Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Investigating a probable relationship between microplastics and potentially toxic elements in fish muscles from northeast of Persian Gulf

Researchers measured microplastic and metal concentrations in the muscles of benthic and pelagic fish species from the northeastern Persian Gulf. They found that microplastic and mercury levels increased with fish size, and estimated that consuming moderate portions of fish weekly provides essential nutrients without significant health risk. The study suggests that while fish remain a beneficial food source, monitoring microplastic and metal co-contamination in seafood is important for consumer safety.

2017 Environmental Pollution 381 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of plastic debris and association of metals with microplastics in coastline sediment along the Persian Gulf

Microplastics and sediment samples from Persian Gulf coastlines were found to contain elevated concentrations of heavy metals including lead, cadmium, and mercury, with metals associated with both the plastic surfaces and the surrounding sediment. The study demonstrates that microplastics in this industrialized coastal region accumulate hazardous metals that can be transferred to marine organisms.

2018 Waste Management 291 citations
Article Tier 2

Source and risk assessment of heavy metals and microplastics in bivalves and coastal sediments of the Northern Persian Gulf, Hormogzan Province

Researchers assessed heavy metal contamination and microplastic distribution in coastal sediments and edible bivalves from the northern Persian Gulf in Hormozgan Province. They found varying levels of both pollutant types across sampling sites, with proximity to industrial and urban areas correlating with higher contamination. The study provides a risk assessment indicating that combined exposure to heavy metals and microplastics through seafood consumption in the region warrants monitoring.

2021 Environmental Research 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating microplastics bioaccumulation and biomagnification in seafood from the Persian Gulf: a threat to human health?

Researchers investigated microplastic bioaccumulation and biomagnification in five commercially important seafood species from the Persian Gulf, examining both muscle tissue and gills. They found microplastics present in all species, with evidence suggesting potential trophic transfer through the marine food web. The study estimates that regular consumption of these seafood species could represent a notable pathway for human microplastic exposure in the region.

2019 Food Additives & Contaminants Part A 257 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, abundance and characteristics of microplastics in some commercial fish of northern coasts of the Persian Gulf

Microplastics were found in muscle, liver, gill, and gastrointestinal tissues of 14 commercially fished species from the northern Persian Gulf, with gastrointestinal tissues showing the highest contamination and muscle tissue showing very low levels, suggesting limited translocation from gut to edible flesh in most species.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring synergistic contamination of heavy metals and microplastics in marine edible fishes and associated risk status in humans

Researchers assessed heavy metal and microplastic contamination in multiple marine fish species along the Gujarat coastline and found substantial spatial and interspecies variation. Some species exceeded safe metal thresholds, and MP contamination was prevalent, with combined exposure posing amplified health risks for local consumers.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Heavy Metal Content and Risk Assessment in Trachurus trachurus Investigated from the Marmara Sea

Not relevant to microplastics — this study measures heavy metal concentrations (such as lead, cadmium, and mercury) in Atlantic horse mackerel from the Marmara Sea and assesses associated cancer and non-cancer health risks for consumers.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and heavy metals in freshwater fish: A comprehensive study of contamination and health risks

Researchers simultaneously assessed microplastic and heavy metal contamination in two fish species from Iran's Kashkan River, finding microplastics in 79% of the 48 specimens examined. The study also found heavy metal levels that exceeded safe limits, raising human health concerns for communities consuming these fish.

2025 Environmental Research
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

The seasonal assessment of heavy metals pollution in the waters of the Mediterranean and Atlantic seas of Morocco

This study measured heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Pb, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cr, Ni) in water samples from both the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Morocco, evaluating seasonal variation in metallic pollution and associated health risks from seafood consumption.

2025 European Scientific Journal ESJ
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and trace metals in fish species of the Gulf of Mannar (Indian Ocean) and evaluation of human health

Researchers examined microplastics and trace metals in five commercially important fish species from the Gulf of Mannar in the Indian Ocean. They found microplastics in both muscle and intestinal tissues, predominantly polyethylene and polypropylene particles, and estimated that human consumers could ingest 121 to 456 microplastic items per person per year from eating these fish.

2021 Environmental Pollution 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Potentially toxic elements and microplastics in muscle tissues of different marine species from the Persian Gulf: Levels, associated risks, and trophic transfer

Researchers analyzed potentially toxic elements and microplastics in the muscle tissue of various seafood species from the Persian Gulf. They found high levels of both contaminants in crustaceans, with arsenic posing the greatest cancer risk to consumers. The study indicates that biomagnification occurs for certain contaminants through the marine food web, raising concerns about the combined health risks of heavy metals and microplastics in seafood.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of some fish caught for human consumption in Bandar Abbas, the Persian Gulf

Researchers examined microplastic content in the digestive tracts of fish caught for human consumption in the Persian Gulf near Bandar Abbas, Iran. Microplastics were found in multiple commercially important species, with the highest contamination rates in Sillago sihama (62%), raising food safety concerns for local seafood consumers.

2019 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in sediment and fish along the Persian Gulf—a case study: Bushehr Province, Iran

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in sediments and fish across 16 stations along the Bushehr Province coastline in the Persian Gulf, finding a mean abundance of 57.19 particles/kg in sediments — dominated by black fragments — and up to 9 microplastic particles per fish, with black particles again most prevalent.

2023 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Morocco's most consumed fisheries: Chemical characterization, ecological traits, and implications for human health

Researchers analyzed 240 fish from 12 of Morocco's most commonly consumed species and found microplastics in 100% of samples, with particles detected in the gills, gonads, and digestive tracts. The most common plastics were polyethylene, PET, and polypropylene, predominantly appearing as fragments and fibers smaller than 1 mm. The findings raise concerns about human exposure to microplastics and associated heavy metals through everyday seafood consumption.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in fishes of commercial and ecological importance from the Western Arabian Gulf

Researchers examined microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of nine commercial fish species from the Saudi EEZ of the Arabian Gulf across coastal, pelagic, and reef habitats, finding a relatively low overall contamination rate (0.057 items per fish) but with variation by species and habitat.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the relationship between the abundance of microplastics in sediments, surface waters, and fish in the Iran southern shores

Researchers found microplastic contamination across sediments, surface waters, and four fish species along Iran's Persian Gulf coast, with concentrations of 190 items/kg in sediments and 9.28 items/km in surface waters, though no correlation was observed between MP abundance across the different environmental compartments.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in different tissues of fish and prawn from the Musa Estuary, Persian Gulf

Researchers analyzed multiple tissues of commercially important fish and prawns from the Persian Gulf and found microplastics present in guts, skin, muscle, gills, and liver across all species examined. The type and abundance of microplastics varied by species and sampling location, with bottom-dwelling fish accumulating the most particles. The findings are notable because they show microplastics penetrate beyond the digestive tract into edible muscle tissue, which is directly relevant to human consumption.

2018 Chemosphere 671 citations
Article Tier 2

Heavy metals content in fresh tuna and swordfish caught from Hindian and Pacific Oceans: Health risk assessment of dietary exposure

Researchers assessed cadmium, lead, and mercury levels in yellowfin tuna and swordfish from the Pacific and Indian Oceans, finding that heavy metal concentrations were within acceptable safety limits and dietary exposure posed no significant health risk.

2023 Veterinary World 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Mapping of heavy metal contamination associated with microplastics marine debris - A case study: Dubai, UAE

XRF analysis of 480 microplastic pieces extracted from Dubai beach sediments identified 14 heavy metals including five EPA priority pollutants (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb) sorbed onto PE and PP microplastics, demonstrating microplastics serve as carriers for toxic metals in coastal marine environments.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics assessment in Arabian Sea fishes: accumulation, characterization, and method development

Researchers assessed microplastic accumulation in Arabian Sea fish species, developing optimized digestion protocols and characterizing polymer types to trace contamination sources, finding widespread microplastic ingestion across multiple commercially important fish species.

2023 Brazilian Journal of Biology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation of chemical elements and occurrence of microplastics in small pelagic fish from a neritic environment

Researchers examined chemical element accumulation and microplastic occurrence in small pelagic fish from coastal waters, contributing baseline data on contaminant exposure in mid-trophic level species that are often overlooked in pollution assessments.

2021 Environmental Pollution 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Baseline toxicological assessment of biliary PAHs and heavy metals contamination in a commercially consumed native fish (Mugil cephalus) within Fiji coastal waters

This study used mullet fish (Mugil cephalus) as sentinel organisms to assess heavy metal and PAH contamination in Fiji's coastal waters, identifying measurable health risks to local communities that rely on fish consumption. While the study focuses on chemical pollutants rather than microplastics, it is not directly relevant to microplastic research.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and heavy metal distributions in an Indian coral reef ecosystem

Microplastics and heavy metals were found together in coral reef waters and sediments in the Gulf of Mannar, India, with polyethylene the most common polymer and metals including zinc, mercury, and lead associated with plastic surfaces. The study provides baseline contamination data for an ecologically important reef system facing pressure from both microplastics and metal pollution.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 167 citations