Papers

Recent trends in the application of films and coatings based on starch, cellulose, chitin, chitosan, xanthan, gellan, pullulan, Arabic gum, alginate, pectin, and carrageenan in food packaging

This review covers the latest advances in using natural polysaccharides like starch, chitosan, and cellulose to create biodegradable food packaging as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Replacing conventional plastic packaging with these biopolymer-based materials could help reduce the generation of microplastics that contaminate food and ultimately enter the human body.

The impact of microplastics on bivalve mollusks: A bibliometric and scientific review

This review examines how microplastics affect bivalve shellfish like mussels, oysters, and clams, which are important both ecologically and as human food sources. Microplastics disrupt bivalve feeding, growth, reproduction, and immune function, and can also carry other toxic pollutants into their tissues. Since bivalves filter large volumes of water and are often eaten whole by humans, they represent a direct pathway for microplastic transfer from the ocean to our bodies.

Pesticides and Heavy Metal Toxicity in Fish and Possible Remediation – A Review

This review summarizes how pesticides and heavy metals in water harm fish through damage to their gills, liver, kidneys, and reproductive organs, and discusses potential remediation approaches. While focused on chemical pollutants, the review notes that microplastics in water can act as carriers for these toxins, concentrating and transporting them into fish tissue. Since contaminated fish can end up on our plates, these combined pollution effects are relevant to human food safety.

Distribution, flux, and risk assessment of microplastics at the Anzali Wetland, Iran, and its tributaries

This study mapped microplastic pollution in Anzali Wetland in Iran and its nine tributary rivers, finding contamination throughout the freshwater ecosystem. Microplastic levels were linked to water turbidity and clay content in sediments, with rivers carrying higher concentrations than the wetland itself. Since this internationally protected wetland supports local fisheries and water supplies, the contamination poses potential risks to human health.

Assessing the impact of microplastics and nanoplastics on shrimp growth, physiology, antioxidant, immune responses and gut microbiota

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics affect shrimp health, covering impacts on growth, immune function, gut bacteria, and antioxidant defenses. Researchers found that plastic exposure can impair shrimp physiology through multiple pathways, with implications for both aquaculture productivity and seafood safety. The study highlights the need for more research on how plastic pollution in coastal waters threatens shrimp populations that are important for both ecosystems and human nutrition.

Microplastic footprints in sharks and rays: First assessment of microplastic pollution in two cartilaginous fishes, hardnose shark and whitespotted whipray

Researchers conducted the first assessment of microplastic pollution in two species of cartilaginous fish, the hardnose shark and whitespotted whipray, from the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. They found microplastics in every tissue examined, including intestines, gills, and skin, with fibers and filaments being the most common forms, pointing to fishing gear and wastewater as likely sources. The study reveals that even top marine predators in these waters are heavily contaminated with microplastics.

Biotransformation and oxidative stress markers in yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus): Interactive impacts of microplastics and florfenicol

Researchers studied how microplastics interact with the antibiotic florfenicol to affect detoxification enzymes and oxidative stress in yellowfin seabream. They found that combined exposure to both pollutants caused more pronounced liver damage and oxidative stress than either substance alone, and that recovery took longer. The study suggests that microplastics can worsen the toxic effects of antibiotics used in aquaculture.

Microplastic pollution and heavy metal risk assessment in Perca fluviatilis from Anzali wetland: Implications for environmental health and human consumption

Researchers analyzed heavy metals and microplastics in the tissues of European perch from Anzali Wetland in Iran and found contamination in muscle, liver, and gill samples. Microplastics were present in all fish examined, with fibers being the most common type. The study raises concerns about potential health risks for people who regularly consume fish from this polluted wetland.

Microplastic pollution as a grand challenge in marine research: A closer look at their adverse impacts on the immune and reproductive systems

This review summarizes the effects of microplastic pollution on the immune and reproductive systems of marine species, covering studies on invertebrates and vertebrates exposed to various plastic types. Researchers found that immune responses varied by species, with changes in defense mechanisms observed in fish and cellular damage in mollusk immune cells. The study highlights that while reproductive and immune impacts of microplastics are increasingly documented, significant knowledge gaps remain, particularly for vertebrate marine species.

Hepatic transcriptomic and histopathological responses of common carp, Cyprinus carpio, to copper and microplastic exposure

Researchers investigated how PVC microplastics interact with copper exposure in common carp over 14 days. They found that the microplastic particles acted as a vector for copper, increasing its accumulation in the liver and worsening tissue damage beyond what either pollutant caused alone. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the toxic effects of heavy metals in freshwater fish.

Microplastic fibers in the gut of highly consumed fish species from the southern Caspian Sea

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in the guts of three highly consumed fish species from the southern Caspian Sea. They found that fibers were the only shape of microplastics detected, with leaping mullet showing the highest frequency, and that black-colored polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate were the dominant polymer types across all species.

Ecotoxicological assessment of microplastics and florfenicol on Acanthopagrus latus: mucus, humoral immune responses and DNA damage

Researchers exposed yellowfin seabream to microplastics and the antibiotic florfenicol, both individually and in combination, over a 10-day period. They found that microplastics elevated cholesterol, glucose, and liver enzyme levels while suppressing immune markers in both blood and skin mucus. The combined exposure to microplastics and florfenicol produced more severe and longer-lasting effects than the antibiotic alone.

Histopathological damage and stress‐ and immune‐related genes' expression in the intestine of common carp, <i>Cyprinus carpio</i> exposed to copper and polyvinyl chloride microparticle

Researchers examined the combined effects of copper and PVC microplastics on common carp intestines, finding that co-exposure caused greater histopathological damage and altered stress- and immune-related gene expression compared to either contaminant alone.

Characterization of ingested MPs and their relation with growth parameters of endemic and invasive fish from a coastal wetland

Researchers quantified microplastic ingestion in endemic and invasive fish species from Iran's Anzali Wetland, finding microplastics in gastrointestinal tracts of both species and examining relationships between contamination levels and fish growth parameters.

Trophic transfer, bioaccumulation and translocation of microplastics in an international listed wetland on the Montreux record

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination across four edible aquatic species at different trophic levels in an internationally listed wetland in the Anzali ecosystem. They examined microplastics in gastrointestinal tracts, gills, and muscle tissue to evaluate trophic transfer and bioaccumulation patterns. The study found evidence that microplastics accumulate through the food chain, raising concerns about human exposure through consumption of contaminated freshwater species.

Regional and climatic variations in atmospheric microplastic deposition: A study throughout Iran

Dry deposition of atmospheric microplastics was measured simultaneously across nine Iranian cities with different climates and populations over one week, finding deposition rates from 5 to over 100 particles/m²/day, with population density and wind conditions as key drivers.

Pre-Exposure of Common Carp to Ambient Copper and Microplastic Changes the Gill Ionoregulaion-Related Transcripts During Saltwater Exposure

Common carp were pre-exposed to copper alone or with polyvinyl chloride microplastics for 14 days, then challenged with brackish water to test how microplastic co-exposure alters gill physiology and metal accumulation. Combined exposure changed gill copper concentrations and altered physiological responses to salinity stress, suggesting microplastics modify how fish handle heavy metal toxicity.

Microplastics in the school classrooms of Shiraz, Iran

Sample preparation methods for the analysis of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems: a review

Different land uses influenced on characteristics and distribution of microplastics in Qarasu Basin Rivers, Gorgan Bay, Caspian Sea

Researchers surveyed microplastics in sediments and fish from rivers in the Qarasu Basin flowing into the Caspian Sea across three land use types: forest, residential, and agricultural. Agricultural areas showed the highest microplastic concentrations in both sediments and fish, and 87% of all fish examined contained microplastics.

Microplastics distribution, abundance and composition in sediment, fishes and benthic organisms of the Gorgan Bay, Caspian sea

Microplastics were detected in sediments, fish, and benthic invertebrates in Gorgan Bay in the Caspian Sea, with the highest levels found in the soft tissues of the round goby fish and the mussel Cerastoderma lamarcki. Fibers were the dominant form and a range of polymer types were identified, providing baseline contamination data for this ecologically sensitive semi-enclosed bay.

Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) and Satellite Imagery Fusion for Soil Physical Property Predicting

Researchers combined satellite imagery with geospatial AI to predict soil physical properties including clay, sand, and silt content using 317 soil samples from Iran, outperforming traditional approaches. The method supports precision agriculture and land resource management with high spatial resolution predictions.

Occurrence, abundance and characteristics of microplastics in some commercial fish of northern coasts of the Persian Gulf

Microplastics were found in muscle, liver, gill, and gastrointestinal tissues of 14 commercially fished species from the northern Persian Gulf, with gastrointestinal tissues showing the highest contamination and muscle tissue showing very low levels, suggesting limited translocation from gut to edible flesh in most species.

Risk Assessment of Microplastics Influenced by Human Activities along the Gorganroud River (Iran) and its Estuary to the Caspian Sea