We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Fish size influences microplastic occurrence in target organs
ClearFish size influences microplastic occurrence in target organs
Researchers examined whether fish body size affects microplastic occurrence in target organs, moving beyond gut content analysis to assess systemic tissue contamination. Larger fish contained more microplastics in their organs than smaller fish, suggesting size-dependent differences in cumulative lifetime exposure.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fish guts possess higher priority in assessing ecological risk of microplastics in both fish bodies and aquatic environments
Researchers tracked how zebrafish accumulate and expel microplastics in different organs and found that fish guts consistently showed the highest and most reliable microplastic levels. Gut microplastic concentrations closely matched the contamination level in the surrounding water, making fish intestines the best indicator organ for assessing environmental pollution. Interestingly, fish without access to food accumulated more microplastics, suggesting that hungry fish in polluted waters face greater health risks.
Differences in microplastic abundances within demersal communities highlight the importance of an ecosystem-based approach to microplastic monitoring
This study found significant differences in microplastic abundance among different demersal (bottom-dwelling) fish communities, suggesting that habitat, feeding behavior, and species-specific traits influence how much plastic marine fish ingest. The findings underscore the complexity of predicting microplastic exposure across marine food webs.
Occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in the gastrointestinal tract of fishes: A global systematic review and meta-analysis and meta-regression
Fish globally averaged 2.76 microplastic particles per gastrointestinal tract, with fish from enclosed water bodies (lakes, estuaries) containing 2-4x more than those from open oceans, and fish from low-income economies harboring 5.5x more microplastics than those from high-income economies.
Global distribution characteristics and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in aquatic organisms based on meta-analysis
This meta-analysis assessed the global distribution of microplastics in aquatic organisms across multiple trophic levels, finding that biological characteristics like body size and feeding strategy significantly influence microplastic ingestion rates. The study provides a framework for ecological risk assessment and proposes strategies to reduce microplastic input into water bodies.
Global meta‐analysis reveals diverse effects of microplastics on freshwater and marine fishes
This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the effects of microplastics on fish in both freshwater and ocean environments. The findings show that microplastics reduce feeding, impair digestion, slow growth, and weaken immune function in fish, which is concerning because contaminated fish are a major food source for people worldwide.
Worldwide contamination of fish with microplastics: A brief global overview
A literature review from March 2019 to March 2020 synthesized worldwide data on microplastic contamination in fish, finding that a median of 60% of fish from 198 species across 24 countries contained microplastics in their organs. Carnivorous species ingested more microplastics than herbivores, consistent with trophic transfer and bioaccumulation through food webs.
Occurrence of micro- nanoplastics in a commercial recirculated aquaculture system and their translocation to cultured fish organs: A baseline study
Researchers found microplastics and nanoplastics inside the muscle, brain, and gut of Nile tilapia raised in a commercial fish farm that uses recirculated water, identifying multiple plastic polymer types in fish tissue — a finding that suggests farmed fish are a direct route for microplastic exposure in people who eat them.