Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Increased Microplastic Intake from Fry-Cooked Fish Muscle Tissue

Researchers compared how different cooking methods affect microplastic levels in fish muscle tissue and found that frying significantly increased microplastic abundance from 4 to over 36 particles per gram. Steaming and boiling did not cause significant changes in microplastic levels. The study identified PVC fragmentation during frying as a primary contributor and suggests that cooking methods should be factored into dietary microplastic exposure assessments.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Thermal processing implications on microplastics in rainbow trout fillet

This study tested whether sous-vide cooking of rainbow trout fillets at different temperatures and durations affects microplastic abundance or migration into the fish. Results showed thermal processing altered the physical state of microplastics present in the fillets and influenced estimates of human microplastic intake from cooked fish.

2022 Journal of Food Science 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in some popular seafood fish species from the northern Bay of Bengal and possible consumer risk assessment

Researchers analyzed three popular seafood fish species from the Bay of Bengal and found microplastics in their gills, digestive tracts, and importantly, their muscle tissue, which is the part people eat. The presence of microplastics in fish muscle means the particles have been absorbed into body tissues, creating direct exposure for consumers. The study estimated human health risks from eating these contaminated fish and found that smaller fish tended to have higher microplastic levels.

2024 Food Control 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of frying on microplastics load in fish and implications on health

Researchers investigated the effects of polyethylene microplastics on gut microbiota composition in mice fed a high-fat diet, finding that microplastic exposure altered microbial diversity and increased gut permeability. Co-exposure with a high-fat diet amplified metabolic disruption.

2022 Food Frontiers 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of cooking methods on microplastics in dried shellfish

Researchers examined how different cooking methods affect microplastic levels in dried shellfish, finding that certain preparation techniques altered the abundance and characteristics of microplastics present, with implications for human dietary exposure.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination and biological alterations in Atlantic wild fish populations, and human health risks associated to fillet consumption

Researchers found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts, gills, liver, brain, and muscle tissue of wild Atlantic pouting and hake fish, and the contamination was linked to measurable biological changes in the fish. The study also estimated human health risks from eating these fish fillets, developing a new index that combines microplastic intake levels with the hazard level of the specific plastic types found. This work provides a direct link between microplastic pollution in wild fish and potential risks to people who eat seafood regularly.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in wild fish from North East Atlantic Ocean and its potential for causing neurotoxic effects, lipid oxidative damage, and human health risks associated with ingestion exposure

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in three commercially important fish species from the North East Atlantic Ocean and found that 49% of the 150 fish analyzed contained microplastics. Fish with microplastics showed significantly higher levels of lipid damage in the brain, gills, and muscle, along with signs of neurotoxicity. Based on the microplastics found in edible fish muscle, the study estimates that human consumers may ingest hundreds of microplastic particles per year from fish consumption alone.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 855 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish and Fishery Products and Risks for Human Health: A Review

This review summarizes existing research on microplastic contamination in fish and seafood products and the associated human health risks. Microplastics found in fish can carry harmful chemicals and pathogens, and once eaten by humans, they may cause oxidative stress and move from the gut to other tissues. The review highlights seafood as a major dietary source of microplastic exposure and calls for better monitoring and risk assessment.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 200 citations
Article Tier 2

A rapid method for extracting microplastics from oily food samples

Researchers developed a rapid method for extracting microplastics from oily food samples, addressing a key challenge for detecting plastic contamination in foods like fish that contain high fat content. Standardized extraction methods for oily food matrices are needed to accurately assess dietary microplastic exposure.

2022 Analytical Methods 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish: A Comprehensive Review

This review synthesizes research on microplastics in fish, covering contamination sources, detection methods, and impacts on wild and farmed populations globally — and examining how plastic particles in fish tissues may transfer to humans through seafood consumption.

2025 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
Review Tier 2

A review of microplastic pollution in commercial fish for human consumption

This review examined microplastic contamination in commercial fish muscle consumed by humans worldwide. Researchers found that microplastics were present in 56.5% of the fish samples analyzed, with contamination levels ranging from 0.016 to 6.06 items per gram of muscle tissue, raising concerns about long-term dietary exposure to microplastics through seafood consumption.

2021 Reviews on Environmental Health 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecological risk assessment of microplastics and mesoplastics in six common fishes from the Bay of Bengal Coast

Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tracts and muscle tissue of six commonly eaten fish species from the Bay of Bengal, with fiber-shaped particles making up over 95% of what was found. This contamination in edible fish muscle tissue means that people who eat these species are likely ingesting microplastics directly.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure of U.S. adults to microplastics from commonly-consumed proteins

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in 16 protein foods purchased in the US, including seafoods, meats, and plant-based products at different processing levels. Microplastics were detected across all protein categories, with processing level influencing contamination amounts.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution Patterns in Fish and Implications for Safe Consumption

Researchers examined over 1,000 fish from 37 species and found microplastics in the gills and guts of about 36-40% of fish, but none in muscle tissue. Fish from shallower waters and smaller fish had more microplastics. The study recommends that people eat only the muscle portion of fish and choose larger fish from deeper waters to reduce their microplastic intake, estimating that global per capita exposure from fish is about 56,000 particles per year.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of biological and environmental factors on microplastic ingestion of commercial fish species

Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in commercially important fish species, evaluating how biological and environmental factors influence ingestion rates across 2,222 individual fish. The study assessed gastrointestinal tract contents to determine the extent and patterns of microplastic contamination. The findings suggest that both species-specific biology and environmental conditions play important roles in determining microplastic ingestion levels in commercial fish.

2022 Chemosphere 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution in the fish flesh as physical pollutants: Preliminary study

Researchers investigated the distribution of microplastics within the flesh of golden threadfin bream (Nemipterus virgatus), a commercially important marine fish from peninsular Malaysia, by dissecting fillets into dorsal, ventral, and caudal sections. The preliminary study found microplastics present in fish muscle tissue, not only in digestive organs, indicating that microplastic contamination penetrates into consumed fish flesh.

2025 Journal of Marine Studies
Article Tier 2

Abundance, characteristics, and risk assessment of microplastics in indigenous freshwater fishes of India

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in five widely consumed freshwater fish species from India and found plastic particles in all specimens, with fibers being the most dominant type. Evidence of microplastics in edible fish tissue indicates translocation from the gut, suggesting a pathway for human exposure through consumption. Risk assessment showed that while microplastic abundance posed a low quantitative risk, the polymer types identified indicated a high hazard potential for the fish species studied.

2022 Environmental Research 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Threats of Microplastic Pollution on Fishes and its Implications on Human Health (Review Article)

This review summarizes research from 2010 to 2023 on microplastic contamination in fish and its potential implications for human health. Researchers found that microplastics are ingested by fish across diverse aquatic environments, with particles accumulating in the gastrointestinal tract and other tissues. The study highlights concerns that microplastic-contaminated seafood may represent a pathway for human exposure to both the plastic particles and associated chemical pollutants.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidence of Microplastic Translocation in Wild-Caught Fish and Implications for Microplastic Accumulation Dynamics in Food Webs

Researchers found microplastics not just in the stomachs but also in the muscle tissue and livers of wild-caught fish from a Canadian lake, confirming that microplastics can move from the gut into other body tissues. Interestingly, smaller fish had more translocated particles per gram of body weight than larger fish, and there was no clear pattern of microplastics building up at higher levels of the food chain. The study highlights that people eating fish fillets may be consuming microplastics that have moved beyond the gut into edible tissue.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 250 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and properties of microplastics found in commercial fish meal and cultured common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in four varieties of commercial fish meal and then tracked the transfer of those particles to cultured common carp fed on the meal. They found microplastics present in all fish meal varieties, predominantly fragments of polypropylene and polystyrene, with particles transferring to the fish gastrointestinal tract and gills. The study highlights fish meal as a previously overlooked pathway by which microplastics can enter aquaculture and potentially the human food supply.

2019 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 158 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure of U.S. adults to microplastics from commonly-consumed proteins

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in 16 commonly consumed protein products in the United States, including seafoods, terrestrial meats, and plant-based proteins at three levels of processing. Microplastics were detected across all protein categories, with highly processed products generally containing more particles than minimally processed ones.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics occurrence in water, sediment and edible small indigenous fish species in seasonal freshwater wetland ecosystems of Bangladesh

Researchers found microplastics in the guts, gills, and muscle tissue of three commonly eaten fish species from seasonal wetlands in Bangladesh. Dried fish contained more microplastics than fresh fish, suggesting that the drying process concentrates plastic particles. Since these small fish are a dietary staple for local communities and are often eaten whole, this represents a direct pathway for microplastic exposure in human diets.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Worldwide contamination of fish with microplastics: A brief global overview

A literature review from March 2019 to March 2020 synthesized worldwide data on microplastic contamination in fish, finding that a median of 60% of fish from 198 species across 24 countries contained microplastics in their organs. Carnivorous species ingested more microplastics than herbivores, consistent with trophic transfer and bioaccumulation through food webs.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 144 citations
Article Tier 2

Dried fish more prone to microplastics contamination over fresh fish – Higher potential of trophic transfer to human body

Researchers compared microplastic contamination levels in fresh versus dried fish from commercially important species in the Bay of Bengal. The study found that dried fish contained significantly more microplastics than fresh fish, likely due to environmental exposure during the drying process. The findings suggest that consuming dried fish may increase human exposure to microplastics through the food chain.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 31 citations