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Microplastics: understanding the interaction with the food web and potential health hazards
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This review traces how microplastics move through aquatic food webs, from tiny filter-feeding organisms up to predatory fish, and ultimately to humans who consume seafood. Evidence indicates that microplastics can accumulate and concentrate at each level of the food chain, carrying toxic chemicals that may cause inflammation and hormone disruption. The authors stress the need for more research to understand these pathways and develop strategies to reduce microplastic contamination in food.
Microplastics have become a universal environmental contaminant, penetrating marine and freshwater ecosystems and presenting significant adverse effects on aquatic life and human health. In aquatic organisms, microplastics can cause physical harm, disrupt feeding and reproductive behaviours, and carry toxic chemicals that intensify their impact. For humans, the ingestion of microplastics through contaminated seafood and water raises concerns about long-term health complications, including inflammation, endocrine disruption, and exposure to harmful additives and pollutants associated with microplastics. The exploration of the origin of microplastics, their transport, and distribution at various trophic levels of the food web has become an imperative environmental concern. From filter-feeding zooplankton to predatory fish, microplastics are ingested and assimilated, with the potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification along the food chain. Moreover, their small size and widespread dispersal make them particularly challenging to mitigate or eliminate from the environment. The present review underscores the necessity for ongoing research to fully elucidate the mechanisms and consequences of microplastic interactions within the food web. Enhanced understanding of these dynamics is crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies and regulatory policies aimed at reducing microplastic pollution and protecting ecosystem and human health.
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Microplastics and associated contaminants in the aquatic environment: A review on their ecotoxicological effects, trophic transfer, and potential impacts to human health
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This review examines how microplastics and the chemical contaminants they carry move through aquatic food chains from small organisms up to larger predators. Researchers found that microplastics can transfer toxic additives and absorbed pollutants to organisms that ingest them, with potential implications for seafood safety and ultimately human health.
Trophic transfer of microplastics and mixed contaminants in the marine food web and implications for human health
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This review examines how microplastics move through marine food webs via trophic transfer and carry chemical contaminants that can accumulate in higher predators, including humans. Researchers found that microplastics readily sorb pollutants from surrounding waters and release them after being ingested by organisms, potentially amplifying toxic effects at each level of the food chain. The study underscores the need for more research on bioaccumulation factors and the implications of seafood-mediated microplastic exposure for human health.
The ecotoxicological effects of microplastics on aquatic food web, from primary producer to human: A review
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This review traces the ecotoxicological effects of microplastics through the aquatic food web, from algae and zooplankton up through fish and ultimately to human consumers. Researchers found evidence that microplastics cause harm at every trophic level, including reduced growth, reproductive impairment, and inflammatory responses. The study highlights that microplastics can transfer up the food chain, raising concerns about cumulative exposure in seafood-consuming populations.
Micro(nano)plastics Prevalence, Food Web Interactions, and Toxicity Assessment in Aquatic Organisms: A Review
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This review examines the prevalence of micro- and nanoplastics across aquatic environments and their documented toxic effects on organisms ranging from plankton to fish, including DNA damage, reproductive harm, and neurotoxicity. Researchers found clear evidence that these particles transfer through aquatic food webs and can ultimately reach humans through seafood consumption. The study calls for more research into how microplastics carrying multiple contaminants cause combined toxic effects in marine organisms.
The transfer and resulting negative effects of nano- and micro-plastics through the aquatic trophic web—A discreet threat to human health
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Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics move through aquatic food webs — from small organisms like plankton up through fish to humans — noting that while hundreds of species are known to ingest plastic particles, it remains difficult to distinguish particles eaten directly from those consumed indirectly through prey. The review highlights a critical gap in understanding how much plastic actually transfers between trophic levels and what that means for human health risks from seafood consumption.
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