Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Study of feeding biology and diet-associated microplastic contamination in selected creek fishes of northeastern Arabian Sea: A multi-species approach

Researchers studied the feeding biology and diet-associated microplastic contamination of selected fish species, finding that feeding habits directly influence the quantity and type of microplastics ingested. The results demonstrate that trophic position and prey preferences are key predictors of microplastic exposure in wild fish.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Variability in the drivers of microplastic consumption by fish across four lake ecosystems

Researchers examined microplastic consumption by three fish species across four lakes in Minnesota and found that ingestion rates varied by species and feeding strategy. Filter-feeding fish consumed microplastics at rates that matched local water contamination levels, while visual feeders did not show the same pattern. The findings indicate that a fish's feeding behavior plays a major role in determining its microplastic exposure.

2024 Frontiers in Earth Science 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in riverine fish is connected to species traits

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in fish and surface waters from three Lake Michigan tributaries and found that a fish's feeding behavior — particularly bottom-feeding — was a stronger predictor of microplastic ingestion than the local water concentration. Round goby bottom-feeders had the highest microplastic loads, suggesting that food web position plays a key role in how microplastics accumulate in freshwater fish.

2018 Scientific Reports 372 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk assessment of microplastics in fish assemblage based on ecological preferences in an interconnected and polluted river system

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination across 15 fish species with different feeding habits in Pakistan's River Ravi, finding that bottom-dwelling and omnivorous fish accumulated more microplastics, with contamination levels posing ecological risk.

2023 Human and Ecological Risk Assessment An International Journal 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Foraging Habit Determines the Amount of Microplastics Ingested in Five Fish Species from a Northern Adriatic Lagoon

A two-season survey of five commercially important fish species in a Northern Adriatic lagoon found that microplastic ingestion rates varied dramatically by feeding strategy — from 16% in surface-feeding silversides to 92% in detritus-feeding mullet — with polyethylene and polypropylene fibres and fragments identified by Raman spectroscopy. The strong link between foraging behaviour and microplastic load has direct implications for food safety risk assessments, since bottom-feeding fish consumed by humans carry the highest burdens.

2026 Water Air & Soil Pollution
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater Fish: First Insights from Gelingüllü Reservoir (Türkiye)

Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic contamination in freshwater fish from Gelingullu Reservoir in Turkey, examining common carp, mirror carp, and European perch. Microplastics were found in 75% of the 77 fish examined, with fibers being the dominant type and particles smaller than 100 micrometers being most prevalent. Polystyrene, polyester, and polypropylene were the main polymers identified across gill and gastrointestinal tract samples.

2025 Water Air & Soil Pollution 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics accumulation in functional feeding guilds and functional habit groups of freshwater macrobenthic invertebrates: Novel insights in a riverine ecosystem

Microplastics were found across functional feeding groups and habitat types of freshwater macroinvertebrates in an Italian river, with collector-gatherers and sediment-dwelling species showing higher contamination, confirming that dietary and behavioral ecology shapes microplastic exposure patterns in invertebrate communities.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Fish Feeding Habitat and Diet on Microplastic Concentrations in Gastrointestinal Tracts of St. Lawrence River Fish

This study examined microplastic contamination in fish from the St. Lawrence River in Canada, finding that fish feeding habits and diet significantly influenced how many plastic particles their digestive tracts contained. Bottom-feeding fish that consume sediment-associated food ingested more microplastics, providing insight into how contamination moves through freshwater food webs.

2022 Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion in invasive mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki): a nationwide survey from Türkiye

Researchers conducted a nationwide survey of microplastic ingestion in 621 invasive mosquitofish across 24 freshwater sites in Turkey. They found that fibers were the dominant particle shape at 66%, with PET and polyethylene being the most common polymer types, and that fish from sites with higher anthropogenic pressure contained more microplastics. The study provides large-scale evidence that freshwater fish widely ingest microplastics, with contamination levels reflecting local human activity.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Factors affecting microplastic accumulation by wild fish: A case study in the Nandu River, South China

Researchers examined microplastic accumulation in 179 wild fish across 27 species in the Nandu River in southern China, finding microplastics in over 90% of fish sampled. Surprisingly, factors like fish size, feeding habits, and habitat did not significantly affect how much microplastic fish accumulated, suggesting that intake may be largely random. The study highlights that smaller fish face proportionally higher microplastic exposure relative to their body weight and may be more vulnerable to harmful effects.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Microplastics in the Surface Water, Sediment and Fish of Sürgü Dam Reservoir (Malatya) in Turkey

Researchers found microplastic contamination across water, sediment, and fish tissues in Sürgü Dam Reservoir in Turkey, with fibers as the dominant type, polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene as the main polymers, and an average of 0.41 microplastic particles per fish.

2021 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Different Tissues of Five Common Fishes from Yuehai Lake: Accumulation, Characterization, and Contamination Assessment

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the gills and digestive tracts of five fish species from a Chinese lake, finding that fish eating a wider variety of foods accumulated more particles. Different plastic polymer types dominated in different tissues, confirming that microplastics move through freshwater food webs and reach fish that humans consume.

2025 Malaysian Journal of Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Low level of microplastic contamination in wild fish from an urban estuary

Researchers found low levels of microplastic contamination in 26 wild fish species from the Pearl River Estuary, South China, with abundance and polymer composition varying by species feeding strategy and habitat depth, suggesting that estuarine fish exposure depends substantially on ecological niche.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Big eyes can't see microplastics: Feeding selectivity and eco-morphological adaptations in oral cavity affect microplastic uptake in mud-dwelling amphibious mudskipper fish

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in mudskipper fish from the Ulhas River estuary in India, finding that pollution levels increased from suburban to urban-industrial areas. The fish ingested primarily filament-shaped microplastics, likely due to their filter-feeding habits and oral cavity adaptations. The study also found that microplastics served as carriers for heavy metals, suggesting they act as vectors for additional contaminants in estuarine ecosystems.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion in invasive mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki): a nationwide survey from Türkiye

Researchers surveyed microplastic ingestion in over 600 mosquitofish across 24 freshwater sites in Türkiye, finding microplastics in fish at nearly all sites, with PET and polyethylene fibers dominating and higher contamination near agricultural and residential areas. The study demonstrates that this invasive, surface-feeding fish is an effective indicator species for tracking localized microplastic pollution.

2025 Environmental Sciences Europe
Article Tier 2

Size-selective microplastic uptake by freshwater organisms: Fish, mussel, and zooplankton

Researchers assessed microplastic ingestion by organisms at different trophic levels in the polluted Susurluk River Basin in Turkey, including zooplankton, mussels, and fish. The study found that while no microplastic ingestion was observed in zooplankton, both mussels and fish contained microplastics, with size-selective uptake patterns varying across organism types.

2023 Environmental Pollution 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of microplastic ingestion in commercial fish from Surabaya river, Indonesia

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in commercial fish species from the Surabaya River in Indonesia, a major urban waterway used for both clean water supply and fisheries. They found microplastics present in all fish studied, with variations in abundance linked to feeding behavior and habitat. The findings raise concerns about food safety for communities that rely on river fish as a dietary staple.

2023 Environmental Pollution 23 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

Assessing the bioaccumulation of microplastics in commercially important fish species

Researchers assessed microplastic accumulation in commercially important fish species from coastal and offshore waters, finding significant differences between species based on feeding strategies and habitat depth. Filter feeders and omnivorous species accumulated more microplastics than others, reflecting diet-based differences across trophic levels. The study raises concerns about human dietary exposure to microplastics through widely consumed seafood products.

2025 International Journal of Aquatic Research and Environmental Studies 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Can Fish Escape the Evolutionary Trap Induced by Microplastics?

Researchers tested three fish species—bass, carp, and goldfish—to quantify how their sensory systems and social context influence microplastic ingestion. Bass responded to visual food cues, carp to olfactory ones, and goldfish relied on oral processing; group size and fasting time altered MP ingestion, showing that species-specific foraging strategies create an evolutionary trap around microplastics.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution at Different Trophic Levels of Freshwater Fish in a Variety of Türkiye`s Lakes and Dams

This study surveyed microplastic contamination in seven freshwater fish species from lakes and reservoirs across Türkiye, finding microplastic particles in the gastrointestinal tracts of all 406 fish examined. All ingested microplastics were fibres, predominantly blue in colour, suggesting textile sources. The broad geographic scope and 100% prevalence across species and water bodies indicate that microplastic contamination of freshwater fish is widespread throughout Türkiye, with implications for human exposure through fish consumption.

2023 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characterization of microplastic content in the digestive system of riverine fishes

Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, characteristics and variation of microplastics in different freshwater fish species from Bangladesh

Researchers examined 48 freshwater fish from 18 species in Bangladesh and found microplastics in the digestive tracts of over 73% of the fish studied. Fibers were the most common shape, and the plastics were primarily polyethylene and polypropylene-based polymers. Bottom-dwelling fish contained more microplastics than those living higher in the water column, suggesting that contaminated sediments are a significant source of exposure for freshwater species.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 220 citations
Article Tier 2

Fish species, habitat, and capture location outweigh fish mass as drivers of microplastic pollution in Canadian Arctic fishes

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in 435 stomachs and gastrointestinal tracts of seven freshwater fish species from the Canadian Arctic. The study found that fish species, habitat type, and capture location were more important drivers of microplastic levels than fish size, with demersal species and those near larger human populations containing significantly more microplastics.

2026 The Science of The Total Environment