Work

Liver Damage in Ctenopharyngodon idellus Induced by Nanoplastics and Cadmium Exposure

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Nanoplastics (NPs) and heavy metal cadmium (Cd) are common co-existing pollutants in freshwater environments, but their combined toxic effects on the liver of herbivorous economic fish remain unclear. In this study, grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs, 100 nm) and/or Cd to investigate their individual and combined effects on hepatic toxicity. The results revealed that co-exposure interactively suppressed interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) antioxidant response, and induced more severe hepatic necrosis, melanization, and fibrinoid necrosis, with the highest integrated biomarker response index and extensive disruption of lipid and steroid metabolism pathways. This study clarified the toxicological interaction of NPs and Cd on the liver of grass carp, and provided a theoretical basis for understanding the combined toxicity of NPs and heavy metal pollution in extreme contamination scenarios or accidental pollution events.

Source: Biology

DOI: 10.3390/biology15131039

Authors: Qifeng Gao, Jianbo Ma, Zixuan Li, Chunping Mao, Xiaodong Zhang, Chaonan Zhang

Institutions: Shaoxing University, Zhejiang University

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258