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A systematic review of biodegradable microplastics-induced toxicity in fish: Toxic effects, mechanisms, and ecological implications
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"Biodegradable" plastics sound eco-friendly, but this review of 27 studies shows they don't fully break down in water and can actually harm fish, damaging their gut, liver, brain, and reproductive systems, sometimes just as much or more than regular plastics, especially after the particles have aged in the environment. Since these tiny plastic fragments build up in fish that end up on our plates, this research is an early warning sign that swapping to "biodegradable" plastics may not be the safer fix we hoped for, more research on human exposure is still needed.
Despite their green image, biodegradable plastics incompletely degrade in water to BMPs, whose toxicity to fish has not been systematically reviewed. This review consolidates evidence from 27 studies examining BMP-induced toxicity in fish, focusing on exposure pathways, underlying mechanisms, and broader ecological implications. The available data indicate that BMPs—mainly polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)—enter fish through waterborne and dietary routes and accumulate preferentially in the intestine, liver and gills. Multi-organ toxicities include intestinal inflammation and villus damage, hepatotoxicity, neurobehavioral deficits, reproductive and developmental abnormalities, cardiotoxicity, immunotoxicity and haematological disruptions. Mechanistically, BMPs trigger oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, inflammatory cascades (NF-κB pathway), metabolic disorders (PPARγ pathway), and gut microbiota dysbiosis, with consequent involvement of the gut–brain axis and the gut–liver–brain axis. Notably, mitochondrial dysfunction is regulated by the upstream Sesn2/Nrf2 signaling pathway, which serves as a critical checkpoint linking oxidative stress to downstream inflammatory and apoptotic responses. Neurobehavioral toxicity is mediated in part through BDNF/TrkB signaling disruption, with transcriptomic evidence revealing dose-dependent recruitment of immune-related pathways. Toxicity is modulated by particle aging, polymer composition, exposure route and the presence of co-occurring pollutants. Critically, the assumption that biodegradable plastics are inherently safer than conventional counterparts is not supported by current evidence: aged BMPs often exhibit enhanced toxicity compared with pristine forms, and under certain conditions biodegradable MPs pose risks comparable to or even greater than those of conventional microplastics. Ecological implications include potential population-level effects through reduced fitness, reproductive impairment and transgenerational toxicity, as well as altered trophic transfer of associated contaminants. This review identifies critical knowledge gaps and proposes a framework for assessing the long-term ecological risks of biodegradable plastics in aquatic ecosystems.
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A review on fate and ecotoxicity of biodegradable microplastics in aquatic system: Are biodegradable plastics truly safe for the environment?
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This review examines whether biodegradable plastics are truly safe for aquatic environments, finding that they can break down into microplastics faster than conventional plastics and cause comparable or even greater harm to algae, invertebrates, and fish. The findings suggest that switching to biodegradable plastics alone will not solve the microplastic pollution problem, and these particles can still enter the human food chain through contaminated seafood.
How harmless are alternative bioplastics? A review of their toxicological outcomes in aquatic organisms.
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"Bioplastics" and "biodegradable plastics" are often marketed as eco-friendly swaps for regular plastic, but this review of existing research found they can harm aquatic animals just as much, or even more, than traditional plastics, causing problems like organ damage, reproductive issues, and cellular stress in fish and other water-dwelling creatures. This matters because these materials are increasingly common in packaging and consumer goods, yet scientists still don't know enough about how they affect human health, so "green" labeling doesn't necessarily mean "safe." More research is urgently needed before we assume these alternatives are truly better for us
Co-occurrence of biodegradable and conventional microplastics in marketed marine fish and implications for human dietary exposure.
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Researchers studying marine fish sold for food in India found both conventional and "biodegradable" microplastics present together, including in the digestive tracts and edible tissue of some fish. This suggests biodegradable plastics do not replace conventional ones but add to overall plastic contamination. Estimated dietary intake calculations suggested children could have higher exposure than adults through eating fish.
Exploring Environmental Behaviors and Health Impacts of Biodegradable Microplastics
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Biodegradable plastics are promoted as eco-friendly, but this review finds they may actually break down into microplastics faster than conventional plastics, leading to more rapid accumulation in the environment. Like regular microplastics, these biodegradable fragments can carry pollutants into organisms through a "Trojan horse" effect, and their breakdown products may be even more toxic to the nervous system. The findings suggest we need to carefully weigh the risks of biodegradable plastics against their intended environmental benefits.
Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: Impacts on Fish Health and Potential Risks to Human Health
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This review paper summarizes existing research showing that tiny plastic particles in water are harming fish, damaging their organs, growth, and reproduction. Since these microplastics build up in fish that end up on our plates, they could eventually affect human health too. The authors call for less plastic production, more recycling, and better wastewater treatment to tackle the problem.
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