Papers

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Article Tier 2

Mitigating Dietary Microplastic Accumulation and Oxidative Stress Response in European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Juveniles Using a Natural Microencapsulated Antioxidant

In a study with European seabass, researchers found that microplastics in fish feed were absorbed through the gut and accumulated in the liver, triggering oxidative stress. However, when the fish were also given microencapsulated natural astaxanthin (an antioxidant), it reduced both the stress response and the amount of microplastics absorbed by clumping the particles together in the gut. This suggests that certain natural compounds might help reduce the harmful effects of dietary microplastic exposure.

2024 Antioxidants 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Mitigation of Dietary Microplastic Accumulation and Oxidative Stress Response in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Fry Through Dietary Supplementation of a Natural Microencapsulated Antioxidant

Researchers tested whether a microencapsulated natural antioxidant, astaxanthin, could protect rainbow trout fry from the harmful effects of dietary microplastics over a 60-day feeding trial. The antioxidant supplement reduced microplastic accumulation in fish tissues and helped counteract oxidative stress caused by the plastic particles. The findings suggest that dietary interventions could help mitigate microplastic harm in farmed fish, with potential implications for aquaculture safety.

2025 Animals 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances in Understanding Micro‐ and Nanoplastic Toxicity on Farmed Fish and Emerging Nutritional Interventions

This review examined the toxic effects of micro- and nanoplastics on farmed fish and explored emerging nutritional interventions to mitigate those effects. Researchers found that microplastics reduce feed utilization, cause physical abrasion, and trigger oxidative stress in fish, while certain dietary supplements show promise in enhancing fish resilience against microplastic-related toxicity.

2026 Reviews in Aquaculture
Article Tier 2

Micro-algal astaxanthin ameliorates polystyrene microplastics-triggered necroptosis and inflammation by mediating mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis in carp’s head kidney lymphocytes (Cyprinus carpio L.)

Researchers investigated whether astaxanthin, a natural pigment from microalgae, could protect carp immune cells from damage caused by polystyrene microplastics. They found that astaxanthin reduced inflammation and cell death triggered by microplastics by helping maintain calcium balance within the cells' mitochondria. The study suggests that natural antioxidant compounds may help mitigate some of the harmful immune effects of microplastic exposure in fish.

2023 Fish & Shellfish Immunology 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Captivating Colors, Crucial Roles: Astaxanthin’s Antioxidant Impact on Fish Oxidative Stress and Reproductive Performance

This review examines how the antioxidant astaxanthin can protect fish from oxidative stress and improve their reproductive health in aquaculture settings. While not directly about microplastics, the research is relevant because microplastic exposure causes oxidative stress in fish, and antioxidants like astaxanthin could help mitigate that damage. Understanding these protective mechanisms may be important for maintaining the health and safety of farmed fish destined for human consumption.

2023 Animals 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Protective efficacy of dietary natural antioxidants on microplastic particles-induced histopathological lesions in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Researchers tested whether dietary natural antioxidants could protect African catfish from tissue damage caused by microplastic ingestion. Fish fed microplastics alone showed significant kidney, liver, and intestinal damage including cellular necrosis and tissue fibrosis, while fish receiving lycopene, citric acid, or chlorella alongside the microplastics showed substantially reduced tissue injury. The study suggests that natural antioxidant supplementation may help mitigate the harmful effects of microplastic exposure in aquaculture species.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of protective efficacy of quercetin on microplastic induced behavioural toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Zebrafish were exposed to microplastics alone and in combination with quercetin at 75 ug/L for 21 days to evaluate whether quercetin could protect against microplastic-induced behavioral toxicity. Microplastic exposure caused behavioral abnormalities, and quercetin treatment modified these effects in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting antioxidant supplementation as a potential protective strategy.

2024 International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of naturally-aged microplastics on zebrafish juveniles: A more realistic approach to plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems

Researchers exposed juvenile zebrafish to naturally aged polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations for five days. They found that the microplastics disrupted the fish's antioxidant defenses, indicating oxidative stress, and caused measurable cellular and neurological impacts. The study suggests that even short-term exposure to realistic levels of weathered microplastics can affect the health of freshwater organisms.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 162 citations
Article Tier 2

Astaxanthin mitigates oxidative stress caused by microplastics at the expense of reduced skin pigmentation in discus fish

Researchers investigated how microplastics affect skin color in discus fish and whether the antioxidant astaxanthin could help. They found that microplastic exposure triggered oxidative stress that reduced skin pigmentation, and while astaxanthin supplementation improved coloring and antioxidant defenses, the pigment was diverted from skin coloration toward fighting oxidative damage. The study suggests that microplastic-induced stress forces fish to make trade-offs between maintaining body color and combating internal damage.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene nano- and microplastics and of microplastics with sorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in adult zebrafish

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to nano- and microplastic particles of different sizes, some carrying additional chemical pollutants, over a 21-day period. The study found that nanoplastics and microplastics triggered different stress responses in the fish, with nanoplastics altering antioxidant gene activity and microplastics causing liver changes. The findings suggest that particle size matters when it comes to the biological effects of plastic pollution in aquatic organisms.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Vitamin E Mitigates Polystyrene-Nanoplastic-Induced Visual Dysfunction in Zebrafish Larvae

Researchers found that vitamin E, a common antioxidant, can protect against vision damage caused by polystyrene nanoplastics in zebrafish larvae. The nanoplastics caused eye defects and visual impairment by triggering harmful oxidative stress, but vitamin E treatment significantly reduced this damage, suggesting antioxidants might help counteract some harmful effects of nanoplastic exposure.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Genotoxic and Oxidative Damage of Environmental Pollutant Microplastics on Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics at different concentrations for up to 21 days to measure oxidative stress and DNA damage. The study found that both types of microplastics disrupted the antioxidant system and caused measurable DNA damage, with effects depending on dosage and exposure time. These results suggest that microplastics in waterways could pose genetic and cellular risks to aquatic life.

2025 Journal of Applied Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Spirulina platensis supplementation remediates microplastics-induced growth inhibition and stress in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

Nile tilapia fish exposed to microplastics showed reduced growth, intestinal damage, and signs of immune stress, but adding the dietary supplement Spirulina to their feed significantly reversed these harmful effects. Spirulina reduced oxidative stress and helped repair gut damage caused by microplastic exposure. While this is a fish study, it suggests that certain natural supplements might help protect against some of the biological damage caused by microplastic ingestion.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastic exposure and concurrent effect with Aeromonas hydrophila infection on zebrafish

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastic exposure in zebrafish caused oxidative stress, altered antioxidant enzyme activity, and induced intestinal damage, with concurrent Aeromonas hydrophila infection amplifying these toxic effects and increasing mortality rates.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioremediation of hemotoxic and oxidative stress induced by polyethylene microplastic in Clarias gariepinus using lycopene, citric acid, and chlorella

Researchers found that lycopene, citric acid, and chlorella provided protective bioremediation against polyethylene microplastic toxicity in African catfish, reducing hemotoxicity, oxidative stress, and tissue accumulation of MPs in the first study of phytobioremediation against MP toxicity in fish.

2021 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Astaxanthin: a powerful antioxidant used in aquaculture for coloration with aquatic animal health implications

Not relevant to microplastics — this review covers astaxanthin, a natural antioxidant pigment used in aquaculture, and its potential health benefits for farmed fish and crustaceans.

2023 Journal of Animal Science and Animal Nutrition 2 citations
Article Tier 2

IDENTIFYING AN OXIDATIVE STRESS RESPONSE IN ZEBRAFISH (Danio rerio) FED WITH MICROPLASTICS

Researchers fed zebrafish four different diets including commercial fish flakes, virgin pellets, and microplastics collected from two Canary Island beaches for 60 days, measuring catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, lipid peroxidation, and electron transport system activity at four time points. GST generally increased across all treatments, while CAT and ETS showed variable patterns, indicating an enzymatic stress response influenced by microplastic origin and composition.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics induce toxic effects in fish: Bioaccumulation, hematological parameters and antioxidant responses

Researchers exposed juvenile fish to polyamide microplastics and found the particles accumulated primarily in the intestine, gills, and liver, causing reduced blood oxygen-carrying capacity, liver stress, and disrupted antioxidant defenses. These findings matter because fish are an important food source for humans, and microplastic accumulation in fish tissues could transfer these contaminants to people through their diet.

2025 Chemosphere 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating Silymarin Extract as a Potent Antioxidant Supplement in Diazinon-Exposed Rainbow Trout: Oxidative Stress and Biochemical Parameter Analysis

This study tested whether silymarin, a natural antioxidant from milk thistle, could protect rainbow trout from liver damage caused by the pesticide diazinon. Silymarin successfully reduced oxidative stress and restored many blood markers to normal levels in the exposed fish. While not directly about microplastics, the research is relevant because microplastics in water can carry pesticides like diazinon, and understanding protective compounds could help address the combined toxic effects of these pollutants on aquatic food sources.

2023 Toxics 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity evaluation of the combination of emerging pollutants with polyethylene microplastics in zebrafish: Perspective study of genotoxicity, mutagenicity, and redox unbalance

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene microplastics combined with a mixture of common water pollutants for 15 days and assessed DNA damage, mutation rates, and oxidative stress. They found that microplastics alone caused DNA damage and nuclear abnormalities as severe as those caused by the pollutant mixture, challenging the assumption that microplastics are less harmful than chemical contaminants. The study revealed that the fish's antioxidant defenses were overwhelmed across multiple organs, suggesting widespread oxidative damage from microplastic exposure.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Probiotics ameliorate polyethylene microplastics-induced liver injury by inhibition of oxidative stress in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Researchers investigated whether probiotics could protect Nile tilapia from liver damage caused by polystyrene microplastics. The study found that fish pre-fed with probiotics showed significantly reduced oxidative stress markers in the liver compared to those exposed to microplastics alone, suggesting that probiotics may help mitigate microplastic-induced hepatic oxidative damage in fish.

2022 Fish & Shellfish Immunology 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of chronic exposure of naturally weathered microplastics on oxidative stress level, behaviour, and mitochondrial function of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to naturally weathered microplastics for 21 days and assessed behavioral changes, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function. The study found that weathered microplastics induced anxiety-like behavior, elevated oxidative stress markers, and disrupted mitochondrial function, suggesting that real-world weathered microplastics may pose different biological risks than pristine laboratory particles.

2022 Chemosphere 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on the accumulation and neurotoxicity of methylmercury in zebrafish larvae

Researchers found that microplastics can adsorb methylmercury and act as carriers, increasing its accumulation in zebrafish larvae and worsening neurotoxicity by disrupting locomotor activity and triggering oxidative stress.

2022 Marine Environmental Research 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics, pesticides and nano-materials on fish health, oxidative stress and antioxidant defense mechanism

This review examines how microplastics, pesticides, and nanoparticles harm fish by causing oxidative stress, DNA damage, immune system disruption, and changes in gut bacteria. Since contaminated fish is a major pathway for microplastics and pesticides to enter the human diet, declining fish health and quality directly affect food safety and human nutrition worldwide.

2023 Frontiers in Physiology 170 citations