Papers

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Article Tier 2

Developmental toxicity and mechanism of polychlorinated biphenyls 126 and nano-polystyrene combined exposure to zebrafish larvae

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to a combination of a toxic industrial chemical (PCB126) and nanoplastics and found that the mixture caused more severe developmental problems than either pollutant alone. The nanoplastics appeared to increase the absorption and toxic effects of PCB126, leading to greater heart defects and developmental abnormalities. The study suggests that nanoplastics may worsen the impact of existing chemical pollutants on aquatic life.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 9 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

Polystyrene nanoplastics enhance the toxicological effects of DDE in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics enhanced the toxicity of the pesticide metabolite DDE in zebrafish larvae, with co-exposure causing greater developmental abnormalities and oxidative stress than either pollutant alone.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics and their effect on the toxicity of Au ions in zebrafish embryos

Researchers studied the bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics in zebrafish embryos and their interaction with gold ions. They found that smaller nanoplastics readily penetrated the embryo's protective membrane and accumulated in lipid-rich regions, particularly the yolk. While nanoplastics alone caused only marginal toxic effects, their presence synergistically amplified the toxicity of gold ions through increased oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, suggesting that nanoplastics may worsen the harmful effects of co-occurring environmental contaminants.

2018 Nanoscale 329 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

Polystyrene nanoplastics cause developmental abnormalities, oxidative damage and immune toxicity in early zebrafish development

Zebrafish embryos exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed dose-dependent developmental problems including delayed hatching, reduced survival, smaller body size, and the nanoplastics accumulated in critical organs like the eyes, heart, liver, and brain. The particles triggered oxidative stress that damaged cells and activated inflammatory immune responses, demonstrating how nanoplastic contamination in water can cause widespread harm to developing organisms.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced neurotoxic effect of PCB-153 when co-exposed with polystyrene nanoplastics in zebrafish larvae

Researchers found that when zebrafish larvae were exposed to both polystyrene nanoplastics and the toxic chemical PCB-153 together, the neurological damage was significantly worse than from either pollutant alone. The combined exposure caused hyperactive swimming behavior and suppressed immune, brain, and detoxification pathways at the genetic level. This is concerning because nanoplastics and persistent organic pollutants frequently co-exist in the environment, meaning their real-world health effects on aquatic life and humans may be greater than studies of single pollutants suggest.

2024 Chemosphere 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce developmental impairments and vasotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations showed developmental problems including heart defects, brain abnormalities, blood vessel damage, and reduced swimming ability. The nanoplastics accumulated on the fish's body and triggered cell damage and oxidative stress even at very low doses. Since zebrafish are commonly used to model human developmental processes, these findings raise concerns about what nanoplastic exposure could mean for early human development.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics synergistically exacerbate diclofenac toxicity in embryonic development and the health of adult zebrafish

When zebrafish embryos and adults were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics combined with the common pain medication diclofenac, the mixture was significantly more harmful than either substance alone. The combination reduced hatching rates, increased mortality, caused developmental abnormalities, and triggered intestinal inflammation in adult fish. This finding is concerning because nanoplastics and pharmaceutical residues frequently coexist in waterways, and their combined effects on aquatic life could be worse than what studies of individual pollutants suggest.

2024 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 12 citations
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

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

Enhanced toxicity of triphenyl phosphate to zebrafish in the presence of micro- and nano-plastics

Co-exposure of zebrafish to triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) with micro- or nano-polystyrene showed that nano-PS (46 nm) aggravated TPhP-induced liver and gonad enlargement, while micro-PS had minimal effect — suggesting nanoplastics can enhance the toxicity of organophosphate flame retardants.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics (20 nm) are able to bioaccumulate and cause oxidative DNA damages in the brain tissue of zebrafish embryo (Danio rerio)

Researchers microinjected 20-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics into zebrafish embryos to simulate dietary or maternal exposure and tracked their fate over 120 hours. The study found that nanoplastics reached and bioaccumulated in the brain, causing oxidative DNA damage in the regions where they accumulated. The research team used transmission electron microscopy to image nanoplastics in a vertebrate brain for the first time, also observing increased mortality, developmental abnormalities, and elevated reactive oxygen species.

2019 NeuroToxicology 316 citations
Article Tier 2

Neurotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics with different particle sizes at environment-related concentrations on early zebrafish embryos

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes at concentrations found in the environment and observed significant brain damage. The nanoplastics caused loss of neurons, shortened nerve fibers, and disrupted brain signaling systems that control behavior. Smaller nanoplastics caused the most severe damage because they could pass through protective barriers more easily, suggesting that the tiniest plastic particles pose the greatest risk to brain development.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Neuro- and hepato-toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and polybrominated diphenyl ethers on early life stages of zebrafish

Researchers examined the combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the flame retardant BDE-47 on zebrafish embryos, focusing on neurological and liver impacts. The study found that co-exposure produced larger particle aggregates that adhered to embryo surfaces, and the combination altered gene expression related to neurodevelopment and liver function more severely than individual exposures.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification of the combined toxic effect of polychlorinated biphenyls and nano-sized polystyrene on Daphnia magna

Researchers investigated how nano-sized polystyrene particles modify the acute toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to Daphnia magna, finding that low concentrations of nanoplastics reduced PCB toxicity by binding and sequestering the chemicals, while high nanoplastic concentrations became directly lethal, reversing the protective effect.

2018 Journal of Hazardous Materials 112 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of nanoplastics on the toxicity of the herbicide phenmedipham, using Danio rerio embryos as model organisms

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics altered the toxicity of the herbicide phenmedipham to zebrafish embryos, with combined exposure producing different developmental effects than either contaminant alone, suggesting nanoplastics can modify pesticide bioavailability.

2022 Environmental Pollution 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced uptake of BPA in the presence of nanoplastics can lead to neurotoxic effects in adult zebrafish

Researchers found that nanoplastics amplify bisphenol A (BPA) accumulation in zebrafish tissues by 2- to 2.6-fold and that co-exposure enhances neurotoxic effects — including myelin disruption and dopaminergic system changes — beyond what either contaminant causes alone.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 446 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal transfer of nanoplastics to offspring in zebrafish (Danio rerio): A case study with nanopolystyrene

Researchers demonstrated maternal transfer of polystyrene nanoplastics in zebrafish by feeding exposed females and detecting particles in yolk sacs, livers, and guts of offspring, finding that transferred nanoplastics reduced antioxidant enzyme activity and caused bradycardia in embryos without major effects on overall reproductive success.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 391 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics mediate skeletal toxicity through oxidative stress and the BMP pathway in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Exposing zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics caused skeletal deformities, reduced body length, and disrupted bone development pathways. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress and cell death in developing bone tissue, with longer exposure periods causing worse outcomes. While this study was conducted in fish, the bone development pathways affected are similar to those in humans, raising questions about whether nanoplastic exposure could affect skeletal development.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastic Exposure Induces Developmental Toxicity by Activating the Oxidative Stress Response and Base Excision Repair Pathway in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics at various concentrations and found significant developmental abnormalities including reduced hatching rates and increased malformations. The nanoplastics activated oxidative stress responses and DNA repair pathways, indicating cellular damage during critical early development stages. The study provides mechanistic evidence for how nanoplastic exposure can disrupt normal embryonic development in aquatic organisms.

2022 ACS Omega 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake Routes and Biodistribution of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on Zebrafish Larvae and Toxic Effects on Development

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos and larvae to amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics to study uptake routes and biodistribution. The study found that nanoplastics accumulated in target organs and caused toxic developmental effects, providing evidence that these tiny plastic fragments can penetrate biological barriers and interfere with normal development in aquatic organisms.

2023 Fishes 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse adult-onset and multigenerational effects in zebrafish (Danio rerio) developmentally exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers raised zebrafish exposed to nanoplastics during early development through to adulthood and found lasting reproductive impairment, heritable hyperactivity in offspring, and molecular changes in male reproductive and brain tissue linked to neurodegenerative disease pathways and endocrine disruption, demonstrating that brief developmental nanoplastic exposure can cause multigenerational harm.

2025 Environmental Pollution
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