Papers

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Article Tier 2

Occurrence and amount of microplastic ingested by fishes in watersheds of the Gulf of Mexico

Researchers quantified microplastic ingestion by fishes across several freshwater and estuarine watersheds of the Gulf of Mexico. The study documented widespread microplastic occurrence in fish from these environments, contributing important data about freshwater contamination at a time when most research had focused on marine ecosystems.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 307 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastic by ontogenetic phases of Stellifer brasiliensis (Perciformes, Sciaenidae) from the surf zone of tropical beaches

Microplastics were found in 9.5% of Stellifer brasiliensis fish from tropical Brazilian beaches, with ingestion occurring across juvenile, subadult, and adult life stages. The study indicates that microplastics are entering the food chain through commercial fish species in nearshore tropical ecosystems.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 26 citations
Article Tier 2

An Analysis of Suspected Microplastics in the Muscle and Gastrointestinal Tissues of Fish from Sarasota Bay, FL: Exposure and Implications for Apex Predators and Seafood Consumers

Researchers analyzed muscle and gastrointestinal tissues of 11 fish species from Sarasota Bay, Florida, that are commonly eaten by bottlenose dolphins. They found suspected microplastics in 82% of muscle samples and 97% of gastrointestinal samples, suggesting widespread contamination. The findings raise concerns about microplastic transfer through the food chain to both marine predators and human seafood consumers.

2024 Environments 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in commercial fish from a natural estuarine environment

Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of commercial fish caught from a natural estuarine environment and found microplastics in a significant proportion of individuals, documenting both occurrence rates and particle characteristics.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 586 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in fishes in amazon riverine beaches: Influence of feeding mode and distance to urban settlements

Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tracts of 29 fish species from Amazon riverine beaches, with contamination levels influenced by fish feeding mode and distance to urban settlements within a protected area.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Does the trophic guild influence microplastic ingestion in nursery areas? A case study on a southwestern Atlantic mangrove-dominated estuary

Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in ten fish species from a mangrove-dominated estuary in Brazil's Tropical Atlantic, finding plastics in 61% of 145 specimens. Zooplanktivorous species ingested the most (averaging 2.33 MPs per individual), with polystyrene and polypropylene dominating.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

From prey to predators: Evidence of microplastic trophic transfer in tuna and large pelagic species in the southwestern Tropical Atlantic

Researchers found evidence of microplastic trophic transfer from prey to tuna and large pelagic predators in the southwestern Tropical Atlantic, demonstrating that plastic contamination moves through marine food chains to economically important fish species.

2023 Environmental Pollution 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of plastic debris by commercially important marine fish in southeast-south Brazil

Scientists visually examined 965 specimens of eight commercially exploited fish species off the southeast-south coast of Brazil for plastic debris ingestion, finding plastic in multiple species across different marine habitats.

2020 Environmental Pollution 82 citations
Article Tier 2

The microscopic threat with a macroscopic impact: Microplastics along the southeast Florida reef tract

Researchers sampled surface and bottom waters along the Southeast Florida Reef Tract over six months, finding 1,204 microplastic items across seven polymer types, with significantly more plastic at the surface than the seafloor. Five additional chemical contaminants were detected on the plastics, confirming that microplastics act as vectors for hazardous substances near fragile coral reef ecosystems. The study calls for both improved plastic waste management and active clean-up to protect these reefs.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Widespread microplastic ingestion by fish assemblages in tropical estuaries subjected to anthropogenic pressures

A survey of 2,233 fish from 69 species across two tropical Brazilian estuaries found microplastics in 9% of individuals, with ingestion rates linked to feeding guild, habitat use, and proximity to urban areas. The study demonstrates that microplastic ingestion is widespread even in tropical systems and is shaped by ecology rather than occurring at random.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 302 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 144 citations
Article Tier 2

Widespread microplastic ingestion in Colombian Caribbean marine fish: Trophic influence, spatial-temporal trends, and polymer composition

Researchers examined three commercially important fish species from the Colombian Caribbean and found microplastics in over 82% of individuals across both continental and island waters. Fiber and fragment shapes were the most common types, with higher concentrations found in coastal areas and during the wet season. The findings suggest that microplastic ingestion is widespread among Caribbean fish, with potential implications for seafood consumers in the region.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic intake does not depend on fish eating habits: Identification of microplastics in the stomach contents of fish on an urban beach in Brazil

Researchers analyzed microplastic content in the stomachs of seven fish species from an urban beach in Brazil and found that trophic guild (carnivore, omnivore, herbivore) did not predict microplastic ingestion rates, suggesting that incidental ingestion during feeding is widespread regardless of diet type.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Microdebris Abundance, Distribution, and Ingestion by Sargassum-Associated Juvenile Fishes in the Gulf of Mexico

Researchers surveyed microdebris — including microplastics — in Sargassum seaweed habitats in the Gulf of Mexico and examined how much was ingested by juvenile fish living in these seaweed mats. Multiple fish species consumed microdebris, with some showing high ingestion rates, raising concerns about plastic exposure in commercially important fish species during their critical juvenile stage.

2023 Gulf and Caribbean Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence in selected aquatic species of the Persian Gulf: No evidence of trophic transfer or effect of diet

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in six fish species, one mollusk, and three crustacean species from the Persian Gulf, finding no evidence of trophic transfer of microplastics or dietary effects on contamination levels across species.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecology of microplastics contamination within food webs of estuarine and coastal ecosystems

This paper describes a methodology for studying how microplastics are distributed seasonally and spatially through an estuary food web, from zooplankton to demersal fish. Understanding the ecology of microplastic transfer in estuaries is essential for assessing human dietary exposure through seafood from these highly productive environments.

2020 MethodsX 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the bioaccumulation of microplastics in commercially important fish species

Researchers assessed microplastic accumulation in commercially important fish species from coastal and offshore waters, finding significant differences between species based on feeding strategies and habitat depth. Filter feeders and omnivorous species accumulated more microplastics than others, reflecting diet-based differences across trophic levels. The study raises concerns about human dietary exposure to microplastics through widely consumed seafood products.

2025 International Journal of Aquatic Research and Environmental Studies 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence in fish species from the Iquitos region in Peru, western Amazonia

Researchers found microplastics in 15 commercial fish species from markets in the Peruvian Amazon, detecting 2,337 particles across 61 specimens — among the first reports of microplastic contamination in fish from the Amazon basin.

2023 Figshare
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic Ingestion on Commercial Fish: A Trophic-Level Analysis

Researchers analyzed over 1,600 fish from two Colombian estuaries and found a significant link between a fish species' position in the food chain and the amount of microplastics it ingests. Fish that feed at higher levels of the food web accumulated more microplastics, and those that had ingested plastics showed signs of poorer body condition. The findings highlight how microplastics build up through the marine food chain, with potential consequences for both ecosystem and human health.

2025 International Journal of Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Feeding Ecology and Microplastic Contamination of Planktophagous Fishes in a tropical Southwestern Atlantic Estuarine Ecosystem

Feeding ecology and microplastic contamination of two planktophagous fish species (A. clupeoides and C. edentulus) were studied in a tropical Brazilian estuary, finding both species ingested microplastics—with contamination rates varying by season, body size, and estuarine position, reflecting their copepod-dominated diets.

2025 Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 2 citations