Evaluating microplastic exposure in wild shrimp Xiphopenaeus spp. populations: a comparative study of two Brazilian coastal areas

Assessment of microplastic hazards in Penaeus vannamei shrimp in a typical estuary of China: polymer composition, risk assessment, and health implications

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Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in whiteleg shrimp from the Jiulong River estuary in China, finding five polymer types at 0.46 particles/g, with PVC comprising only 5.52% by count but contributing 98.11% of the total hazard risk index due to its toxic chemical additives. The disproportionate hazard posed by PVC despite its low abundance in farmed shrimp has direct food-safety implications, as commercially important shellfish in estuarine aquaculture systems are accumulating high-risk plastics consumed by people globally.

Microplastics in a tropical lentic environment: dynamics between sediments and the shrimp Macrobrachium amazonicum

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A year-long study of a tropical Brazilian reservoir found microplastics in 90.9% of shrimp samples, with concentrations higher in gills and sediment than in stomachs, and positive correlations across all compartments indicating active trophic transfer. These results demonstrate that freshwater crustaceans in tropical lentic systems are consistently exposed to microplastics via both filter-feeding and sediment contact, with implications for food safety in regions where such shrimp are consumed.

Microplastics in Brazilian aquatic ecosystems and seafood: An updated review

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This review pulls together 100 studies to show that Brazil's rivers, bays, and coastal waters are widely contaminated with tiny plastic particles called microplastics, mostly from clothing fibers and packaging. Seafood like fish, shellfish, and crustaceans are absorbing these particles, sometimes in huge amounts, which raises real concerns for anyone eating fish from these waters. The bigger picture: plastic pollution levels swing a lot depending on rainfall and tourist seasons, and scientists still need better, more consistent testing methods to fully understand how much risk this poses to human health.

Characteristics and potential human health risks of microplastics for commercial shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei from South Yellow Sea Mudflat

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Scientists studying shrimp from a Chinese coastal mudflat found tiny plastic bits (mostly microscopic fibers from packaging-type plastics) throughout the shrimp's bodies, with even more found in shrimp caught near river mouths where pollution runs off. The good news: most of these plastic particles were concentrated in the gut, so removing and not eating the digestive tract (something many people already do when peeling shrimp) significantly cuts down your exposure to microplastics.

Ecological and Seasonal Patterns of Microplastic Ingestion in Fish Near a Port Region in the Brazilian Amazon