Environ Res 2025 Apr 29;278:121735. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.121735.

Exploring the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of buprofezin and cadmium on tadpoles: A phenotypic and molecular analysis.

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With the continuous impact of human activities on the ecological environment, buprofezin and cadmium are frequently detected in soil, sediment, and aquatic environments, posing ecological risks to non-target aquatic organisms. However, limited research exists on the toxic effects and mechanisms of action of these pollutants on aquatic organisms. This study used Xenopus laevis tadpoles as model organisms to experiment with buprofezin and cadmium. Through biochemical parameters and multi omics analysis methods, the single and combined toxicity mechanisms were explored. The experiment used environmentally relevant exposure levels to monitor the growth indicators, movement parameters, oxidative stress biomarkers of tadpoles, and conducted metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis. The results indicate that cadmium inhibits the growth of tadpoles, leading to a decrease in weight, and mixed exposure has a similar effect. Under dark conditions, buprofezin and cadmium significantly alter the swimming behavior of tadpoles, decreasing distance and average speed. Moreover, tadpoles exposed to buprofezin and cadmium experienced oxidative stress, which was reflected in increased levels of malondialdehyde and decreased activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase. Metabolomics and transcriptomics results showed that the combined exposure group produced more differentially accumulated metabolites and differentially expressed genes than the single exposure group. These genes and substances mainly affect the energy metabolism and signal transduction processes of tadpoles. In summary, buprofezin and cadmium interfere with gene expression and alter metabolite levels in tadpoles. This study reveals the combined toxicity of buprofezin and cadmium at environmentally relevant exposure levels. The research results provide toxicological evidence for the risk assessment of environmental pollutants and offer new insights into the effects of complex mixtures.

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Species referenced: Xenopus laevis