Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A preliminary study of the association between colonization of microorganism on microplastics and intestinal microbiota in shrimp under natural conditions

Microplastics were detected in shrimp pond sediment (5,129 ± 1,176 items/kg) and in Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp tissue (14.08 ± 5.70 items/g), with MP abundance positively correlated between sediments and shrimp, and the microbiome on plastic surfaces differing from the shrimps' intestinal microbiota.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution and its relationship with the bacterial community in coastal sediments near Guangdong Province, South China

This study systematically characterized microplastic pollution in coastal sediments near Guangdong Province, China, and found that microplastic abundance was linked to changes in the local bacterial community. Higher microplastic levels were associated with shifts in microbial diversity, suggesting plastic pollution can alter the microbial ecology of marine sediments.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 45 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of environmental Microplastic on wharf roach (Ligia exotica): A Multi-Omics approach

Wild wharf roaches collected from a microplastic-contaminated South Korean shoreline had 50 times more plastic particles in their guts than roaches from a cleaner site, and the contaminated animals also carried elevated levels of brominated flame retardants leached from the polystyrene foam they had ingested. Gene expression analysis revealed that the contaminated roaches showed altered immune, metabolic, and stress-response pathways. Because wharf roaches are a key detritus-consuming species in coastal ecosystems, this study demonstrates that microplastic pollution can have cascading biological effects from the base of the food web.

2023 Chemosphere 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of microplastic pollution in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) aquaculture areas and the relationship between colonized-microbiota on microplastics and intestinal microflora

Researchers found that microplastics in golden pompano aquaculture areas colonize with distinct microbial communities that overlap with the fish's gut microbiota, increasing Proteobacteria and decreasing Firmicutes in the intestinal flora of fish living in more contaminated estuarine settings.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene influences bacterial assemblages in Arenicola marina-populated aquatic environments in vitro

This study found that polystyrene microplastics altered the bacterial communities in the gut of the marine worm Arenicola marina and in surrounding sediments, including increasing the abundance of potential pathogens. The results raise concern that microplastic ingestion by marine invertebrates could disrupt their gut microbiome in ways that affect their health and the broader sediment ecosystem.

2016 Environmental Pollution 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiome and metabolome changes in Javanese medaka fish (Oryzias javanicus Bleeker, 1854)

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastic exposure altered gut microbiome composition and metabolic profiles in Javanese medaka fish, with effects on amino acid and lipid metabolism pathways suggesting microplastics can disrupt gut health in aquatic organisms.

2022 Toxicology Reports 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination and microbial colonization in coastal area of Busan City, Korea

Researchers investigated microplastic concentrations, characteristics, and associated microbial communities across six coastal sites in Busan, South Korea, finding average concentrations of 94 particles/m3 dominated by PE, PP, and PS polymers, and using 16S rRNA sequencing to demonstrate that MP-associated bacterial communities were distinct from surrounding seawater, enriched in Psychrobacter, Pseudomonas, and Flavobacterium.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of Microplastics on the Growth and the Intestinal Microbiota Composition of Brine Shrimp

Researchers exposed brine shrimp to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics and found that both types significantly reduced growth rates, with body length decreasing by 15-18%. The study also revealed that microplastic ingestion altered the gut microbiota composition, increasing microbial diversity and shifting the balance of key bacterial groups in the shrimp intestines.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination alters microbial community in commercially important bivalves, Geloina expansa, Anadara cornea, and Meretrix meretrix from tropical waters

Researchers exposed three commercially important tropical bivalve species to polyethylene terephthalate microplastics for 10 days and found significant changes in their gut microbial communities. The effects varied between species and collection locations, with some bivalves showing increased harmful bacteria and reduced beneficial microbes. The study suggests that microplastic pollution can disrupt the gut health of seafood species that are important food sources in tropical regions.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of microplastics in Litopenaeus vannamei as indicated by an integrated microbiome, proteomic and metabolomic approach

Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) exposed to five microplastic types for 14 days showed gut microbiota shifts (increased Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, decreased Firmicutes) and altered haemolymph proteomes, with each MP type producing distinct immune pathway effects.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to nanoplastics disturbs the gut microbiome in the soil oligochaete Enchytraeus crypticus

Researchers fed the soil oligochaete Enchytraeus crypticus diets containing different concentrations of nano-polystyrene particles and found that exposure significantly altered the gut microbiome composition. The study suggests that nanoplastic ingestion can disturb the microbial communities in soil invertebrate digestive systems, which may have cascading effects on nutrient processing and organism health.

2018 Environmental Pollution 353 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of exposure to microplastics and pollutants on the arthropod microbiome

This thesis investigated how microplastics and other pollutants (pesticides, detergents, metals) affect the gut microbiome of freshwater invertebrates. Disruption of the host-microbiome relationship by microplastics could impair immune function and overall health in aquatic organisms that form important parts of the food web.

2021 Digital comprehensive summaries of Uppsala dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology
Article Tier 2

Changes in the microbiome and associated host tissue structure in the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) following exposure to polystyrene microparticles

Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) exposed to polystyrene microplastics at concentrations found in coastal waters showed reduced microbiome diversity in digestive gland and gill tissues at high exposure levels, along with altered host tissue structure. The co-disruption of the microbiome and host tissues suggests that MP exposure can degrade the symbiotic relationships that support mussel health.

2022 Canadian Journal of Zoology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbiome: A forgotten target of environmental micro(nano)plastics?

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics affect the microbiome of various organisms, an area that has received less attention than other toxicological endpoints. Researchers found that most studies focused on polystyrene particles and that exposure consistently disrupted microbiome composition, triggered immune responses, and altered enzyme activity across organisms including crustaceans, fish, and mammals. The study highlights the microbiome as an important but often overlooked target of microplastic pollution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on the association between microplastic exposure and gut microbiota based on metagenomics: A pilot study on 66 young college students in China

In a pilot study of 66 young college students in China, researchers analyzed stool samples to examine the relationship between microplastic exposure and gut microbiota composition. Participants with higher microplastic concentrations in their stools showed increased abundance of potentially harmful intestinal bacteria, with polystyrene microplastics having the most pronounced effect on gut microbial community structure.

2025 Environmental Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics exposure on mussel (Mytilus edulis) gut microbiota

Researchers exposed marine mussels (Mytilus edulis) to microplastics and analyzed changes to their gut microbiota, finding significant shifts in microbial community composition that could affect digestion, immunity, and overall health.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Changes in Intestinal Microbiota Due to the Expanded Polystyrene Diet of Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor)

Researchers found that mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) fed expanded polystyrene (EPS) showed significant changes in intestinal microbiota composition compared to controls, suggesting gut microbiome shifts accompany the biological degradation of polystyrene microplastics.

2021 Indian Journal of Microbiology 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Dynamics and functions of microbial communities in the plastisphere in temperate coastal environments

Researchers explored microbial communities colonizing microplastics in coastal environments of Japan, comparing bacterial and fungal communities across different plastic types, water, sediment, and sand. The study found that while microbial communities varied by sample type and location rather than plastic shape, microplastics harbored hydrocarbon-degrading organisms as well as potential pathogens, highlighting the ecological significance of plastic-associated biofilms.

2024 Water Research 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon data illuminates the major role of environment in determining the marine plastisphere microbial communities

Researchers analysed 16S rRNA amplicon data from marine plastisphere communities, finding that environmental factors play the dominant role in determining the microbial communities that colonise microplastic surfaces in marine ecosystems.

2024
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce microbial dysbiosis and dysfunction in surrounding seawater

Researchers used gene sequencing to study how polystyrene microplastics disrupt the microbial community and function in surrounding aquaculture water. The study found that microplastic exposure shifted the balance of beneficial and potentially harmful bacteria, altered nitrogen cycling pathways, and enriched antibiotic resistance genes, suggesting that microplastics in aquaculture settings could compromise water quality and ecosystem health.

2021 Environment International 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Exposure Across Trophic Levels: Effects on the Host Microbiota of Freshwater Organisms

Researchers investigated how microplastic exposure affects the gut bacteria communities of freshwater organisms including fish, invertebrates, and crustaceans. Microplastics—particularly when combined with pesticides—altered gut microbiota composition, which could impair digestion, immunity, and overall health of freshwater species.

2021 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative microbial communities in tidal flats sediment on Incheon, South Korea

The microbial communities in tidal flat sediments in South Korea were characterized and found to be highly diverse, playing important roles in coastal nutrient cycling. Understanding natural microbial communities in coastal sediments provides context for assessing how microplastic-associated microorganisms alter these ecosystems.

2018 The Journal of General and Applied Microbiology 9 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

Analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon data illuminates the major role of environment in determining the marine plastisphere microbial communities

By reanalyzing publicly available microbiome data from marine microplastics collected at multiple ocean locations, this study found that the surrounding water environment shapes the community of microbes living on plastic surfaces (the plastisphere) more strongly than the type of plastic polymer does. While both location and polymer type matter, once environmental differences were accounted for, polymer type alone had no statistically significant effect on microbial diversity. This is important because microplastics can carry and transport harmful microbes across vast ocean distances, and understanding what controls those communities helps assess the ecological risk.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2 citations