Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Abundance and ecological risk of microplastics in commercial fish species from northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Researchers examined nine commercially important fish species from the northeastern Mediterranean Sea and found microplastics in both their digestive tracts and gills. The most common particles were small polyethylene and polypropylene fibers, and bottom-dwelling fish species had higher contamination levels. While the ecological risk was rated low to medium, the presence of microplastics in widely consumed fish species highlights a potential pathway for human exposure through seafood.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Morocco's most consumed fisheries: Chemical characterization, ecological traits, and implications for human health

Researchers analyzed 240 fish from 12 of Morocco's most commonly consumed species and found microplastics in 100% of samples, with particles detected in the gills, gonads, and digestive tracts. The most common plastics were polyethylene, PET, and polypropylene, predominantly appearing as fragments and fibers smaller than 1 mm. The findings raise concerns about human exposure to microplastics and associated heavy metals through everyday seafood consumption.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Evolution of the Distribution and Dynamic of Microplastic in Water and Biota: A Study Case From the Gulf of Gabes (Southern Mediterranean Sea)

Researchers found microplastics in all surface water samples and in the digestive tracts of multiple commercially important marine species in the Gulf of Gabes, Southern Mediterranean, revealing widespread contamination in a previously understudied region.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Binational survey using Mytilus galloprovincialis as a bioindicator of microplastic pollution: Insights into chemical analysis and potential risk on humans

Researchers conducted surveys of microplastic contamination in mussels from coastal sites across Morocco and Tunisia, finding plastics in 79 to 100 percent of all samples. The most common types were polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and fragments, with chemical analysis revealing the presence of associated toxic additives. The study estimates that regular mussel consumers in these regions face meaningful microplastic intake, highlighting a potential human health concern.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic abundance and impact on recreational beaches along the western Algerian coastline

Researchers assessed microplastic abundance on three recreational beaches along the western Algerian coastline. The study found an average of about 55 microplastic items per square meter, predominantly fragments, and used a pollution index to characterize contamination levels, contributing important baseline data for understanding plastic pollution along the understudied North African Mediterranean coast.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 14 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
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

Assessment of microplastic pollution in eleven commercial fish species in the Gulf of İzmir (Aegean Sea, eastern Mediterranean)

Researchers examined 152 fish from 11 commercially important species in the Gulf of Izmir, Turkey, and found microplastics in 42% of them. Polyethylene fragments and fibers were the most common types found in fish digestive tracts, with surface-dwelling fish species showing higher contamination than bottom-dwelling ones. Since these are species commonly sold and eaten by people in the region, the study highlights a direct pathway for microplastic exposure through seafood consumption.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in Economically Significant Fish Species from Libya’s Northeastern Mediterranean Coast

Researchers sampled five commercially important fish species from marine habitats along the eastern Libyan coast and quantified microplastic contamination in their gastrointestinal tracts. Microplastics were detected in all species, with fiber types dominating, marking one of the first systematic assessments of microplastic pollution in Libyan territorial waters.

2025 Journal of King Abdulaziz University-Marine Sciences
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastic Concentration in Mediterranean Commercial Fish: A Systematic Review

This systematic review examines microplastic levels in five commercially important fish species caught in Mediterranean waters. The findings confirm that microplastics are routinely present in popular seafood, with concentrations varying by species and location, underscoring the need to monitor and reduce plastic contamination in fish that millions of people eat regularly.

2025 Microplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

First Report of Microplastic Ingestion in Edible Fish along Moroccan Mediterranean Coasts

This study provided the first report of microplastic ingestion in edible fish and bivalves along Moroccan Mediterranean coasts, finding MPs in the digestive tracts of two fish species and one bivalve, raising concerns about seafood safety in the region.

2023 Sustainability 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characterization of surface sediment microplastics and litter from North African coasts of Mediterranean Sea: Preliminary research and first evidence

Researchers conducted the first investigation of microplastic and macro-litter contamination along North African Mediterranean coasts in the Gulf of Annaba, Algeria. Five types of microplastics were identified, with fibers being the most common at 70%, and polyethylene the dominant polymer. The distribution of contamination was linked to proximity to populated areas, wastewater discharges, and industrial installations.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastic in some commercial species from the Persian Gulf, Iran

Scientists examined microplastic contamination in the digestive tracts of five commercially important fish and shellfish species from the Persian Gulf, finding plastic particles in nearly 73 percent of all individuals sampled. Microfibers were the most common type, making up about 58 percent of particles found, and polymer analysis identified polypropylene and polyethylene as the dominant plastics. The study highlights that seafood from the Persian Gulf region is widely contaminated with microplastics, raising concerns about potential exposure for human consumers.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in edible mussels from a southern Mediterranean lagoon: Preliminary results on seawater-mussel transfer and implications for environmental protection and seafood safety

Scientists measured microplastic levels in mussels and seawater from a southern Mediterranean lagoon in Tunisia, finding polyethylene as the dominant type, and estimated daily human intake through mussel consumption to be below current risk thresholds but warranting continued monitoring.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 114 citations
Article Tier 2

A multi-compartment assessment from surface waters to sediments of microplastic pollution in the southern Mediterranean sea: A case study of BouIsmail Bay, Algeria

Researchers investigated the spatial distribution, abundance, and characteristics of microplastics in surface water and seafloor sediments at multiple coastal and offshore stations in BouIsmail Bay on Algeria's southern Mediterranean coast during summer 2023, using KOH digestion and density separation for extraction. The multi-compartment assessment found polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene as the most common polymers with fragments dominant in surface waters and fibers dominant in sediments, providing new baseline data for the under-characterised southern Mediterranean.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in commercial molluscs from the lagoon of Bizerte (Northern Tunisia)

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in six species of commercially harvested molluscs from the lagoon of Bizerte in northern Tunisia. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from roughly 700 to 1,500 items per kilogram of wet weight, with fibers being the most common type and polyethylene and polypropylene the main polymers detected. The results suggest widespread microplastic pollution in these commercially important shellfish, raising concerns about trophic transfer through the food web and human dietary exposure.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 219 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and macro-plastics in beach sediment of the Algerian western coast: First data on distribution, characterization, and source

Researchers conducted the first survey of micro- and macro-plastic pollution on nine beaches along 124 km of Algeria's western coast, finding plastic concentrations varying from 7.6 to 66 items/m2 with fragments dominating at 83% and pellets comprising nearly 15% of microplastics.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and Characterization of Microplastics in Commercial Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Apulia Region (Italy)

Scientists analyzed commercially sold mussels from markets in southern Italy and found microplastics in every sample tested. On average, each mussel contained about 1.6 plastic particles, with fibers being the most common type, followed by fragments. Since mussels are eaten whole by consumers, the findings highlight a direct pathway for human exposure to microplastics through seafood.

2023 Foods 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract and gill of bioindicator fish species in the northeastern Mediterranean

Four commercial fish species from the northeastern Mediterranean were examined for microplastic presence in gastrointestinal tracts and gills, with plastics found in all species and fiber being the most common type. The results add to growing evidence that microplastic ingestion is routine for commercially harvested Mediterranean fish.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in commercial fish from Alexandria City, the Mediterranean Coast of Egypt

Researchers found microplastic contamination in commercial fish samples from Alexandria City markets on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, with MPs detected in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple species. The study assessed potential human dietary exposure from consuming fish that had ingested plastic particles in the heavily polluted Eastern Mediterranean.

2022 Environmental Pollution 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of potential plastic microfibers in mussels and anchovies sold for human consumption: Preliminary results

Researchers found potential plastic microfibers in mussels and anchovies from the Tyrrhenian Sea sold for human consumption, with anthropogenic fibers present across samples, raising concerns about dietary microplastic exposure through seafood.

2021 Italian Journal of Food Safety 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in commercial fish and their habitats in the important fishing ground of the Black Sea: Characteristic, concentration, and risk assessment

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in six commercial fish species from the Black Sea and found microplastics in all environmental areas studied, including surface water, the water column, sediments, and fish. Fibers were the most common type of microplastic found, and bottom-dwelling fish had higher contamination levels than fish living closer to the surface. Since these are commonly eaten fish species, the findings are relevant to human dietary exposure to microplastics.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and quantification of microplastics in surface water of a southwestern Mediterranean Bay (Al Hoceima, Morocco)

Researchers sampled surface water in a Mediterranean bay in Morocco over three years and found microplastics at concentrations up to 15 particles per cubic meter, with polyethylene being the most common polymer — providing the first baseline data on microplastic pollution along Morocco's Mediterranean coastline.

2024 Waste Management Bulletin 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal variation of microplastics density in Algerian surface waters (South-Western Mediterranean Sea)

Researchers monitored seasonal variation in microplastic density in Algerian surface waters of the south-western Mediterranean Sea, documenting temporal patterns in microplastic concentrations in an understudied region of the Mediterranean.

2021 Mediterranean Marine Science 25 citations