Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Unraveling individual and combined toxicity of microplastics and tetracycline at environment-related concentrations to coral holobionts

Researchers tested how microplastics alone and combined with the antibiotic tetracycline affect coral organisms at levels actually found in the ocean. The combination was more toxic than either pollutant alone, disrupting the coral's symbiotic algae, microbiome, and immune responses. Since coral reefs support fisheries and coastal communities worldwide, this damage from microplastic pollution could have cascading effects on both marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics enhance the intestinal damage and genotoxicity of sulfamethoxazole to medaka juveniles (Oryzias melastigma) in coastal environment

Scientists exposed young medaka fish to the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole and polystyrene nanoplastics, both individually and together, to study their combined effects on intestinal health. They found that co-exposure caused more severe gut damage than either pollutant alone, disrupting the gut microbiome and triggering changes in gene expression related to immune defense and DNA repair. The study suggests that nanoplastics may amplify the harmful effects of antibiotics on fish in coastal environments.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of co-exposure to nanoplastics and ofloxacin on marine planktonic microbial communities and DMSP dynamics

Researchers conducted a 19-day experiment examining how nanoplastics and the antibiotic ofloxacin, alone and in combination, affect marine microbial communities and sulfur cycling in coastal seawater. Combined exposure produced significantly stronger negative effects than either pollutant alone, reducing microbial biomass, simplifying community networks, and disrupting the cycling of DMSP, a compound important for marine food webs and climate regulation.

2026 Marine Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

The co-presence of polystyrene nanoplastics and ofloxacin demonstrates combined effects on the structure, assembly, and metabolic activities of marine microbial community

Researchers examined the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the antibiotic ofloxacin on marine microbial communities. They found that the two pollutants together had a greater impact on bacterial community structure and metabolic activity than either one alone. The study suggests that nanoplastics and antibiotics co-occurring in the ocean may work together to disrupt the microorganisms that support marine ecosystem health.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of micro-and nanoplastic contamination on reef-building corals

Researchers exposed two tropical coral species to micro- and nanoplastics of varying polymer types and assessed bleaching, symbiont loss, and tissue damage. Both species showed stress responses including reduced photosynthetic efficiency and partial bleaching, with effects varying by plastic type and size, suggesting reef-building corals are vulnerable to plastic pollution.

2025
Article Tier 2

Combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and norfloxacin on mussel: Leveraging biochemical parameters and gut microbiota

Researchers exposed mussels to nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin, both alone and together, and found that the combination caused greater biochemical stress than either pollutant alone. Nanoplastics appeared to carry the antibiotic into mussel tissues, increasing its bioavailability and impact on gut microbiota. The findings suggest that nanoplastics can amplify the toxicity of other contaminants in marine organisms.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 30 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

Subchronic toxicity of dietary sulfamethazine and nanoplastics in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma): Insights from the gut microbiota and intestinal oxidative status

Researchers found that dietary co-exposure to the antibiotic sulfamethazine and polystyrene nanoplastics in marine medaka caused significant disruption of gut microbiota composition and increased intestinal oxidative stress, with combined effects exceeding individual exposures.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of microplastics and nano-plastics to coral-symbiotic alga (Dinophyceae Symbiodinium): Evidence from alga physiology, ultrastructure, OJIP kinetics and multi-omics

Researchers studied how microplastics and nanoplastics damage Symbiodinium, the algae that live inside coral and keep reefs alive. Even at concentrations found in the real environment, the plastic particles disrupted photosynthesis, caused oxidative stress, and triggered metabolic problems in the algae. Since the breakdown of this coral-algae partnership leads to coral bleaching, microplastic pollution could threaten the reef ecosystems that support fisheries and coastal communities worldwide.

2024 Water Research 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Parental exposure to sulfamethazine and nanoplastics alters the gut microbial communities in the offspring of marine madaka (Oryzias melastigma)

Researchers found that parental exposure to the antibiotic sulfamethazine and polystyrene nanoplastics altered gut microbial communities in offspring of marine medaka, demonstrating intergenerational effects of combined contaminant exposure on fish health.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Enrofloxacin on the Life Histories and Gut Microbiota of Daphnia magna

Researchers exposed Daphnia magna to polystyrene nanoplastics and the antibiotic enrofloxacin alone and in combination, measuring life history traits and gut microbiota responses. Both stressors individually reduced survival and reproduction, and combined exposure altered the taxonomic composition and metabolic function of gut microbiota more than either contaminant alone.

2022 Water 19 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Microplastic Exposure on the Community Structure and Function of Symbiotic Bacteria in Sinularia microclavata].

Researchers found that exposure to polyamide microplastics disrupts the community structure and function of symbiotic bacteria in the soft coral Sinularia microclavata, with effects varying by concentration, raising concerns about microplastic impacts on coral health in marine environments.

2023 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Incomplete recovery of gut microbiota in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) during the depuration phase, after exposure to sulfamethazine/nanoplastics

Researchers found that gut microbiota in marine medaka did not fully recover after 21 days of depuration following exposure to sulfamethazine and polystyrene nanoplastics, indicating that antibiotic and nanoplastic co-exposure can cause lasting disruption to fish gut microbial communities.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxicity of nanoplastics and microcystin-LR to sulfate-reducing bacteria and the underlying mechanisms

Researchers exposed freshwater aquaculture microcosms to polyethylene nanoplastics and the algal toxin microcystin-LR, finding that nanoplastics strongly adsorb the toxin and that combined exposure disrupts sulfur cycling bacteria more severely than either contaminant alone, raising ecological concerns for aquaculture water quality.

2026 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effects of antibiotics and nanoplastics from surgical masks and plastic bottles on pathogens

Researchers examined the combined effects of nanoplastics from surgical masks and plastic bottles with antibiotics on pathogens, finding that co-exposure created synergistic toxic effects and altered antimicrobial resistance patterns in bacteria.

2022 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Beyond plastisphere transfer, deep corals are subject to dysbiosis when exposed to plastics

Researchers investigated the impact of colonized macro- and microplastics on the microbiome of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa, finding that plastic exposure caused dysbiosis in the coral-associated bacterial community beyond simple plastisphere transfer, suggesting early biological impacts on deep-sea coral reefs.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiota related response of Oryzias melastigma to combined exposure of polystyrene microplastics and tetracycline

Researchers exposed estuarine fish to polystyrene microplastics and the antibiotic tetracycline, both alone and in combination, for four weeks. The combined exposure caused more severe disruption to gut bacteria and liver tissue than either pollutant alone, with microplastics appearing to worsen the effects of tetracycline. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of microplastics and antibiotics in coastal waters may pose greater ecological risks than either contaminant by itself.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and PCB77 induced oxidative stress, histopathological damage and intestinal microbiota disruption in white hard clam Meretrix lyrata

Researchers exposed white hard clams to nanoplastics and a type of industrial pollutant called PCB77, both individually and together, and found that the combination caused more severe damage than either pollutant alone. The clams showed increased oxidative stress, tissue damage in their gills and digestive glands, and significant disruption of their gut bacteria. The findings suggest that nanoplastics may worsen the toxic effects of other environmental contaminants in shellfish.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects and mechanisms of nanoplastics and sulfonamide antibiotics on Scenedesmus obliquus

This study tested the combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and sulfonamide antibiotics on freshwater algae, finding that the pollutants together were more harmful than either one alone. The mixture reduced algae growth, damaged cell membranes, and increased oxidative stress. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains, this damage could cascade through ecosystems and eventually affect the quality of water and food that humans depend on.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined influence of the nanoplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure on microbial community in seawater environment

Researchers studied the individual and combined effects of nanoplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on microbial communities in seawater. They found that the combination of these two pollutants altered microbial diversity and community structure differently than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that the interaction between nanoplastics and chemical pollutants in the ocean may have complex and unpredictable effects on marine microbial ecosystems.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Metagenomics reveals combined effects of microplastics and antibiotics on microbial community structure and function in coastal sediments

A metagenomic study of coastal sediments exposed to combined microplastic and antibiotic pollution found that co-exposure altered microbial community composition and significantly elevated the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes compared to either pollutant alone.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to nanoplastics and nanomaterials either single and combined affects the gill-associated microbiome of the Antarctic soft-shelled clam Laternula elliptica

Researchers exposed the Antarctic soft-shell clam Laternula elliptica to polystyrene nanoparticles and nano-titanium dioxide — alone and combined — and found that both nanomaterials shift the gill-associated microbiome toward potentially harmful bacterial taxa, with combined exposure amplifying changes in metabolic functions related to nutrient and DNA processing.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Three-dimensional synergistic mechanism ofphysical injury, microbiota dysbiosis, and gene transfer in the gut of Cipangopaludina cathayensisunder microplastics and roxithromycin exposure

Researchers exposed freshwater snails to polystyrene microplastics, the antibiotic roxithromycin, and their combination to study effects on gut health. They found that co-exposure caused severe intestinal damage, disrupted gut microbiota, and dramatically increased antibiotic resistance gene levels by over 1000 percent. The study reveals a three-way mechanism of physical injury, microbial disruption, and gene transfer that amplifies ecological risks from combined pollutants.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 1 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Meta-analysis unravels the complex combined toxicity of microplastics and antibiotics in aquatic ecosystems

A meta-analysis of 730 datasets found that microplastics amplify antibiotic accumulation in aquatic organisms and worsen effects on growth, development, and immune function, but paradoxically appear to mitigate reproductive toxicity from antibiotics. The impact depends on biological response pathway, microplastic concentration, antibiotic properties, and exposure time, with an inverse relationship between antibiotic toxicity and both microplastic concentration and exposure duration.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations