Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Toxicity of Ammonia Stress on the Physiological Homeostasis in the Gills of Litopenaeus vannamei under Seawater and Low-Salinity Conditions

This study examined how ammonia stress damages the gills of Pacific white shrimp raised in both seawater and low-salinity conditions. While not directly about microplastics, the findings are relevant because microplastics in aquaculture water can worsen ammonia toxicity, and the gill damage observed -- including disrupted ion balance and immune function -- highlights how environmental stressors compound threats to seafood safety.

2024 Biology 20 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

Oxidative stress induced by nanoplastics in the liver of juvenile large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea

Researchers exposed juvenile large yellow croaker fish to nanoplastics for 14 days followed by a 7-day recovery period and measured signs of oxidative stress in their livers. They found that antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid damage markers increased significantly at higher nanoplastic concentrations, and some effects persisted even after the recovery period. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may reduce fish survival rates and could have broader implications for fishery productivity.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Ultrastructural, Antioxidant, and Metabolic Responses of Male Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus) to Acute Hypoxia Stress

This study examined how farmed tilapia respond to low-oxygen stress, finding significant changes in antioxidant defenses, metabolism, and organ damage in the gills and liver. While not about microplastics, the research is relevant because microplastic exposure in fish triggers similar oxidative stress responses. Understanding how fish handle environmental stress helps researchers assess the combined impacts when farmed fish face both low oxygen and microplastic contamination.

2024 Antioxidants 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Reassessment of dietary protein and lipid requirements for large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea, reared in net pens

Not directly relevant to microplastics — this study optimises dietary protein and lipid levels for farming large yellow croaker fish in net pens.

2023 Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics induce toxic effects in fish: Bioaccumulation, hematological parameters and antioxidant responses

Researchers exposed juvenile fish to polyamide microplastics and found the particles accumulated primarily in the intestine, gills, and liver, causing reduced blood oxygen-carrying capacity, liver stress, and disrupted antioxidant defenses. These findings matter because fish are an important food source for humans, and microplastic accumulation in fish tissues could transfer these contaminants to people through their diet.

2025 Chemosphere 16 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
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effects of Microplastics on the Oxygen Consumption and Histological Changes of the Cultured Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

This study found that microplastic exposure caused tissue damage in the gills and intestines of tilapia fish, with higher concentrations leading to more severe changes. Since tilapia is widely consumed worldwide, these findings raise questions about whether microplastics in farmed fish could affect the quality and safety of the seafood on our plates.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 1 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

Investigating the Impact of Disrupting the Glutamine Metabolism Pathway on Ammonia Excretion in Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus) under Carbonate Alkaline Stress Using Metabolomics Techniques

This study examined how disrupting a key metabolic pathway affects ammonia processing in crucian carp under alkaline water stress. The research identified significant changes in lipid, amino acid, and energy metabolism when the glutamine pathway was blocked. While not directly about microplastics, the findings are relevant because microplastic pollution can alter water chemistry and compound metabolic stress in freshwater fish species.

2024 Antioxidants 12 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

Toxic Effects on Bioaccumulation, Hematological Parameters, Oxidative Stress, Immune Responses and Tissue Structure in Fish Exposed to Ammonia Nitrogen: A Review

This review summarizes how ammonia nitrogen pollution in aquatic environments affects fish health, including damage to blood, organs, immune function, and tissue structure. Researchers found that ammonia exposure triggers oxidative stress and bioaccumulation in fish, with toxic effects varying by species and developmental stage. The study highlights the importance of monitoring ammonia levels in waterways to protect aquatic ecosystems and the food chain.

2021 Animals 234 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms of Gills Response to Cadmium Exposure in Greenfin Horse-Faced Filefish (Thamnaconus septentrionalis): Oxidative Stress, Immune Response, and Energy Metabolism

This study examined how cadmium, a toxic heavy metal from industrial pollution, damages the gills of a marine fish species by triggering oxidative stress, immune responses, and energy imbalances. While not directly about microplastics, the findings are relevant because microplastics can absorb and transport heavy metals like cadmium into aquatic food chains. Understanding how fish respond to cadmium exposure helps assess the combined risks when heavy metals hitchhike on microplastic particles.

2024 Animals 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploration of polyacrylamide microplastics and evaluation of their toxicity on multiple parameters of Oreochromis niloticus

Researchers evaluated the toxicity of polyacrylamide microplastics on Nile tilapia fish at different concentrations and found significant harmful effects across multiple biological systems. The microplastics disrupted antioxidant enzymes, reduced blood cell counts, and caused histological damage to gills, liver, and intestine. The study indicates that polyacrylamide microplastics, increasingly present in aquatic environments, are toxic agents with broad physiological impacts on freshwater fish.

2022 Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects Of Microplastics On Fish Physiology

This review examines how microplastic exposure affects fish physiology, covering accumulation patterns in different tissues, effects on organ function including liver and gill damage, antioxidant responses, and potential reproductive health consequences from both solo and combined contaminant exposures.

2025 Spectrum of Emerging Sciences
Article Tier 2

Growth performance, hematological and oxidative stress responses in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to polypropylene microplastics

Nile tilapia fish fed polypropylene microplastics for 7 weeks showed significantly reduced growth, blood abnormalities indicating anemia, and oxidative stress damage in both liver and brain tissue. The effects were dose-dependent, with higher microplastic concentrations causing more severe harm. Since tilapia is one of the most widely farmed and consumed fish globally, these findings raise concerns about the health of both farmed fish and the people who eat them.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of microplastics on freshwater fish (Channa argus): mechanisms of inflammation, apoptosis, and autophagy

Freshwater snakehead fish exposed to polystyrene microplastics for four weeks developed inflammation, cell death, and tissue damage in their liver, intestines, kidneys, and gills. The damage worsened with higher microplastic concentrations and involved disruption of the fish's antioxidant defenses and immune system. Since snakehead is a commonly consumed fish in Asia, these findings raise questions about whether microplastics in aquaculture environments could affect the safety of fish as human food.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidative stress, inflammation, and steatosis elucidate the complex dynamics of HgCl2 induced liver damage in Channa punctata

This study showed that mercury chloride exposure caused progressive liver damage in fish through oxidative stress, inflammation, and fatty liver disease over 45 days. While focused on mercury rather than microplastics, the research is relevant because microplastics can absorb and transport mercury and other heavy metals in aquatic environments. The combined exposure of fish to mercury-carrying microplastics could worsen liver damage and affect the safety of fish consumed by humans.

2024 Scientific Reports 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Disturbing ion regulation and excretion in medaka (Oryzias melastigma) gills by microplastics: Insights from the gut-gill axis

Researchers investigated the effects of three sizes of polystyrene microplastics on ion regulation and ammonia excretion in medaka fish gills. The study found that microplastics transiently disrupted sodium and potassium flux rates and affected gill function through a gut-gill axis, suggesting that microplastic accumulation in the digestive system can indirectly impact gill physiology.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 43 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

Ecological Toxicity, Oxidative Stress and Impacts of Microplastics on Fish Gills

This review summarizes research on how microplastic exposure damages fish gills, a critical organ for breathing, waste removal, and maintaining body chemistry. Researchers found that microplastics cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, and structural changes to gill tissue, which can impair blood parameters and overall fish health. The findings highlight that gill damage from microplastics may be a widespread concern for freshwater and marine fish populations.

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

Histological and Histochemical Effects of Microplastics Administration in Oreochromis niloticus Fingerlings

Researchers exposed Nile tilapia to two types of microplastics and examined histological and histochemical changes in gills, liver, and kidneys, finding tissue-level damage that demonstrates the harmful effects of microplastic ingestion on vital fish organs.

2023 Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences. D, Histology and Histochemistry 3 citations
Article Tier 2

High microplastics concentration in liver is negatively associated with condition factor in the Benguela hake Merluccius polli

Researchers quantified microplastics in gills, liver, and muscle of 94 Benguela hake caught commercially off northwest Africa, finding that high liver microplastic concentrations were negatively correlated with fish body condition, suggesting physiological costs of microplastic accumulation.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Photoaged Microplastics Disrupt the Response of Marine Medaka ( Oryzias melastigma ) to Ocean Acidification: Perspectives from Energy Metabolism and Ammonia Production

Researchers examined how photoaged microplastics interact with ocean acidification to affect marine medaka fish. The study found that UV-weathered microplastics disrupted the fish's ability to compensate for acidified conditions by altering energy metabolism and ammonia production, suggesting that combined exposure to aged microplastics and ocean acidification may be more harmful than either stressor alone.

2026 Environmental Science & Technology