Papers

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Article Tier 2

Microplastics accumulation in gut and revealing their impacts on nutritional quality and health of freshwater carp, Catla catla

Researchers fed common carp (Catla catla) diets containing increasing concentrations of polylactic acid microplastics (PLA-MPs) — a type of biodegradable plastic — for 90 days, finding that at higher levels the fish experienced stunted growth, reduced nutrient absorption, altered blood cell counts, and intestinal tissue damage. The study demonstrates that even "biodegradable" microplastics can accumulate in fish and significantly harm their health.

2024 Aquaculture Reports 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential toxic effects of polylactic acid microplastics accumulation on multiple tissue structures and hematology in carp

Researchers exposed common carp to polylactic acid microplastics over an extended period and assessed effects on multiple tissue types and blood parameters. PLA-MP accumulation caused histological damage in gills, liver, and intestine, and altered hematological markers, demonstrating that biodegradable plastics are not toxicologically inert to fish.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Plastic food? Energy compensation of zebrafish (Danio rerio) after long-term exposure to polylactic acid biomicroplastics

Zebrafish exposed to biodegradable PLA (polylactic acid) microplastics for 90 days accumulated more plastic in their guts than fish exposed to conventional PET plastic, and suffered more intestinal damage. Although the fish partially compensated by using the PLA breakdown products for energy, the study shows that bio-based plastics still carry meaningful ecological risks for aquatic organisms that can enter our food chain.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Polylactic Acid-Based Microplastic Particles Induced Oxidative Damage in Brain and Gills of Goldfish Carassius auratus

Researchers exposed goldfish to particles from biodegradable polylactic acid cups and shopping bags, as well as conventional polyamide plastic, for 96 hours. They found that the PLA cup particles caused significant oxidative damage in the fish's brain and gill tissues, while the bag and conventional plastic particles did not. The study raises important questions about whether bioplastic alternatives may pose their own environmental risks to aquatic life.

2023 Water 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-level toxicity assessment of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics on the cladoceran Daphnia magna

Researchers tested the toxicity of microplastics made from polylactic acid (PLA), a common bioplastic marketed as an eco-friendly alternative, on water fleas over 21 days. The PLA microplastics caused oxidative stress, depleted energy reserves, and reduced reproduction, though effects were generally milder than those reported for conventional plastics. This study challenges the assumption that bioplastics are harmless once they break down in the environment.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Multiple endpoints of polylactic acid biomicroplastic toxicity in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic microparticles for 30 days and found accumulation in liver, brain, gills, and tissue, along with social behavior disruption, cholinergic changes, oxidative imbalance, and altered pigmentation — challenging the assumption that biodegradable bioplastics are environmentally benign.

2021 Chemosphere 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment on intestinal health from polylactic acid microplastics degradation on rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus): Inflammation regulation by mitochondrial dysfunction

Researchers exposed rare minnow fish to photodegraded polylactic acid microplastics to assess intestinal health effects. The study found that these biodegradable plastic particles induced visible intestinal damage, triggered inflammation through mitochondrial dysfunction, and caused oxidative stress, suggesting that even biodegradable plastics may pose ecological risks after environmental degradation.

2025 Environmental Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Revealing the environmental hazard posed by biodegradable microplastics in aquatic ecosystems: An investigation of polylactic acid's effects on Microcystis aeruginosa

Researchers tested whether biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics are safer for aquatic life than traditional plastics by exposing the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to them for 63 days. Surprisingly, PLA microplastics actually promoted algae growth despite causing oxidative stress and cell damage, which could fuel harmful algal blooms. This suggests that so-called biodegradable plastics may still pose environmental risks and are not necessarily a safe alternative in aquatic ecosystems.

2024 Environmental Pollution 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecological impacts of polylactic acid and polylactic acid-polyethylene microplastics on freshwater ecosystems: Insights from a water–Vallisneria natans–sediment system

Researchers tested the effects of biodegradable PLA and PLA-polyethylene blend microplastics on a freshwater ecosystem containing aquatic plants and sediment. Both types of microplastics altered water chemistry, reduced plant growth, increased oxidative stress, and shifted the microbial communities in both water and sediment. The study demonstrates that even biodegradable plastic alternatives can disrupt freshwater ecosystems in meaningful ways.

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

Green toxicology approach involving polylactic acid biomicroplastics and neotropical tadpoles: (Eco)toxicological safety or environmental hazard?

Tadpoles exposed to polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic microparticles — a biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics — showed toxic effects at environmentally relevant concentrations. The findings challenge the assumption that bioplastics are automatically safe for aquatic organisms and call for thorough ecotoxicological testing before treating them as a solution to plastic pollution.

2021 The Science of the total environment
Article Tier 2

Comparative toxicity of virgin and biodegraded LLDPE microplastics on growth, behavior, antioxidant, and hematological health of Catla catla fish

Researchers compared the toxicity of virgin versus bacterially degraded polyethylene microplastics on freshwater fish, finding that both types caused abnormal behaviors and disrupted blood parameters in a dose-dependent manner. However, biodegraded microplastics produced less severe effects on growth, survival, and antioxidant enzyme activity, suggesting that microbial degradation may reduce the ecological risk posed by microplastic pollution.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Deleterious Effects of Polypropylene Microplastic Ingestion in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Researchers fed Nile tilapia daily doses of polypropylene microplastics for 30 days and observed significant health effects including changes in blood cell counts, altered gut bacteria, and tissue damage to the intestines and liver. The higher dose group showed more pronounced effects, including elevated inflammatory markers and signs of oxidative stress. The study provides evidence that chronic ingestion of microplastics commonly found in aquatic environments can cause meaningful harm to a widely consumed fish species.

2023 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Behavioral and biochemical consequences of Danio rerio larvae exposure to polylactic acid bioplastic.

Zebrafish larvae exposed to polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic particles for five days showed behavioral changes including altered locomotion and biochemical disruptions — and the particles accumulated in the larvae. The results indicate that PLA bioplastics are not harmless to aquatic life and deserve the same ecological scrutiny as petroleum-based plastics.

2021 Journal of hazardous materials
Article Tier 2

Chronic toxicity of biodegradable microplastic (Polylactic acid) to Daphnia magna: A comparison with polyethylene terephthalate

Scientists compared the toxicity of biodegradable PLA microplastics with conventional PET microplastics on water fleas and found that PLA was actually more harmful. At higher concentrations, PLA microplastics killed nearly half the organisms, reduced reproduction, and increased birth defects more than PET particles did. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are safer for the environment, suggesting they may pose similar or even greater ecological risks than conventional plastics.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics exposure in freshwater fish, Labeo rohita: evaluation of physiology and histopathology

Researchers fed freshwater fish varying levels of polystyrene microplastics for 90 days and found dose-dependent damage to blood health, growth, and organ tissues. Higher microplastic concentrations caused more severe harm to the liver, kidneys, gills, and intestines. The study highlights that microplastics in freshwater systems can accumulate in fish and cause significant health problems, raising concerns about food safety for communities that rely on freshwater fish.

2025 Scientific Reports 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of biodegradable and conventional microplastics on the intestine, intestinal community composition, and metabolic levels in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)

Researchers exposed tilapia fish to both biodegradable (PLA) and conventional (PVC) microplastics for 14 days and compared the effects on their intestines and gut bacteria. Both types of microplastics caused intestinal inflammation and disrupted the gut microbial community, though the specific effects differed between the two plastic types. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may not be substantially safer for aquatic life than conventional ones.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Are polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics a risk to marine organisms? Acute and chronic effects on the amphipods Gammarus aequicauda

Researchers tested whether polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, often marketed as a biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics, are safe for marine life. Both short-term and long-term exposure to PLA microplastics harmed marine amphipods, causing mortality at high concentrations and reduced growth and reproduction at lower levels. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to the environment and suggests they may pose similar risks as conventional microplastics.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 6 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effects of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics on the Growth Rate, Liver Enzyme, and Serum Metabolites of Cirrhinus mrigala

Scientists found that plastic particles in water seriously harm fish by damaging their liver and slowing their growth. Since we eat fish and plastic pollution affects the entire food chain, this research suggests that microplastics could eventually impact human health too. The more plastic particles in the water, the sicker the fish became, which is concerning because plastic pollution in our waterways keeps getting worse.

2026 Pakistan Journal of Zoological Sciences
Article Tier 2

Toxicological consequences of polystyrene microplastics on Cirrhinus mrigala: effects on growth, body composition, nutrient digestibility, haematology and histopathology

Researchers evaluated the toxicological effects of polystyrene microplastics on the Indian major carp Cirrhinus mrigala, measuring growth, body composition, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, and histopathology. Polystyrene microplastic exposure impaired growth performance and caused dose-dependent tissue damage in liver and intestinal organs.

2024 Marine and Freshwater Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Microplastic Exposure on Crucian Growth, Liver Damage, and Gut Microbiome Composition].

Researchers exposed crucian carp to varying concentrations of polyethylene microplastics in feed for 30 days and found that low-concentration exposure increased body weight while higher concentrations caused liver damage and altered gut microbiome composition, suggesting dose-dependent effects.

2022 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Polylactic acid microplastics before and after aging induced neurotoxicity in zebrafish by disrupting the microbiota-gut-brain axis

Researchers exposed zebrafish to microplastics made from PLA, a common biodegradable plastic, and found that both new and aged PLA particles caused brain and nerve damage, including sluggish behavior, memory problems, and increased aggression. Aged PLA particles were even more toxic, and the damage appeared to work through disruption of the gut-brain connection, raising concerns about the safety of biodegradable plastics as they break down in water.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity comparison of polylactic acid and polyethylene microplastics co-exposed with methylmercury on Daphnia magna

Researchers compared the toxicity of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics with conventional polyethylene microplastics, both alone and in combination with methylmercury, on water fleas. The biodegradable microplastics caused greater harm, significantly reducing survival and reproduction while also increasing mercury accumulation in the organisms. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for the environment, suggesting they may actually enhance the toxicity of co-occurring pollutants.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological effects of low-density polyethylene microplastic on Heteropneustes fossilis: behavioral, hematological, biochemical, and histopathological impacts

Scientists exposed freshwater fish to tiny plastic particles (microplastics) from everyday items like plastic bags and found they caused serious health problems including blood disorders, organ damage, and weakened immune systems. The higher the amount of plastic particles, the worse the damage became to vital organs like gills, intestines, and liver. This matters because these same microplastics are found throughout our food chain and water supply, raising concerns about potential health risks for humans who consume contaminated fish and water.

2026 Frontiers in Aquaculture
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastic exposure on the early developmental period and circadian rhythm of zebrafish (Danio rerio): A comparative study of polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid

Researchers compared the effects of two biodegradable plastics, polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid, on zebrafish development and behavior. Both materials caused subtle developmental effects and disrupted circadian rhythm patterns at higher concentrations. The findings suggest that even plastics marketed as biodegradable alternatives can produce microplastic particles that may affect aquatic organisms.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 51 citations