Papers

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Article Tier 2

Microplastics ingestion by deep-sea decapod crustaceans from the Western Mediterranean

Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in four deep-sea decapod crustacean species collected from Sardinian and Catalan Mediterranean waters, dissecting gastrointestinal tracts from 210 individuals and characterizing ingested particles. They found microplastics in approximately 70% of examined specimens, revealing significant ingestion of microplastics by deep-sea benthic crustaceans and differences between Mediterranean regions, highlighting contamination of previously understudied deep-sea fauna.

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

Comparative assessment of microplastic ingestion among deep sea decapods: Distribution analysis in Sardinian and Catalan waters

Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in four species of deep-sea shrimp and lobster from the Mediterranean Sea, finding that nearly 73% of the animals had consumed microplastics. Fiber-shaped microplastics were by far the most common type found, and contamination levels varied between species and regions. The study shows that even deep-sea crustaceans consumed by humans are exposed to significant microplastic pollution.

2025 Environmental Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial occurrence and effects of microplastic ingestion on the deep-water shrimp Aristeus antennatus

Researchers found that 39% of deep-water shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) sampled across the Mediterranean contained microplastics in their stomachs, with ingestion rates reaching 100% near Barcelona, and that microfibers were likely retained long-term due to stomach morphology — though no measurable effects on the shrimps' physical condition were detected.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 121 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion by deep‐pelagic crustaceans and fishes

Among 557 individual deep-pelagic crustaceans and fishes from the Gulf of Mexico, 29% of crustaceans and 26% of fishes had ingested microplastics, with ingestion rates in non-migratory fishes increasing with depth and reaching 40% at 1200-1500 m, suggesting plastic accumulates at greater ocean depths.

2023 Limnology and Oceanography 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Consistent microplastic ingestion by deep-sea invertebrates over the last four decades (1976–2015), a study from the North East Atlantic

Researchers found consistent microplastic ingestion by deep-sea invertebrates in the North East Atlantic over a 40-year period from 1976 to 2015, demonstrating that microplastic contamination of remote deep-sea habitats is a long-standing and persistent problem.

2018 Environmental Pollution 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Does the microplastics ingestion patterns and polymer composition vary across the oceanic zones? A case study from the Indian coast

Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in 27 species of deep-sea fish from the Central Indian Ocean and found contamination in 19 of them, with PET being the most common polymer. The study suggests that feeding behavior, rather than habitat depth or trophic level, is the primary factor influencing how much microplastic deep-sea fish ingest, and proposes these fish could serve as indicators for monitoring deep-sea plastic pollution.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characterization of microplastics in amphipods from the Japanese coastal environment

Researchers found high levels of microplastic ingestion in coastal amphipods from Japan, with up to 76 particles per individual and 83% of particles smaller than 90 µm, predominantly polyethylene, raising concerns about microplastic transfer through coastal food webs.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion by pelagic and benthic fish and diet composition: A case study in the NW Iberian shelf

Researchers found microplastics in 78% of fish examined across four pelagic and benthic species from the NW Iberian shelf, with ingestion rates varying by feeding ecology and habitat depth, and identified predominantly fibers and fragments in gastrointestinal contents following alkaline tissue digestion.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastic fibers tangle in deep-water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris, Lucas, 1846) in the northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Researchers detected microplastic fibers — at an average of 18.8 particles per individual — in 100% of deep-water rose shrimp sampled from two sites in the northeastern Mediterranean, indicating pervasive microplastic contamination even in deep-sea commercial crustaceans.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the crustaceans Nephrops norvegicus and Aristeus antennatus: Flagship species for deep-sea environments?

Researchers found microplastics in 83% of Norwegian lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) and the majority of shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) collected from deep-sea sites around Sardinia at depths of 270-660 m, identifying over 2000 microplastic-like particles by μFT-IR, suggesting deep-sea crustaceans could serve as flagship indicators of microplastic contamination.

2019 Environmental Pollution 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastics and occurrence of parasite association in Mediterranean anchovy and sardine

Scientists quantified microplastic ingestion in European sardines and anchovies from the Northwestern Mediterranean, finding 58–60% occurrence rates and noting that parasite infection was negatively associated with microplastic presence, suggesting shared ecological or physiological factors.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 91 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of benthic by–catches from an eastern Mediterranean deep–sea environment

Microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of eight deep-sea fish species collected as bycatch from the eastern Mediterranean near Sardinia, including all three shark species sampled, demonstrating microplastic contamination in deep-sea ecosystems at depths down to several hundred meters.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the relation between plastic ingestion in species and its presence in seafloor bottoms

This study examined the relationship between microplastic abundance on the western Mediterranean seafloor and microplastic ingestion by marine species caught in the same bottom trawl hauls. Fish and invertebrates that live near plastic-rich seafloor sediments had higher rates of microplastic ingestion, suggesting that benthic plastic accumulation drives exposure in bottom-feeding organisms.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion and retention in penaeid shrimp from the Arabian Sea

Researchers examined the digestive tracts of four commercially harvested shrimp species from the Arabian Sea coast of India and found microplastics in all four, including fibers, pellets, spheres, and fragments made of polyethylene, polystyrene, and other common plastics — providing baseline contamination data for an important seafood source.

2025 Discover Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and synthetic particles ingested by deep-sea amphipods in six of the deepest marine ecosystems on Earth

Amphipod crustaceans from six of the deepest Pacific ocean trenches (7,000–10,890 m depth) were examined for microplastic ingestion, with over 72% of the 90 individuals containing at least one microparticle, including fibers, films, and fragments of polyethylene terephthalate and nylon. The study provides the first evidence that microplastic contamination reaches the deepest inhabited parts of the world's oceans.

2019 Royal Society Open Science 429 citations
Article Tier 2

Levels of microplastics and their characteristics in molluscs from North-West Mediterranean Sea: Human intake

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in commercially consumed mollusks along the Catalan coast of the Mediterranean Sea, finding microplastics in all species tested. Large oysters and mussels had the highest concentrations at around 19 to 23 particles per individual. Based on typical consumption patterns, the study estimated that the local adult population ingests an average of over 8,000 microplastic particles per year through mollusk consumption alone.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in the stomachs of open-ocean and deep-sea fishes of the North-East Atlantic

Researchers investigated microplastic occurrence in the stomachs of 390 fish from three pelagic and two deep-sea species in the North-East Atlantic, comparing plastic ingestion between fish occupying contrasting ocean compartments. The study documented microplastic presence across species at different depths, highlighting how plastic contamination extends throughout the oceanic water column.

2020 Environmental Pollution 116 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics occurrence in edible fish species (Mullus barbatus and Merluccius merluccius) collected in three different geographical sub-areas of the Mediterranean Sea

Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of 229 demersal fish from two Mediterranean species across three geographic sub-areas, finding microplastics in a significant portion of individuals with fibers as the dominant type. The study contributes to growing evidence that microplastic ingestion is widespread in commercially fished Mediterranean species.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 207 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring microplastic ingestion by three deep-water elasmobranch species: A case study from the Tyrrhenian Sea

Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tracts of three deep-water elasmobranch species (Galeus melastomus, Scyliorhinus canicula, and Etmopterus spinax) from the Tyrrhenian Sea, with no significant differences in microplastic abundance between stomach and intestine contents across species.

2019 Environmental Pollution 104 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of microplastics and anthropogenic debris within a deep-sea food web

Researchers documented microplastic prevalence across 17 genera spanning approximately five trophic levels in the Monterey Bay submarine canyon food web, finding evidence of trophic transfer of microplastics through the deep-sea ecosystem and higher contamination in organisms from mid-water and benthic habitats.

2021 Marine Ecology Progress Series 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic microfibre ingestion by deep-sea organisms

Researchers provided the first evidence that microplastics are being ingested and internalized by deep-sea organisms living on the ocean floor. The study found plastic microfibres in multiple deep-water species, demonstrating that microplastic contamination has already reached some of the most remote habitats on Earth.

2016 Scientific Reports 491 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in wild populations of decapod crustaceans: A review

Researchers reviewed the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics found in wild populations of decapod crustaceans including crabs and shrimps. They found that fibrous microplastics smaller than 1 mm were the most commonly detected type, and that edible portions generally contained fewer microplastics than non-edible parts. The review highlights the importance of understanding microplastic contamination in commercially valuable crustaceans for both ecological and food safety assessments.

2021 Chemosphere 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of Microplastics by Zooplankton in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Researchers collected zooplankton from the northeast Pacific Ocean and found microplastics ingested by multiple species, demonstrating that microplastic uptake occurs throughout the open ocean zooplankton community far from coastlines.

2015 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 994 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in fillets of Mediterranean seafood. A risk assessment study

Researchers analyzed fillets of several common Mediterranean seafood species for microplastic contamination and estimated the associated human dietary exposure. They detected microplastics in the edible tissue of all species tested, including sardines, sea bream, and mussels. The study provides risk estimates suggesting that regular seafood consumption represents a notable pathway for human microplastic ingestion.

2021 Environmental Research 101 citations