We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
How do fish consume microplastics? An experimental study on accumulation pattern using Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers fed Nile tilapia in controlled lab conditions to study how microplastics accumulate in fish organs. They found that most microplastics came from the fish feed rather than from particles floating in the water, and that the digestive tract accumulated the most particles while muscles, the part humans typically eat, contained the smallest sizes. Twelve different polymer types were identified across the fish tissues.
The aim of this study was to investigate microplastic (MP) exposure by Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in laboratory conditions. A total of 150 tilapia fishes were equally distributed randomly in 15 different glass tanks with five experimental conditions. Observed results depicted that the presence of MPs in different organs was mainly accumulated from the fish feed rather than externally added MPs in the culture tanks. It was also revealed that the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) was found to be the most susceptible to MPs accumulation followed by gills and muscles in order. However, muscle contained the least size of MPs followed by GITs and gills. A statistical test showed significant correlations among the average length and weight of fish with MP exposure. A filamentous shape was found to be dominant in both GITs and gills while fragment shape was dominant in muscles. FTIR results revealed a total of 12 different polymers in the fish of which two polymers (polyvinyl alcohol and ethylene vinyl acetate) were not detected in the feed-only tanks. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were found to be dominant polymers in all the experimental GIT, gills, and muscle organs. FESEM results indicated the presence of different textures including cracks, edges, flakes, scratches, grooves, and adhering particles. EDX results exhibited the presence of Na, Si, K, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Cd in the analyzed samples that may pose additional health risks. Thus, this study could act as baseline data for laboratory-based studies of aquaculture species in future research.
More Papers Like This
Do microplastics pose health hazard?: A laboratory study by Oreochromis niloticus
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in a tank-based experiment to quantify microplastic accumulation and assess health risk using a total polymer risk index. The study found elevated health risk levels in fish exposed to environmental concentrations of MPs, suggesting risks extending to human consumers.
Occurrence of micro- nanoplastics in a commercial recirculated aquaculture system and their translocation to cultured fish organs: A baseline study
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics and nanoplastics inside the muscle, brain, and gut of Nile tilapia raised in a commercial fish farm that uses recirculated water, identifying multiple plastic polymer types in fish tissue — a finding that suggests farmed fish are a direct route for microplastic exposure in people who eat them.
Histological and Histochemical Effects of Microplastics Administration in Oreochromis niloticus Fingerlings
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed Nile tilapia to two types of microplastics and examined histological and histochemical changes in gills, liver, and kidneys, finding tissue-level damage that demonstrates the harmful effects of microplastic ingestion on vital fish organs.
Effects of Microplastics on the Oxygen Consumption and Histological Changes of the Cultured Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that microplastic exposure caused tissue damage in the gills and intestines of tilapia fish, with higher concentrations leading to more severe changes. Since tilapia is widely consumed worldwide, these findings raise questions about whether microplastics in farmed fish could affect the quality and safety of the seafood on our plates.
Size-Dependent Uptake and Depuration of Nanoplastics in Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Distinct Intestinal Impacts
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tracked how tilapia fish absorb and eliminate nanoplastics of two sizes (86 and 185 nanometers) and found that both accumulated most heavily in the intestine. Smaller nanoplastics caused more physical damage to the intestinal lining, while larger ones disrupted the gut microbiome more severely. Since tilapia is widely consumed worldwide, the finding that nanoplastics build up in fish tissue and damage their guts raises concerns about the safety of farmed fish as food.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.