Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Size-dependent toxic interaction between polystyrene beads and mercury on the mercury accumulation and multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) of brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis

Researchers tested the interaction between polystyrene nano- and microplastics and mercury on the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis, measuring mercury accumulation and multixenobiotic resistance responses. Particle size influenced the nature and severity of combined toxicity, with smaller plastic particles showing greater disruption of mercury accumulation and detoxification mechanisms.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Pathway-dependent toxic interaction between polystyrene microbeads and methylmercury on the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis: Based on mercury bioaccumulation, cytotoxicity, and transcriptomic analysis

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with methylmercury toxicity in a small marine crustacean. They found that co-exposure to microplastics actually reduced mercury accumulation and some toxic effects, but the combination triggered synergistic harm to DNA replication processes. The study highlights that microplastics can alter mercury toxicity in complex ways depending on the biological pathway involved.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to metals premixed with microplastics increases toxicity through bioconcentration and impairs antioxidant defense and cholinergic response in a marine mysid

Researchers exposed the marine mysid Americamysis bahia to five metals alone and combined with microplastics premixed for varying durations, finding that premixing increased metal bioconcentration and impaired antioxidant defenses and cholinergic signaling more than either contaminant alone.

2021 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of microplastics and heavy metals on the Daphnia magna

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics of two sizes adsorb heavy metals and how their combined presence affects the water flea Daphnia magna. They found that smaller microplastics had higher adsorption capacity for metals, and the combined toxicity shifted from antagonistic to additive effects as microplastic concentrations increased. The study reveals that smaller microplastics pose a greater toxicological risk when combined with heavy metals in aquatic environments.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 184 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics increase mercury bioconcentration in gills and bioaccumulation in the liver, and cause oxidative stress and damage in Dicentrarchus labrax juveniles

Researchers exposed juvenile European sea bass to mercury, microplastics, and their mixture for 96 hours and found that microplastics increased mercury bioconcentration in gills and bioaccumulation in the liver. The combination of microplastics and mercury also caused greater oxidative stress and lipid damage than either contaminant alone, suggesting microplastics may amplify the toxicity of co-occurring pollutants.

2018 Scientific Reports 281 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics at an environmentally relevant dose enhance mercury toxicity in a marine copepod under multigenerational exposure: Multi-omics perspective

Researchers exposed tiny marine organisms called copepods to microplastics and mercury together across three generations at levels found in the environment. While microplastics alone had little effect, they made mercury much more toxic by increasing how much mercury built up in the organisms' bodies. This study shows that microplastics can act as carriers that amplify the harmful effects of other environmental pollutants, with the damage worsening over generations.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 18 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Co-Exposure to Antifoulants and Microplastics on the Survival, Oxidative Status, and Cholinergic System of a Marine Mysid

Researchers investigated how microplastics affect the toxicity of antifoulant chemicals copper pyrithione and zinc pyrithione in aquatic environments, where the presence of plastic particles can alter chemical behavior and bioavailability. Results showed microplastics introduce significant uncertainty into the toxicological assessment of these widespread aquatic pollutants.

2024 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Combined toxic effects of polystyrene microplastic and benzophenone-4 on the bioaccumulation, feeding, growth, and reproduction of Daphnia magna

Researchers examined the combined toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics and the UV filter chemical benzophenone-4 on water fleas over 21 days. They found that exposure to both contaminants together caused greater harm to feeding, growth, and reproduction than either pollutant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics and personal care product chemicals can interact to amplify their negative effects on freshwater organisms.

2024 Environmental Pollution 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the combined interplays: Effects of cypermethrin and microplastic exposure on the survival and antioxidant physiology of Astacus leptodactylus

Crayfish exposed to both microplastics and the pesticide cypermethrin for 60 days showed significant biochemical stress including reduced antioxidant defenses, altered blood chemistry, and liver tissue damage. The combination of these two common environmental contaminants appeared to be more harmful than either alone. This matters because aquatic organisms are often exposed to multiple pollutants simultaneously, and the combined effects could affect the safety of freshwater species consumed by humans.

2023 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 35 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of microplastics and co-occurring toxicants on survival and life-history traits of the cladoceran Moina macrocopa

Researchers tested the effects of four types of microplastics on the freshwater cladoceran Moina macrocopa, both alone and in combination with copper, insecticides, and diesel fuel. The study found that only polystyrene-based microplastics induced direct toxicity, while other polymer types modulated the toxicity of co-occurring chemical contaminants in varying ways.

2025 Limnology and Freshwater Biology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Metabolomic analysis of combined exposure to microplastics and methylmercury in the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis

Combined exposure of the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis to microplastics and methylmercury produced metabolomic disruptions greater than either pollutant alone, with the combination altering amino acid metabolism, energy pathways, and oxidative stress markers. The study provides molecular-level evidence that microplastic-mercury co-contamination poses synergistic risks to aquatic invertebrates.

2022 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and mercury in the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774): Filtration rate, biochemical biomarkers and mercury bioconcentration

Researchers exposed freshwater bivalves to microplastics, mercury, and their combination, then measured filtration rates, biochemical biomarkers, and mercury bioconcentration during exposure and recovery periods. The study found that microplastics did not significantly alter mercury bioconcentration in the bivalves but that the mixture caused additive oxidative stress effects, and recovery was incomplete after the exposure period ended.

2018 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 216 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics cause neurotoxicity, oxidative damage and energy-related changes and interact with the bioaccumulation of mercury in the European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758)

Researchers studied the toxic effects of microplastics and mercury, both alone and in combination, on European seabass, a fish commonly consumed by humans. They found that both substances caused brain damage, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism disruption, but the combination produced particularly severe effects. Evidence indicates that microplastics interact with mercury accumulation in fish tissues, suggesting these pollutants may amplify each other's harmful impacts.

2017 Aquatic Toxicology 713 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the chemical interactions and biological effects of a petrochemical and bio-based plastic with a common plastic flame retardant and solvent

Researchers assessed the combined chemical interactions and biological effects when organisms were exposed to both petrochemical and agricultural contaminants simultaneously. Mixture effects were often greater than predicted by individual chemical toxicity, highlighting the importance of studying realistic multi-contaminant exposures.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and mercury synergistically exacerbates toxicity in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) compared to individual exposures

This study found that when nanoplastics and mercury are present together in water, their combined toxic effects on fish are significantly worse than either pollutant alone. Researchers observed that nanoplastics increased mercury accumulation in rare minnow tissue by about 33%, and the combination caused greater gut damage, inflammation, and disruption of beneficial gut bacteria. The findings highlight the importance of considering how multiple pollutants interact, rather than studying them in isolation.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-Biomarker Responses of Asian Clam Corbicula fluminea (Bivalvia, Corbiculidea) to Cadmium and Microplastics Pollutants

Researchers exposed Asian clams to cadmium, microplastics, and their mixtures, then measured a battery of biomarkers including oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and neurotoxicity indicators. They found that the combined exposure to cadmium and microplastics produced interactive effects that differed from exposure to either contaminant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics can modify the toxicity of heavy metals in freshwater bivalves, highlighting the importance of studying pollutant mixtures rather than individual contaminants.

2021 Water 61 citations
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

Single and combined effects of microplastics and mercury on juveniles of the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax): Changes in behavioural responses and reduction of swimming velocity and resistance time

Juvenile European seabass exposed individually and in combination to polyethylene microplastics and mercury showed reduced swimming speed and endurance, with combined exposure producing more pronounced impairment than either pollutant alone. The findings suggest that the co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in marine environments may pose synergistic threats to fish swimming performance and survival.

2018 Environmental Pollution 305 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

Developmental toxicity of co-exposure of heavy metal and polystyrene microplastics in Xenopus laevis embryo

Researchers exposed Xenopus laevis frog embryos simultaneously to cadmium, copper, lead, and polystyrene microbeads, finding that co-exposure produced more complex effects than any single contaminant and that interactions included antagonistic as well as additive outcomes.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment
Article Tier 2

Physiological and transcriptomic responses of seawater halobios to micro/nano-scale polystyrene-cadmium exposure in a marine food web.

Using a marine food web model with algae, shrimp, and fish, researchers showed that combined polystyrene microplastic and cadmium exposure caused greater physiological harm than either pollutant alone, with toxicity and bioaccumulation amplified at each trophic level.

2024 Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Article Tier 2

Effects of chronic co-exposure polystyrene nanoplastics and cadmium on liver function in Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio)

Researchers exposed Prussian carp to polystyrene nanoplastics and cadmium, both individually and together, for 21 days and found that the combination caused significantly worse liver damage than either pollutant alone. The nanoplastics enhanced cadmium accumulation in the liver and amplified oxidative stress, tissue damage, and immune gene activation. The findings demonstrate that nanoplastics and heavy metals can have synergistic toxic effects on aquatic organisms.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicity of emerging pollutants: Interactive impact of polystyrene nanoplastics and Metanil yellow on Artemia salina

Researchers exposed a common marine test animal, brine shrimp, to polystyrene nanoplastics combined with a synthetic yellow dye and found the mixture was far more toxic than either substance alone, killing over 93% of shrimp. The dye coated the nanoplastic surfaces, increased particle size, and amplified oxidative stress, showing that nanoplastics can make co-existing pollutants more dangerous.

2025 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polystyrene microbeads and benzo[α]pyrene on bioaccumulation, antioxidant response, and cell damage in goldfish Carassius auratus

Researchers exposed goldfish to polystyrene microbeads and benzo[a]pyrene, both individually and in combination, to assess their toxic effects over 120 hours. They found that combined exposure significantly increased oxidative stress, liver damage, and cell death compared to single-compound exposure. The study suggests that microplastics can act as carriers for harmful chemicals, amplifying their toxic impact on aquatic organisms.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 13 citations