Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Effects of a microplastic exposure gradient on juvenile lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)

Researchers exposed newly hatched lake trout for 12 weeks to three types of microplastics, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate, at a gradient of concentrations to assess effects on early life stages of this important sportfish. Microplastic exposure caused growth and developmental effects in juvenile lake trout, with responses varying by polymer type and concentration.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic concentration and composition in surface waters and in stream-rearing Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in a rural coastal California stream

A survey of a rural coastal California stream found microplastics in both the water and in 60% of juvenile steelhead trout sampled, with fibers making up the dominant particle type in both cases. Microplastic levels in the water peaked during the low-flow summer months, suggesting that reduced dilution allows particles to accumulate seasonally. The high rate of microplastic ingestion in juvenile steelhead—a threatened species—raises concern about whether plastic ingestion contributes to the population pressures already facing these fish.

2026 Environmental Pollution and Management
Article Tier 2

Size-Dependent Tissue Translocation and Physiological Responses to Dietary Polystyrene Microplastics in Salmo trutta

Researchers fed brown trout polystyrene microplastics of different sizes through their diet and tracked particle distribution and physiological effects, including a recovery period after exposure ended. They found that smaller microplastics were more likely to translocate from the gut to other organs, and that size significantly influenced where particles accumulated. The study provides important data on how microplastic size affects tissue distribution and physiological responses in a temperate freshwater fish.

2026 Animals
Article Tier 2

Oncorhynchus mykiss Microplastic Exposure: Impacts and Research Gaps

This review synthesized global research on the effects of microplastic exposure on rainbow trout, documenting histopathological changes, oxidative stress, immune impacts, and reproductive disruption across various MP types, concentrations, and exposure durations studied in this commercially important fish.

2025 Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım ve Doğa Dergisi
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microparticles can affect the health status of freshwater fish – Threat of oral microplastics intake

Researchers fed juvenile rainbow trout polystyrene microplastics at three dietary concentrations for six weeks and assessed multiple health parameters. They found that the highest concentration triggered immune responses, liver and gill damage, disrupted antioxidant balance, and reduced plasma proteins. The study demonstrates that oral microplastic intake can negatively affect the health of freshwater fish across multiple organ systems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Consumption of microplastic polyethylene terephthalate by juvenile salmon Oncorhynchus (Parasalmo) mykiss under artificial conditions

Researchers studied the effect of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics on juvenile Kamchatka steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) under laboratory conditions, distributing 30 fish across control and treatment aquariums to assess ingestion and physiological impacts.

2025 Problems of fisheries
Article Tier 2

Effects of different types of primary microplastics on early life stages of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Researchers examined the effects of polystyrene, PET, and polyethylene microplastics on rainbow trout early life stages over 69 days, finding elevated stress hormones and DNA damage despite no significant changes in hatching success or larval survival.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastics Induce Multi-Organ Toxicity in the Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): An Integrated Assessment of Physiological, Immunological, and Molecular Responses

Rainbow trout were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics at three concentrations for 28 days and assessed for physiological, immunological, and molecular responses across multiple organs. NPs accumulated in liver, spleen, and intestine, causing dose-dependent oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and altered gene expression, demonstrating multi-organ toxicity in a commercially important fish species.

2025
Article Tier 2

Changes in haematology, metabolic rate, and cellular structure of spleen and head kidney of brown trout, Salmo trutta, after exposure to polystyrene microplastic particles

Researchers fed brown trout polystyrene particles for 30 days and found that particles accumulated in spleen and head kidney tissue (1–51.6 μg/g) with 1 μm particles predominating at 80%, and that exposure altered hematological parameters, metabolic rate, and cellular structure of immune organs.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Effects of a microplastic exposure gradient on juvenile lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)

Researchers exposed newly hatched lake trout to a gradient of three microplastic types over 12 weeks, assessing growth, survival, and physiological biomarkers. Microplastic exposure caused dose-dependent effects on early life stage fish, with polymer type influencing the pattern of harm.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polystyrene microplastics on juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) after individual and combined exposure with chlorpyrifos

Researchers tested the effects of pristine and chlorpyrifos-loaded polystyrene microplastics on juvenile rainbow trout, examining tissue damage and physiological responses. They found that microplastics carrying the pesticide caused more severe histopathological changes in the gills and liver than either contaminant alone. The study provides evidence that microplastics can act as vectors for pesticides, amplifying their toxic effects on freshwater fish.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 138 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on Fisheries Biology and Prospective Remediation Approaches in Aquatic Ecosystems

This review examines how polystyrene nanoplastics affect fish biology, including physiology, behavior, and reproductive health. The study highlights that nanoplastics cause oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine disruption, and bioaccumulation in fish species, and that these effects can be amplified when nanoplastics interact with other environmental stressors such as pesticides and heavy metals.

2025 Indus journal of bioscience research. 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Trophic transfer and individual impact of nano-sized polystyrene in a four-species freshwater food chain

Researchers traced nano-sized polystyrene plastics through a four-species freshwater food chain — from algae to water fleas to two fish species — finding that nanoplastics transferred at each level and caused reduced activity, liver damage in fish, and penetration into fish embryos. The results highlight the broad ecological and health risks of nanoplastics moving up through aquatic food webs.

2018 Scientific Reports 454 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characterization of microplastic content in the digestive system of riverine fishes

Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 32 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

Trophic transfer and bioaccumulation of nanoplastics in Coryphaena hippurus (mahi-mahi) and effect of depuration

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics transfer through the food chain to mahi-mahi fish larvae by first exposing rotifers to the particles and then feeding them to the larvae. Significant nanoplastic transfer and accumulation were observed, primarily in the gut, with some particles translocating to areas containing vital organs like the heart and liver. A depuration study showed that while larvae could excrete substantial amounts, notable quantities remained retained, and intestinal tissue damage was observed.

2024 PLoS ONE 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Different Concentrations of Microplastics on the Physiology and Behavior of Sebastes schlegelii

Researchers exposed juvenile black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) to polystyrene microplastics for 24 days, finding that concentrations of 0.1 mg/L and above caused significant antioxidant enzyme disruption, immune suppression with rising inflammatory cytokines, and reduced survival at 1 mg/L.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Biological Effects of Exposure to Microplastics in the Three-Spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) (Linnaeus 1758)

This thesis assessed the biological effects of microplastic ingestion in three-spined stickleback fish, documenting ingestion, retention, and excretion of different microplastic types and sizes across life stages. The study found that trophic transfer is an additional route for fish to ingest microplastics, and that larger particles caused gastrointestinal blockages, while smaller ones passed through but may have subtler effects.

2015 White Rose eTheses Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Size Matters: Ingestion of Relatively Large Microplastics Contaminated with Environmental Pollutants Posed Little Risk for Fish Health and Fillet Quality

Rainbow trout were fed polystyrene microplastics (100–400 μm) contaminated with sewage or harbor effluent for 4 weeks, with liver biomarkers showing no significant oxidative stress and the fillet showing no change in oxidative stability during ice storage. The study concludes that ingestion of environmentally-sized contaminated microplastics poses little risk to fish health or meat quality under realistic exposure conditions.

2018 Environmental Science & Technology 88 citations