Accumulation of Microplastic in Gills and Gastrointestinal Tracts in a Fish Across Tropical and Subtropical Estuaries in Brazil

Evaluation of Microplastic Pollution in Gills of Freshwater Fish in a Neotropical Hydrographic Basin, Brazil

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Analysis of gill tissue from 98 freshwater fish across eight species in Brazil's Sorocaba River basin found microplastics in every individual, with fibers comprising 74% of the 385 particles detected and highest contamination in the most disturbed river. The universal gill contamination across species demonstrates that freshwater fish in human-impacted watersheds serve as a direct route for microplastic entry into aquatic food webs and ultimately human diets.

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

Microplastics in Juvenile Commercial Fish from an Estuarine Environment

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Juvenile commercial fish from an estuarine environment were found to have ingested microplastics, demonstrating that plastic contamination affects fish at early life stages in transitional coastal ecosystems rather than only in open ocean habitats. Since estuaries serve as nurseries for many commercially important species, microplastic ingestion by juveniles threatens both fish population health and the safety of seafood reaching consumers.

Ingestion of Microplastic by Fish of Different Feeding Habits in Urbanized and Non-urbanized Streams in Southern Brazil

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Researchers found that fish in urbanized streams in southern Brazil were significantly more likely to have ingested microplastic fibers than fish in non-urbanized streams, and that omnivorous species faced the highest exposure risk. This highlights how urban development drives microplastic contamination into freshwater food chains long before particles reach the ocean.

Microplastics in the Digestive Tracts of Four Fish Species from the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta Estuary in Colombia

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Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tracts of four commercially sold fish species from a Colombian estuary, with polyester and polyethylene fibers being the most common types detected. This is the first evidence of microplastic ingestion in fish from Colombian coastal waters, raising concerns for both ecosystem health and human dietary exposure through seafood.