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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Synergistic toxicity of PFAS and microplastic mixtures across five human cell lines
ClearMicroplastics and PFAS as ubiquitous pollutants affect potencies of highly toxic chemicals in mixtures
Researchers investigated how ubiquitous pollutants like PFAS and microplastics affect the toxicity of other highly toxic chemicals when present together in mixtures. They found that even at non-toxic concentrations, PFAS and microplastics could alter the potency of co-occurring toxic compounds. The study highlights the importance of considering pollutant interactions in complex environmental mixtures rather than assessing chemicals in isolation.
Coexposure to microplastic and Bisphenol A exhacerbates damage to human kidney proximal tubular cells
This study exposed human kidney cells to polyethylene microplastics and bisphenol A (BPA, a common plastic chemical) together and found the combination was significantly more damaging than either substance alone. The co-exposure reduced cell survival and increased both oxidative stress and inflammation in the kidney cells. Since both microplastics and BPA are commonly found in the human body, their combined effect on kidney health is a real concern.
Unraveling the complexities of microplastics and PFAS synergy to foster sustainable environmental remediation and ecosystem protection: A critical review with novel insights
This review examines how microplastics and PFAS (sometimes called 'forever chemicals') interact in the environment, since both often come from the same everyday products. The authors found that microplastics can carry PFAS on their surface, and when organisms are exposed to both together, the combined toxic effects including oxidative stress and reproductive harm can be worse than either pollutant alone.
Synergistic effects of marine pollutants and microplastics on the destabilization of lipid bilayers
Researchers found that marine pollutants and microplastics act synergistically to destabilize lipid bilayers, suggesting that the combined presence of plastic particles and co-adsorbed chemicals may amplify cellular membrane damage beyond what either stressor causes alone.
Nanoplastics drive toxicity under co-exposure with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid in human intestinal cells
Researchers exposed human intestinal cells to nanoplastics, the industrial chemical PFOS, and their combination, and found that co-exposure caused more severe cellular disruption than either substance alone. Nanoplastics primarily damaged mitochondria while PFOS affected cell membranes and internal structures, and their combination triggered broader metabolic changes including disrupted amino acid and lipid metabolism. The study suggests that the interaction between nanoplastics and common environmental chemicals may pose compounding risks to gut health.
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.
Single and joint exposure to nanoplastics and bisphenols: a comparative assessment of in vitro hazards
This study compared the individual and combined toxicity of nanoplastics and bisphenol compounds in biological test systems, finding synergistic effects at certain exposure combinations. The results indicate that co-exposure to these two common plastic-associated contaminants may be more harmful than either alone.
Combined exposure with microplastics increases the toxic effects of PFOS and its alternative F-53B in adult zebrafish
Researchers found that when zebrafish were exposed to microplastics along with PFOS or its replacement chemical F-53B (both are "forever chemicals"), the combined toxic effects were worse than either pollutant alone. The microplastics worsened liver inflammation, disrupted energy metabolism, and altered gut bacteria. This is relevant to human health because people are simultaneously exposed to both microplastics and PFAS chemicals through food and water.
Interactions of microplastics and organic compounds in aquatic environments: A case study of augmented joint toxicity
Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics interact with the antimicrobial compound triclosan in simulated environmental and cellular conditions. They found that surface-functionalized microplastics adsorbed significantly more triclosan and released it under cellular conditions, with the combination producing greater toxicity to human intestinal cells than either contaminant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the harmful effects of co-occurring organic pollutants.
Polystyrene microplastics modulation of hexavalent chromium toxicity in quails: transcriptomic and toxicological insights
Researchers exposed quails to both polystyrene microplastics and hexavalent chromium — a cancer-causing heavy metal — for 12 weeks, finding that microplastics worsened the kidney damage caused by chromium by disrupting fat metabolism and energy production. The combination triggered severe kidney scarring (fibrosis) that neither pollutant caused as strongly on its own, illustrating how microplastics can amplify the toxicity of other environmental contaminants.
Synergistic effects of marine pollutants and microplastics on the destabilization of lipid bilayers
Researchers investigated synergistic effects of marine pollutants combined with microplastics on lipid bilayer stability using biophysical methods, finding that microplastics — which can be present in human blood and organs — destabilize lipid membranes more severely in combination with co-occurring marine pollutants than either contaminant alone.
Microplastics aggravate the bioaccumulation and toxicity of coexisting contaminants in aquatic organisms: A synergistic health hazard
Researchers conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of 870 endpoints from 40 studies to evaluate whether microplastics increase the bioaccumulation and toxicity of co-occurring contaminants in aquatic organisms. They found that microplastics significantly increased co-contaminant bioaccumulation by 31% and exacerbated toxicity by 18%, with effects manifesting as increased oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and immunotoxicity. The study confirms that microplastics act as vectors that amplify the hazards of other environmental pollutants.
Insights into the synergistic toxicity mechanisms caused by nano- and microplastics with triclosan using a dose-dependent functional genomics approach in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Researchers used yeast functional genomics to investigate the combined toxicity of polystyrene nano- and microplastics with the antimicrobial compound triclosan. They found that the combined exposure produced synergistic toxic effects that were more harmful than either contaminant alone, disrupting cellular processes related to membrane integrity and protein function. The study provides molecular-level evidence that microplastics may amplify the toxicity of co-occurring chemical pollutants.
Amplified toxic effects of nanoplastic composite norfloxacin on liver cells in mice: Mechanistic insights and multiscale evaluation
Researchers examined the combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin on mouse liver cells and found that co-exposure was significantly more harmful than either contaminant alone. The nanoplastics acted as carriers that increased antibiotic accumulation inside cells, amplifying oxidative damage and disrupting key protective enzymes. The study highlights that nanoplastics in the environment can worsen the toxicity of co-occurring pollutants like antibiotics.
Interaction and combined toxicity of microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in aquatic environment
This review examines how microplastics interact with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic environments and the combined toxic effects on organisms. Researchers found that microplastics can adsorb PFAS chemicals and transport them through water systems, potentially increasing exposure for aquatic life. The study highlights that the combination of these two widespread pollutant types may pose greater ecological risks than either one alone.
Microplastics and human health: unraveling the toxicological pathways and implications for public health
This review pulls together recent research on how microplastics enter the human body and cause cellular damage through inflammation, oxidative stress, and direct cell injury. The authors highlight that microplastics can also amplify the harmful effects of other environmental pollutants they carry, creating combined health risks that are greater than either threat alone.
Toxicity Induced by Micro-and Nanoplastics through Oxidative Stress: The Role of Co-Exposure to Other Chemical Pollutants
This review examined how micro- and nanoplastics cause oxidative stress — a form of cellular damage — in living organisms, particularly when combined with other chemical pollutants in the environment. Co-exposure to microplastics and chemicals like pesticides or heavy metals tends to be more damaging than either pollutant alone.
Toxicity of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and dimethyl phthalate in male Sprague-Dawley rats: Insights into oxidative stress, DNA damage, and histopathological impacts
Researchers exposed male rats to polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and dimethyl phthalate, a common plasticizer, both individually and in combination over 28 days. The co-exposure group showed significantly elevated markers of oxidative DNA damage, severe liver tissue degeneration, and liver enlargement compared to controls. The study highlights the potential for synergistic health effects when microplastics and their associated chemical additives are encountered together.
The Microplastic–PFAS Nexus: From Co-Occurrence to Combined Toxicity in Aquatic Environments
This review examines the interconnected environmental behavior of microplastics and PFAS ("forever chemicals"), showing that microplastics can act as carriers, concentrators, and secondary sources of PFAS contamination. Researchers found that co-exposure to both pollutants often produces synergistic toxic effects in aquatic organisms, disrupting processes from photosynthesis to neurological development. The study argues that current regulations assessing these pollutants individually are inadequate and must evolve to address their combined effects.
Combined Environmental Impacts and Toxicological Interactions of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Microplastics (MPs)
This review examines how microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) frequently co-occur in the environment and interact to alter each other's environmental fate and biological effects. Researchers found that co-exposure can enhance PFAS bioaccumulation by up to 2.5-fold compared to PFAS alone, accompanied by amplified oxidative stress, immune disruption, and reproductive impairment in aquatic organisms. The magnitude and direction of combined effects depend heavily on polymer type, particle size, surface aging, and biological context.
The emerging threat of hybrid microplastics: Impacts on per(poly)fluoroalkyl substance bioaccumulation and phytotoxicity in floating macrophytes
This study examined how mixtures of different microplastic types interact with PFAS (forever chemicals) and found that more diverse microplastic mixtures increased the absorption and toxicity of PFAS in aquatic plants. The complexity of real-world microplastic pollution, where multiple plastic types coexist, appears to make forever chemical contamination worse. This finding is important because most lab studies test single plastic types, potentially underestimating the actual environmental risk.
A review on the combined toxicological effects of microplastics and their attached pollutants
Researchers reviewed how microplastics act as carriers for other environmental pollutants — including heavy metals and persistent organic chemicals — and how these combinations produce toxic effects in organisms that are more severe than either contaminant alone. The findings highlight a complex, layered toxicity problem that affects microbes, invertebrates, and vertebrates across marine and terrestrial environments.
Co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and microcystin-LR aggravated male reproductive toxicity in mice
Researchers found that exposing mice to a combination of polystyrene microplastics and microcystin-LR, a toxin produced by algae, caused more severe damage to male reproductive organs than either pollutant alone. The microplastics increased the amount of the toxin that accumulated in testicular tissue. The study suggests that the interaction between microplastics and other environmental contaminants may amplify reproductive health risks.
Combined toxicity of perfluoroalkyl substances and microplastics on the sentinel species Daphnia magna: Implications for freshwater ecosystems
This study tested how PFAS chemicals (common industrial pollutants) and PET microplastics affect water fleas, both alone and together. The combination caused worse developmental and reproductive problems than either pollutant alone, and organisms with prior chemical exposure history responded differently, showing that microplastics can amplify the harm of other environmental contaminants in ways that are difficult to predict.