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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Fish size influences microplastic occurrence in target organs
ClearFish size influences microplastic occurrence in target organs
Researchers tested whether fish body size predicts microplastic burden in organs beyond the gut, finding that larger fish accumulate more plastic in systemic tissues. The findings suggest that organ-level microplastic analysis provides a more complete picture of contamination than gut content surveys alone.
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.
Differentiation in the expression of toxic effects of polyethylene-microplastics on two freshwater fish species: Size matters
Researchers exposed zebrafish and perch to two sizes of polyethylene microplastics for 21 days and found that smaller particles were more toxic, accumulating primarily in the liver while larger ones concentrated in the gills. Both sizes triggered oxidative stress, DNA damage, and activated cell death pathways in both species. The study demonstrates that microplastic particle size is a key factor in determining where the particles end up in fish tissues and how severely they cause harm.
Microplastic evacuation in fish is particle size‐dependent
Microplastic retention time in fish was found to depend on particle size, with larger particles being evacuated more slowly than smaller ones, providing empirical data to interpret gut burden studies and better understand chronic exposure dynamics.
Comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of microplastic prevalence and abundance in freshwater fish species: the effect of fish species habitat, feeding behavior, and Fulton’s condition factor
A meta-analysis of freshwater fish across 42 studies found an average of 2.35 microplastic items per individual, with 80% of research focused on the gastrointestinal tract and 58% on river environments. Contrary to expectations, microplastic ingestion correlated with fish body physiology (size and weight) rather than feeding behavior or habitat, suggesting physical characteristics determine uptake more than ecological niche.
Microplastic ingestion by fish: Body size, condition factor and gut fullness are not related to the amount of plastics consumed
Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in commercial cod and saithe collected in Iceland, finding particles in about 20% of cod and 17% of saithe stomachs. No significant relationship was found between microplastic ingestion and fish body size, weight, gut fullness, or condition index.
Relationship of Microplastics to Body Size for Two Estuarine Fishes
Researchers found that microplastic ingestion in hardhead catfish from the northern Gulf of Mexico increased significantly with body size, while southern flounder showed no such relationship, suggesting that feeding ecology and habitat use drive species-specific exposure patterns.
Microplastics in freshwater fishes: Occurrence, impacts and future perspectives
This review synthesizes current knowledge about microplastic contamination in freshwater fish, which serve as important indicators of plastic pollution in rivers and lakes. Researchers found that microplastic ingestion patterns in fish are related to body size, feeding habits, and local urbanization levels, with controlled studies showing various effects on fish physiology and behavior. While fish can typically expel most microplastics quickly, certain particle shapes and sizes may remain in the body or cross into other organs through the intestinal wall.
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.
A systematic study of the microplastic burden in freshwater fishes of south-western Germany - Are we searching at the right scale?
A comprehensive survey of 1,167 freshwater fish from 22 species across 11 rivers and 6 lakes in southwestern Germany found an apparent microplastic prevalence of 18.8%, but particle size analysis revealed that over 95% of particles were likely smaller than the 40 μm detection limit, suggesting true prevalence may reach 100% with an average of ~23 particles per fish. The findings challenge the validity of most existing microplastic surveys in fish, which miss the smallest and most abundant fraction.
Size-Dependent Tissue Translocation and Physiological Responses to Dietary Polystyrene Microplastics in Salmo trutta
Researchers fed brown trout polystyrene microplastics of different sizes through their diet and tracked particle distribution and physiological effects, including a recovery period after exposure ended. They found that smaller microplastics were more likely to translocate from the gut to other organs, and that size significantly influenced where particles accumulated. The study provides important data on how microplastic size affects tissue distribution and physiological responses in a temperate freshwater fish.
Microplastic Particle Size Effects in Fish and Shellfish: A Review on Feeding, Digestion, Bioaccumulation, and Seafood Safety Risks
This review examines how microplastic particle size determines ingestion rates, tissue penetration, bioaccumulation, and seafood safety risks in fish and shellfish, with nanoplastics identified as the most concerning size class due to their ability to cross epithelial barriers and accumulate in internal organs.
Size-dependent adverse effects of microplastics on intestinal microbiota and metabolic homeostasis in the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)
Researchers exposed marine medaka fish to different sizes of polystyrene microplastics for 60 days and found that particle size was a key factor in determining health effects. Larger particles (200 micrometers) caused weight gain and fat accumulation, while smaller particles (2 and 10 micrometers) led to liver inflammation and damage. The study also revealed that microplastics disrupted the balance of gut bacteria, particularly with larger particle exposure.
Abundance and Distribution of Microplastics in Fish by Trophic Level in Kupang Bay, Indonesia
Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance in fish from Kupang Bay, Indonesia across herbivore and carnivore trophic levels and multiple organs (GIT, gills, muscle), finding carnivores accumulated more microplastics than herbivores and gills showed the highest concentrations.
Variation of ingested microplastic size and quantity in different tissues of juvenile European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax
Researchers fed fluorescent microplastics to juvenile European seabass for 16 weeks and tracked the translocation of particles from the digestive tract to blood, gills, liver, and fillet tissue. They found that smaller microplastics were more likely to translocate to non-digestive organs, with particle size and quantity varying across different tissues. The study raises concerns about microplastic bioaccumulation in commercially farmed fish that are consumed by humans.
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.
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.
Size-dependent effects of microplastic on uptake, immune system, related gene expression and histopathology of goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Researchers exposed goldfish to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations for 28 days. The study found that microplastics accumulated in gill, liver, and intestine tissues, causing damage that worsened with smaller particle size and higher doses. The results indicate that microplastics trigger oxidative stress and immune responses in fish, with smaller particles posing greater health risks.
Size-Dependent Uptake and Depuration of Nanoplastics in Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Distinct Intestinal Impacts
Researchers tracked how tilapia fish absorb and eliminate nanoplastics of two sizes (86 and 185 nanometers) and found that both accumulated most heavily in the intestine. Smaller nanoplastics caused more physical damage to the intestinal lining, while larger ones disrupted the gut microbiome more severely. Since tilapia is widely consumed worldwide, the finding that nanoplastics build up in fish tissue and damage their guts raises concerns about the safety of farmed fish as food.
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.
Contrasting the distribution kinetics of microplastics and nanoplastics in medaka following exposure and depuration
This study tracked how micro and nanoplastics distribute across different organs in medaka fish over time after exposure and recovery. Nanoplastics spread to more organs including the brain, liver, and eyes, and were harder for the fish to clear than microplastics. The findings show that smaller plastic particles pose a greater risk because they travel further in the body and accumulate in organs, which has implications for understanding human exposure through seafood.
Drenched in microplastic environment: Physiological and metabolic disruptions in fish
This literature review synthesized studies on the physiological and metabolic disruptions microplastics cause in fish, finding impacts across multiple organ systems including the liver, gut, gills, and reproductive organs depending on particle type and exposure duration.
Exposure pathway derived accumulation of microplastics in freshwater fish: A critical review
This systematic review of 78 field and laboratory studies synthesized how microplastics accumulate in different freshwater fish tissues depending on exposure pathway, finding that gill-filtered and orally ingested particles follow distinct tissue distribution patterns.
Size-dependent and tissue specific accumulation of polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics in zebrafish
Researchers tracked size-dependent accumulation of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in multiple zebrafish tissues, finding that smaller particles distributed more broadly throughout the body compared to larger ones. Nanoplastics showed greater systemic distribution including into brain and reproductive tissues, raising concerns about size-dependent health risks.