Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Micro(nano)plastics in the fish gastrointestinal tract: A mini review and relevance to One Health perspective

Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics accumulate in fish digestive systems and enter the broader food web, highlighting that the fish gut acts as a critical pathway for these particles — and the chemicals stuck to them — to travel from the environment into the human food supply.

2025 Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in our water: Fish microbiomes at risk?

This review examined how microplastics and leached plasticizers affect the gut microbiomes of freshwater and marine fish, summarizing evidence for dysbiosis and reduced microbial diversity and discussing potential consequences for fish immunity, metabolism, and environmental fitness.

2021 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D Genomics and Proteomics 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Global analysis of the adverse effects of micro- and nanoplastics on intestinal health and microbiota of fish

This large-scale analysis combined data from 118 studies to assess how micro- and nanoplastics affect fish gut health. The results show that these particles generally damage the intestinal lining, weaken immune defenses, and disrupt digestive function in fish. Younger fish and certain plastic types like PVC caused the most harm, highlighting that the specific characteristics of the plastic particles matter for understanding their toxicity.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics in freshwater fishes health and the implications for human health

This review examines how microplastics affect the health of freshwater fish, which are a major protein source for billions of people. Fish ingest microplastics that accumulate in their guts, gills, and tissues, leading to inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted growth. Since microplastics in fish tissue can transfer to humans through the food chain, this is relevant to both ecosystem and human health.

2023 Brazilian Journal of Biology 39 citations
Article Tier 2

A fishy gut feeling – current knowledge on gut microbiota in teleosts

This review summarizes what scientists know about the community of bacteria living in fish guts and how diet, environmental conditions, and pollutants shape that community. Microplastics and other pollutants can disrupt the gut microbiome in fish, harming their immune function and overall health. Since fish are a major food source for humans, understanding these effects matters for food safety.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science 14 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro/nano-plastics cause neurobehavioral toxicity in discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus): Insight from brain-gut-microbiota axis

Researchers exposed juvenile discus fish to microfibers and nanoplastics and found that both types caused neurobehavioral problems, but through different mechanisms involving the brain-gut-microbiota axis. Nanoplastics weakened swimming and predatory abilities, while microfibers reduced growth, and both disrupted gut microbial communities that influence brain function. The study provides the first evidence linking microplastic-induced gut microbiome changes to neurological effects in fish through the gut-brain connection.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 173 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics to gut microbiota: Response mechanism, challenges and environmental sustainability-A review

This review summarizes how microplastics affect gut bacteria in fish, mice, and earthworms after being swallowed. Microplastics can change the balance of gut microbes and reduce their helpful functions, leading to digestive problems, slower growth, and weakened immunity. Since humans are exposed to microplastics through food and water, these findings raise concerns that our own gut health could be similarly affected.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 5 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

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.

2022 Fish and Fisheries 69 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

The ant that may well destroy a whole dam: a systematic review of the health implication of nanoplastics/microplastics through gut microbiota

This systematic review summarizes existing research on how nanoplastics and microplastics disrupt gut bacteria in various organisms. The findings show that plastic particle exposure consistently alters gut microbiome composition, which in turn affects the host's immune function, metabolism, and overall health. These gut bacteria changes may be a key pathway through which microplastics harm human health.

2025 Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbiome Composition and Function in Aquatic Vertebrates: Small Organisms Making Big Impacts on Aquatic Animal Health

This review examines how microbiomes (communities of microorganisms) function in fish and marine mammals, and how environmental stressors like microplastics can disrupt them. Microplastics in water can alter the natural balance of beneficial microbes in aquatic animals, potentially affecting their health and the safety of seafood. Understanding these disruptions matters because changes in fish microbiomes could affect the quality and safety of the fish that end up on our plates.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 283 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics bioaccumulation in fish: Its potential toxic effects on hematology, immune response, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, growth, and reproductive dysfunction

This review finds that microplastics accumulate primarily in the guts and gills of fish before spreading to other tissues through the bloodstream, causing a cascade of harmful effects including blood changes, immune suppression, nerve damage, and reproductive problems. The severity of harm depends on the size and dose of particles and how long the fish are exposed, with implications for the safety of fish consumed by humans.

2024 Toxicology Reports 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the aquatic environment: implications for post-harvest fish quality

This review examined how microplastic accumulation in aquatic environments threatens post-harvest fish quality, discussing how plastic particles and associated chemical contaminants in fish gut tissue raise food safety concerns and can affect consumer acceptance.

2019 Indian Journal of Fisheries 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish and Fishery Products and Risks for Human Health: A Review

This review summarizes existing research on microplastic contamination in fish and seafood products and the associated human health risks. Microplastics found in fish can carry harmful chemicals and pathogens, and once eaten by humans, they may cause oxidative stress and move from the gut to other tissues. The review highlights seafood as a major dietary source of microplastic exposure and calls for better monitoring and risk assessment.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 200 citations
Article Tier 2

Immunotoxicity of microplastics in fish

This review examines how microplastics damage the immune systems of fish, from harming their gills and organs to disrupting immune cell signaling and gene expression. Over time, microplastic exposure weakens fish immunity by killing immune cells and reducing their ability to fight off infections, with implications for the broader food chain that connects aquatic life to human diets.

2024 Fish & Shellfish Immunology 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Low particle concentrations of nanoplastics impair the gut health of medaka

Researchers exposed Japanese medaka fish to low concentrations of nanoplastics for three months and observed significant damage to gut health, including tissue injury, impaired digestive enzymes, weakened immunity, and disrupted gut bacteria. Even at particle concentrations considered environmentally realistic, the nanoplastics caused measurable harm and increased mortality. The study suggests that long-term exposure to low levels of nanoplastics may pose greater risks to fish health than previously assumed.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Threats of Microplastic Pollution on Fishes and its Implications on Human Health (Review Article)

This review summarizes research from 2010 to 2023 on microplastic contamination in fish and its potential implications for human health. Researchers found that microplastics are ingested by fish across diverse aquatic environments, with particles accumulating in the gastrointestinal tract and other tissues. The study highlights concerns that microplastic-contaminated seafood may represent a pathway for human exposure to both the plastic particles and associated chemical pollutants.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence and consequences of microplastics and nanoplastics in fish gastrointestinal tract

This review examines the occurrence and consequences of microplastics and nanoplastics in fish gastrointestinal tracts across numerous species, focusing on bioaccumulation implications for human seafood consumers. Researchers found widespread microplastic ingestion documented in fish globally, raising concern given that seafood provides over 20% of dietary protein for approximately 1.4 billion people representing 19% of the global population.

2022 Journal of Survey in Fisheries Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effect of microand nanoplastics on the gastrointestinal mucosa and intestinal microbiome].

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics entering through the food chain affect the gastrointestinal tract, finding evidence of disruption to gut mucosal integrity and intestinal microbiome composition, with implications for digestive health and systemic immune function.

2023 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in fish: A systematic global review of trends, health risks, and implications for consumer safety

This systematic global review summarizes research on microplastic contamination in fish, covering bioaccumulation, food chain transfer, and the role of microplastics as carriers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and toxic chemicals. The review compares contamination levels in farmed versus wild-caught fish and finds risks vary significantly depending on the source. The findings are directly relevant to consumer safety, as people regularly consume microplastics through contaminated seafood.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Review: interactions between microplastics and the gastrointestinal microbiome

This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics interact with the gut microbiome in humans, mice, chickens, and aquatic animals. Evidence suggests that gut bacteria can break microplastics into smaller pieces, which may make them more likely to cross the intestinal wall and enter the body. The disruption of the gut microbiome by microplastics is particularly concerning because balanced gut bacteria are essential for immune function, digestion, and overall health.

2024 Italian Journal of Animal Science 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastic accumulation in aquatic environment: Physiological, eco-toxicological, immunological, and neurotoxic effects

This review summarizes how microplastics build up in fish and other aquatic life, causing damage to their immune systems, nervous systems, and overall health. When fish eat microplastics, the particles move up the food chain and can eventually reach humans through seafood consumption. The authors also discuss strategies for removing microplastics from water and reducing plastic pollution.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 16 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A systematic review of the effects of nanoplastics on fish

This systematic review examines how nanoplastics (extremely small plastic particles) affect fish, including their ability to cross biological barriers and accumulate in tissues. The findings are relevant to human health because fish are a major dietary protein source, and understanding how plastics move through aquatic food chains helps us assess our own exposure risks.

2025 Frontiers in Toxicology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Biotransport and toxic effects of micro- and nanoplastics in fish model and their potential risk to humans: A review

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics enter fish through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, causing damage to multiple organ systems including the brain, heart, and reproductive organs. The particles trigger harmful cellular responses such as oxidative stress, DNA damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The study emphasizes that these pollutants can also reach humans through the food chain, highlighting the need for strategies to reduce plastic contamination in aquatic environments.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 8 citations