp Artemia franciscana larvae

Researchers tested the acute toxicity of amino-functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics on brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana) larvae alone and in combination with heavy metal toxicants, finding that nanoplastics generally enhanced the toxicity of chromium and copper co-exposures, demonstrating that realistic multi-contaminant scenarios pose greater risk to zooplankton than single-chemical assessments suggest.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Individual and combined toxicities of fluorescent polystyrene nanoplastics and chromium(iii) nitrate nonahydrate in Artemia salina

Researchers investigated the individual and combined toxicity of fluorescent polystyrene nanoplastics and chromium(III) nitrate nonahydrate on the marine crustacean Artemia salina. The study found that interaction between the two contaminants in seawater formed micron-sized particles and altered nanoplastic fluorescence, suggesting that co-exposure may change the bioavailability and toxic potential of these pollutants in marine environments.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A combined toxicological impact on Artemia salina caused by the presence of dust particles, microplastics from cosmetics, and paracetamol

Researchers exposed brine shrimp to a combination of dust particles, cosmetic microplastics, and paracetamol to study their combined toxicity. The findings indicate that multiple pollutants together caused greater harm than any single pollutant alone, reducing hatching rates, survival, and antioxidant defenses, which highlights how real-world mixtures of contaminants can amplify damage to aquatic life.

2024 Environmental Pollution 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastic and engine oil synergistically intensify toxicity in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

This study found that polystyrene nanoplastics and engine oil together caused much worse damage to Nile tilapia fish than either pollutant alone, triggering severe inflammation, blood cell changes, and oxidative stress. The combined exposure overwhelmed the fish's natural defenses and caused significant organ damage. Since tilapia is a widely consumed fish, this research highlights how mixtures of pollutants in waterways could compound health risks for both aquatic life and humans who eat contaminated seafood.

2024 BMC Veterinary Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Toxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Pyriproxyfen to Daphnia magna

Researchers evaluated the combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the insecticide pyriproxyfen on the water flea Daphnia magna under both acute and chronic exposure conditions. They found that nanoplastics initially reduced the acute toxicity of the pesticide within 24 hours but worsened chronic effects over longer periods. The study suggests that nanoplastics can alter how other environmental contaminants affect aquatic organisms, complicating risk assessments.

2024 Sustainability 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative toxicity of polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene nanoplastics on Artemia franciscana nauplii: a multidimensional assessment

Researchers compared the toxic effects of three common plastic types — polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene — in nanoplastic form on brine shrimp larvae. They found that all three types caused harm, but polystyrene nanoplastics were the most toxic across multiple biological measures. The study provides the first direct comparison showing that the chemical composition of nanoplastics significantly influences their toxicity to aquatic organisms.

2023 Environmental Science Nano 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecological risks under combined pollution: Toxicological effects of clothianidin and microplastics on Penaeus vannamei

This study examined the combined effects of a common insecticide (clothianidin) and microplastics on Pacific white shrimp over 28 days. Researchers found that exposure to both pollutants together was significantly more harmful than either alone, causing reduced growth, immune system disruption, altered energy metabolism, and nervous system interference. The results underscore that real-world pollution involves mixtures of contaminants whose combined effects can be worse than expected.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Combinational effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and nanopolystyrene particles at environmentally relevant concentrations on nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Researchers exposed the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to environmentally realistic concentrations of both titanium dioxide nanoparticles and nanopolystyrene simultaneously, finding that nanoplastics enhanced the toxicity of the metal oxide particles, worsening locomotion impairment and gut oxidative stress beyond what either pollutant caused alone.

2018 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 158 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

The Effects of Single and Combined Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Copper on the Behavior of Adult Zebrafish

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics and copper ions affected zebrafish behavior when the fish were exposed to both pollutants simultaneously. The combination was more toxic than either pollutant alone, reducing the concentration needed to kill fish by up to 32%. Since nanoplastics and heavy metals commonly occur together in polluted water, their combined effects on aquatic life could increase the risks associated with consuming contaminated fish.

2025 Water 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-Exposure of Nanopolystyrene and Other Environmental Contaminants—Their Toxic Effects on the Survival and Reproduction of Enchytraeus crypticus

This study tested the combined toxicity of nanopolystyrene particles alongside pharmaceuticals, metals, and engineered nanomaterials on the soil worm Enchytraeus crypticus, finding that co-exposure often amplified harm to survival and reproduction beyond that of each pollutant alone. The results highlight that real-world mixtures of plastic and chemical contaminants pose greater ecological risks than single-substance assessments suggest.

2022 Toxics 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Detrimental effects of individual versus combined exposure to tetrabromobisphenol A and polystyrene nanoplastics in fish cell lines

Researchers tested how combined exposure to the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A and polystyrene nanoparticles affects freshwater fish cells. They found that co-exposure to even low concentrations of both pollutants caused subtle changes in cell viability and generated oxidative DNA damage. The study suggests that the interaction between nanoplastics and chemical pollutants in aquatic environments may pose compounding risks to fish health.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 19 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

Mixtures of Micro and Nanoplastics and Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Environment: What We Know about Their Toxicological Effects

This review examines what is known about the toxicological effects of micro- and nanoplastic mixtures combined with other emerging contaminants in the environment. Researchers found that most studies fail to calculate proper interaction parameters, making it difficult to determine whether combined exposures produce additive, synergistic, or antagonistic effects on organisms.

2024 Toxics 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of polystyrene nanoparticles on the toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A in human intestinal cell lines

When human intestinal cells were exposed to both polystyrene nanoparticles and the flame retardant TBBPA together, the chemical pollutant dominated the toxic response, causing oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disruption of mitochondrial function. The study shows that mixing microplastics with other contaminants can produce complex, hard-to-predict health effects in gut cells, which matters because people are routinely exposed to multiple pollutants at once.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
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