Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic exposure causes organ damage in Puntius sophore

Researchers sampled a freshwater ecosystem in Tamil Nadu, India, and exposed the local fish Puntius sophore to collected microplastics at sub-lethal concentrations, then assessed organ damage. Microplastic exposure caused histological damage in gills, liver, and kidney of this freshwater sentinel species, with oxidative stress biomarkers elevated in all three organs.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on transcriptional changes, biochemical response, and oxidative stress in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Researchers exposed common carp to varying concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and assessed biochemical, oxidative, and gene expression changes. The study found that microplastic exposure caused significant oxidative stress, altered liver enzyme activity, and modified the expression of stress-related genes in a dose-dependent manner.

2022 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidative stress responses of microplastic-contaminated Gambusia affinis obtained from the Brantas River in East Java, Indonesia

Researchers examined oxidative stress biomarkers in wild Gambusia fish collected from the Brantas River in Indonesia and correlated them with microplastic contamination levels. They found elevated antioxidant enzyme activity in the gills and digestive tracts of fish from more polluted sites, indicating biological stress responses to microplastic exposure. The study provides field-based evidence linking microplastic pollution in tropical rivers to measurable physiological harm in native fish species.

2022 Chemosphere 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene nano- and microplastics and of microplastics with sorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in adult zebrafish

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to nano- and microplastic particles of different sizes, some carrying additional chemical pollutants, over a 21-day period. The study found that nanoplastics and microplastics triggered different stress responses in the fish, with nanoplastics altering antioxidant gene activity and microplastics causing liver changes. The findings suggest that particle size matters when it comes to the biological effects of plastic pollution in aquatic organisms.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochemical, Genotoxic and Histological Implications of Polypropylene Microplastics on Freshwater Fish Oreochromis mossambicus: An Aquatic Eco-Toxicological Assessment

Researchers fed polypropylene microplastics to freshwater tilapia and found they caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, and liver tissue deterioration, with more severe effects after 14 days compared to acute 96-hour exposure. The microplastics disrupted antioxidant enzyme systems and neurotransmitter activity in the fish. The study demonstrates that prolonged microplastic ingestion poses a significant ecological threat to freshwater fish species.

2023 Toxics 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent effects of microplastic on uptake, immune system, related gene expression and histopathology of goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Researchers exposed goldfish to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations for 28 days. The study found that microplastics accumulated in gill, liver, and intestine tissues, causing damage that worsened with smaller particle size and higher doses. The results indicate that microplastics trigger oxidative stress and immune responses in fish, with smaller particles posing greater health risks.

2021 Chemosphere 176 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polypropylene microplastics via diet and water induces oxidative stress in Cyprinus carpio

Researchers fed carp fish polypropylene microplastics through both food and water and found that exposure caused oxidative stress in the liver, gills, and intestines. The damage was dose-dependent, with higher microplastic concentrations causing more harm to the fish's antioxidant defense systems. Since carp is a widely consumed fish, these findings raise questions about whether microplastics in aquaculture could affect the safety of fish as human food.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 76 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of exposure to microplastics on grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) at the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic levels

Researchers exposed grass carp to microplastics at two concentrations for 21 days and observed liver damage, inhibited growth, and increased oxidative stress. Transcriptome analysis revealed over 1,500 differentially expressed genes related to immune response, metabolism, and cellular stress pathways. The study suggests that microplastic exposure can trigger broad physiological and molecular disruptions in freshwater fish.

2021 Chemosphere 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Antioxidants and molecular damage in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after exposure to microplastics

Researchers exposed juvenile Nile Tilapia to different concentrations of microplastics for 15 days followed by a recovery period. The study found dose-dependent increases in oxidative stress markers, DNA fragmentation, and altered protein patterns in fish exposed to microplastics. Evidence indicates that while fish exposed to the lowest concentration recovered after the treatment ended, higher doses caused more persistent damage.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 192 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to microplastics induces lower survival, oxidative stress, disordered microbiota and altered metabolism in the intestines of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Grass carp exposed to environmental concentrations of microplastics (32-40 micrometers, 100 and 1000 micrograms per liter) for 21 days showed reduced survival, elevated oxidative stress markers, disrupted gut microbiota, and altered intestinal metabolism. Microplastics were detected in intestinal tissue at both concentrations, indicating accumulation and systemic effects.

2022 Aquaculture and Fisheries 17 citations
Article Tier 2

IDENTIFYING AN OXIDATIVE STRESS RESPONSE IN ZEBRAFISH (Danio rerio) FED WITH MICROPLASTICS

Researchers fed zebrafish four different diets including commercial fish flakes, virgin pellets, and microplastics collected from two Canary Island beaches for 60 days, measuring catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, lipid peroxidation, and electron transport system activity at four time points. GST generally increased across all treatments, while CAT and ETS showed variable patterns, indicating an enzymatic stress response influenced by microplastic origin and composition.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Assessment the effect of exposure to microplastics in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) early juvenile: I. blood biomarkers

Researchers exposed juvenile Nile tilapia to different concentrations of microplastics for 15 days followed by a 15-day recovery period and measured blood biomarkers. They found dose-dependent changes in biochemical and hematological parameters, including elevated liver enzymes, altered blood cell counts, and increased glucose levels. Many of these effects persisted even after the recovery period, suggesting that microplastic exposure can cause lasting physiological stress in young freshwater fish.

2019 Chemosphere 258 citations
Article Tier 2

Differential modulation of oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, histomorphology, ion-regulation and growth marker gene expression in goldfish (Carassius auratus) following exposure to different dose of virgin microplastics

Goldfish exposed to two doses of virgin PVC microplastics for four days showed dose-dependent gill, liver, and intestinal tissue damage, elevated oxidative stress markers, disrupted antioxidant enzyme activity, and altered expression of ion-regulation and growth marker genes.

2020 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 103 citations
Article Tier 2

Differentiation in the expression of toxic effects of polyethylene-microplastics on two freshwater fish species: Size matters

Researchers exposed zebrafish and perch to two sizes of polyethylene microplastics for 21 days and found that smaller particles were more toxic, accumulating primarily in the liver while larger ones concentrated in the gills. Both sizes triggered oxidative stress, DNA damage, and activated cell death pathways in both species. The study demonstrates that microplastic particle size is a key factor in determining where the particles end up in fish tissues and how severely they cause harm.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Microplastics on the Activity of Digestive and Oxidative-Stress-Related Enzymes in Peled Whitefish (Coregonus peled Gmelin) Larvae

Researchers exposed peled whitefish larvae to polystyrene microplastics and measured changes in digestive and antioxidant enzyme activity as indicators of stress. They found that microplastic exposure disrupted normal enzyme functions, suggesting impaired digestion and increased oxidative stress even at relatively low concentrations. The study provides evidence that microplastic contamination in freshwater environments may harm the development and survival of commercially valuable fish species during their most vulnerable life stages.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Different effects of nano- and microplastics on oxidative status and gut microbiota in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma

Researchers compared the effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on oxidative stress and gut microbiota in marine medaka fish. They found that nanoplastics caused more severe oxidative damage and greater disruption to the gut microbial community than larger microplastic particles. The study suggests that particle size plays a critical role in determining the biological impact of plastic pollution on aquatic organisms.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 244 citations
Article Tier 2

Organ-specific Microplastic Accumulation and Associated Oxidative Stress and Immune Responses in Barbonymus gonionotus from Downstream Bengawan Solo River, Indonesia

Researchers examined microplastic accumulation and associated biological stress responses in wild fish from the Bengawan Solo River in Indonesia. They found that gills accumulated the most microplastics, with evidence of particles translocating to muscle tissue, and observed elevated markers of immune activation and oxidative stress. The study suggests that combining particle characterization with biological measurements provides a sensitive framework for monitoring microplastic impacts on freshwater fish.

2026 Jurnal Ilmiah Perikanan dan Kelautan
Article Tier 2

Oxidative Stress Induced by Exposure of Microplastics in Labeo Rohita

Exposure to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics caused dose-dependent oxidative stress in rohu fish (Labeo rohita) over 45 days. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in aquatic environments can harm fish health through increased free radical damage.

2021 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological Effects of Polystyrene Particles on Cyprinus carpio: A Laboratory Assessment

Researchers exposed common carp (Cyprinus carpio) to polystyrene particles in a controlled laboratory setting, measuring survival, growth, histological damage, and oxidative stress markers over a 30-day period. Exposed fish showed liver and gill tissue damage alongside elevated oxidative stress enzymes, demonstrating that polystyrene microplastics are harmful to freshwater fish at tested concentrations.

2024 1 citations