Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Impact of Microplastics on Fish Muscle Cell Proliferation and Differentiation: Enhancing Food Safety in Cultivated Meat Production

Researchers exposed Atlantic mackerel muscle cells to polyethylene microspheres at concentrations representative of environmental contamination and found that microplastics significantly impaired cell attachment and proliferation, particularly at 10 µg/mL. The findings matter for the growing cultivated meat industry, which sources cells from marine species already exposed to microplastics, raising food safety questions.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Cell-cultivated aquatic food products: emerging production systems for seafood

This review examines cell-cultivated seafood, a new approach to producing fish protein by growing fish cells in a lab rather than catching or farming fish. One potential benefit is avoiding the microplastic contamination found in wild and farmed fish, since the production environment can be controlled. As concerns grow about microplastics accumulating in seafood, lab-grown alternatives could offer a way to reduce human exposure to microplastics through diet.

2024 Journal of Biological Engineering 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.

This study investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics affect Mediterranean mussels, an important marine species and human food source. Researchers found that these tiny plastic particles can cross cell membranes, accumulate in tissues, and trigger oxidative stress and immune responses. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution in the ocean could affect both marine ecosystem health and the safety of seafood consumed by people.

2023 Environmental Pollution 40 citations
Article Tier 2

A study of the occurrence and potential risks of microplastics in fish and shellfish of Hong Kong

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in nine commercial fish and shellfish species from Hong Kong and found plastic particles in both organ and flesh samples. Mussels had the highest microplastic content in edible flesh, with polystyrene and polyethylene being the dominant polymer types. Cell-based toxicity testing showed that microplastics from certain species caused increased intestinal cell death and hemolytic activity, indicating potential health risks from seafood consumption.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics exposure in freshwater fish, Labeo rohita: evaluation of physiology and histopathology

Researchers fed freshwater fish varying levels of polystyrene microplastics for 90 days and found dose-dependent damage to blood health, growth, and organ tissues. Higher microplastic concentrations caused more severe harm to the liver, kidneys, gills, and intestines. The study highlights that microplastics in freshwater systems can accumulate in fish and cause significant health problems, raising concerns about food safety for communities that rely on freshwater fish.

2025 Scientific Reports 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in market bivalves from South Korea

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene microplastics on the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia magna, a key species in aquatic food webs. They found that microplastic exposure impaired reproduction, reduced growth, and caused oxidative stress even at relatively low concentrations. The study highlights that these tiny plastic particles can harm small freshwater organisms that play a critical role in maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems.

2018 Environmental Pollution 475 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polystyrene microplastics reduces regeneration and growth in planarians

Researchers exposed planarians (Dugesia japonica) to polystyrene microplastics to study effects on regeneration, growth, and stem cell function. The study found that microplastic exposure significantly reduced tissue regeneration and growth rates while increasing oxidative stress markers. The findings suggest that microplastics can impair fundamental biological processes like tissue repair and stem cell function in freshwater organisms.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Short-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics hampers the cellular function of gills in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Even short-term exposure (72 hours) to polystyrene microplastics disrupted gill function in Mediterranean mussels, a species commonly eaten by humans. The microplastics accumulated in gill tissue and caused metabolic disorders including changes in energy production, nerve signaling, and salt balance, along with oxidative stress. Since mussels are filter feeders that concentrate microplastics from seawater, these findings raise questions about the quality of shellfish as human food.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics stunt fish growth and alter behavior

A study of European perch larvae found that high levels of polystyrene microplastics inhibited hatching, stunted growth, and made fish more likely to be eaten by predators. These findings raised serious concern about microplastic impacts on fish populations and the marine food supply that humans depend on.

2016 C&EN Global Enterprise
Article Tier 2

The effect of microplastics on the growth of Paralichthys Olivaceus

Researchers exposed juvenile olive flounder, a commercially important aquaculture fish, to polystyrene microplastics and found that while body length growth was unaffected, the plastic exposure caused other physiological responses. Understanding how microplastics affect farmed fish health is important for assessing food safety risks in aquaculture.

2021 E3S Web of Conferences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the influence of polystyrene-nanoplastics on two distinct in vitro systems in farm animals: A pilot study

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on bovine ovarian cells and porcine muscle cells, both from farm animals whose products enter the human food chain. They found that both cell types absorbed the nanoplastics, with higher concentrations reducing cell viability, particularly in muscle cells. The study highlights that nanoplastic contamination in livestock could have implications for both animal health and food safety.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics exposure reduces meat quality and disturbs skeletal muscle angiogenesis via thrombospondin 1

Piglets fed polystyrene microplastics at higher doses showed slower growth, reduced meat quality, and impaired blood vessel formation in their muscles. The microplastics disrupted a protein called thrombospondin 1 that is critical for healthy muscle development. This study is important for food safety because it shows microplastics can accumulate in livestock and degrade the quality of meat that people consume.

2024 Food Research International 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Dietary polystyrene nanoplastics exposure alters liver lipid metabolism and muscle nutritional quality in carnivorous marine fish large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea)

Researchers fed polystyrene nanoplastics to large yellow croaker fish for 21 days and found that the particles accumulated in liver cells and disrupted lipid metabolism. The nanoplastics caused excessive fat buildup in the liver and altered the fatty acid composition and texture of fish muscle tissue. The study suggests that nanoplastic contamination in seafood could affect both fish health and the nutritional quality of fish consumed by humans.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 145 citations
Article Tier 2

The accumulation of microplastics in fish from an important fish farm and mariculture area, Haizhou Bay, China

Researchers investigated microplastic accumulation in six wild fish species from Haizhou Bay, a major fish farm and mariculture area in China, examining both digestive and non-digestive tissues. They found microplastics present in all fish species, with variation in abundance depending on species and tissue type. The findings raise concerns about microplastic transfer through aquaculture supply chains and potential implications for seafood safety.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 273 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics on Cytokine Levels and Reproductive System of Male Tilapia

Researchers fed male tilapia fish different doses of polystyrene nanoplastics for 25 days and examined the effects on their reproductive systems. While inflammatory markers in the blood were not significantly affected, the nanoplastics caused a notable reduction in the number of sperm-producing cells in testicular tissue. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may pose risks to reproductive health in fish even without triggering obvious immune responses.

2024 Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics impair the intestinal health of the juvenile large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea

Researchers exposed juvenile large yellow croaker fish to nano-sized polystyrene particles to assess impacts on intestinal health and growth. The study found that nanoplastics accumulated in the fish and caused disorders in digestion, antioxidant defenses, immune function, and intestinal microflora, indicating that nanoplastics can significantly impair gut health in commercially important marine fish species.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 190 citations
Article Tier 2

Global Insights into Cultured Meat: Uncovering Production Processes, Potential Hazards, Regulatory Frameworks, and Key Challenges—A Scoping Review

This review examines the production process and potential health hazards of lab-grown cultured meat, including contamination risks from microplastics in growth media and packaging materials. The findings suggest that while cultured meat may reduce some environmental impacts of traditional farming, new food safety risks including microplastic contamination need careful regulation.

2025 Foods 20 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastic Impacts on Seafood: A Global Synthesis of Experimental Findings

This systematic review synthesizes experimental findings on how microplastics affect commercially important seafood species worldwide. It finds that microplastic ingestion can impair growth, reproduction, and immune function in seafood organisms, with potential implications for both food safety and the fishing industry.

2026 Fish and Fisheries
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis and inflammation by disrupting the gut microbiota in carp intestines

Researchers fed carp polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles disrupted their gut bacteria, killing off beneficial species and promoting those linked to diseases. The microplastics triggered a stress response in intestinal cells that led to inflammation, cell death, and tissue damage. Since carp is a widely eaten fish, these gut health effects raise questions about how microplastics in aquatic environments could affect the safety of fish that humans consume.

2023 Environmental Pollution 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Inhibitory effects of polystyrene microplastics on caudal fin regeneration in zebrafish larvae

Exposure to polystyrene microplastics significantly impaired fin regeneration in injured zebrafish larvae, disrupting the signaling pathways and immune responses needed for tissue repair. The study is the first to show microplastics can reduce the regenerative capacity of fish, with potential long-term consequences for their survival in the wild.

2020 Environmental Pollution 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and transcriptional effects of polystyrene microplastics in larval stages of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers exposed larval stages of a marine organism to polystyrene microplastics and measured gene expression changes, finding tissue-dependent transcriptional responses that suggest microplastics can affect development even at early life stages.

2018 Environmental Pollution 142 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic exposure induces muscle growth but reduces meat quality and muscle physiological function in chickens

Researchers found microplastic contamination in chicken muscle tissue from a commercial farm and showed that feeding chickens polystyrene microplastics caused the plastics to accumulate in their muscles over time. While the contaminated chickens grew larger muscles, their meat quality and muscle function decreased. This study is important because it demonstrates that microplastics can build up in poultry meat, meaning people may be consuming microplastics through chicken.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Polystyrene Microplastic Exposure on Liver Cell Damage, Oxidative Stress, and Gene Expression in Juvenile Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus)

Researchers exposed young crucian carp to polystyrene microplastics at different concentrations and found dose-dependent liver damage, with higher concentrations causing more severe tissue injury and weaker antioxidant defenses. The microplastics disrupted genes involved in detoxification and stress response in liver cells. Since crucian carp is a commonly consumed freshwater fish, these findings raise questions about whether microplastic-contaminated fish could affect the health of people who eat them.

2025 Toxics 8 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Exposure to Microplastic Polystyrene (PS) in Feed on the Haematology of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Researchers fed tilapia fish diets containing polystyrene microplastics to study the effects on blood health indicators. They found that microplastic exposure altered several blood parameters in the fish, indicating physiological stress. The study matters because tilapia is a widely consumed fish species, and the results suggest that microplastic contamination in aquatic environments could affect both fish health and food safety.

2024 Journal of Fish Health 4 citations