Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Exposure of Cyprinus carpio var. larvae to PVC microplastics reveals significant immunological alterations and irreversible histological organ damage

Researchers conducted a 60-day feeding experiment exposing carp larvae to PVC microplastics at varying concentrations and found significant immune system disruption and organ damage. The microplastics caused liver vacuolation, intestinal villi damage, spleen inflammation, and kidney degeneration, along with elevated inflammatory markers and reactive oxygen species. The findings indicate that chronic dietary exposure to PVC microplastics can cause serious and potentially irreversible harm to freshwater fish immune function.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Subacute toxic effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) in juvenile common carp, Cyprinus carpio (Pisces: Cyprinidae)

Juvenile common carp exposed to polyvinyl chloride microplastics showed dose-dependent toxic effects including tissue damage, oxidative stress, and altered biochemical markers over a subacute exposure period. The results indicate that PVC microplastics are harmful to freshwater fish at ecologically relevant concentrations.

2022 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyvinyl chloride microplastics induce growth inhibition and oxidative stress in Cyprinus carpio var. larvae

Researchers exposed carp larvae to polyvinyl chloride microplastics in their diet for 30 and 60 days at various concentrations. The microplastics significantly inhibited growth and weight gain while causing oxidative stress, altered antioxidant enzyme activities, and changes in gene expression in the liver. Histological examination revealed tissue damage including vacuolation in the liver under higher exposure concentrations.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 291 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics increases the tissue damage caused by 4-nonylphenol in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) juvenile

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics increased tissue damage caused by the endocrine disruptor 4-nonylphenol in juvenile common carp, with combined exposure producing more severe histopathological changes in gills, liver, and kidneys than individual exposures.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 24 citations
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

Hepatic transcriptomic and histopathological responses of common carp, Cyprinus carpio, to copper and microplastic exposure

Researchers investigated how PVC microplastics interact with copper exposure in common carp over 14 days. They found that the microplastic particles acted as a vector for copper, increasing its accumulation in the liver and worsening tissue damage beyond what either pollutant caused alone. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the toxic effects of heavy metals in freshwater fish.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Chronic feeding exposure to virgin and spiked microplastics disrupts essential biological functions in teleost fish

Researchers fed zebrafish and marine medaka environmentally relevant concentrations of virgin and chemically spiked polyethylene and PVC microplastics over four months. While classical biomarkers showed no changes, significant decreases in growth and disruptions to reproduction, gut integrity, and liver function were observed. The findings suggest that chronic dietary exposure to microplastics can disrupt essential biological functions in fish even without triggering traditional toxicity markers.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of dietary polyvinylchloride, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate exposure in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus: Bioaccumulation, and effects on behaviour, growth, hematology and histology

Nile tilapia fish fed three common types of microplastics (PVC, polypropylene, and PET) showed reduced growth, abnormal behavior, blood cell damage, and tissue damage in their gills, liver, and intestines. The harmful effects increased with higher doses of microplastics and varied by plastic type. Since tilapia is one of the most widely consumed fish globally, these findings raise concerns about the health of fish that may carry microplastic contamination to human diets.

2024 Environmental Pollution 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Polystyrene Microplastic Exposure on Individual, Tissue, and Gene Expression in Juvenile Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus)

Juvenile crucian carp were exposed to polystyrene microplastics at different concentrations, and researchers found that the particles accumulated mainly in the intestines and gills. The study suggests that microplastic exposure caused tissue damage to multiple organs and altered gene expression, with higher concentrations generally leading to more severe effects.

2024 Fishes 5 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effect of Microplastic Exposures to The Male Gonad Histology of Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

This study found that microplastic exposure damaged the reproductive organs of male catfish, causing structural changes in gonad tissue. The findings raise concerns about microplastic effects on fish reproductive health, which could impact aquaculture productivity and suggests that these particles may pose broader reproductive risks to aquatic species in our food supply.

2023 Journal of Aquaculture and Fish Health 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics cause apoptosis via the MiR-132/CAPN axis and inflammation in carp ovarian

Researchers exposed carp to polyethylene microplastics in water and found that the particles caused significant damage to the fish's ovarian tissue through both cell death and inflammation. They identified a specific molecular pathway involving a microRNA and a protein-cutting enzyme that mediated the harmful effects on reproductive cells. The study provides evidence that microplastic contamination in waterways could impair the reproductive health of commonly consumed fish species.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 27 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

Reproductive toxicity and cross-generational effect of polyethylene microplastics in Paramisgurnus dabryanus

Researchers exposed loach fish to polyethylene microplastics and found significant reproductive damage, including disrupted sex hormones, increased cell death in reproductive organs, and impaired sperm quality. The microplastics also accumulated in the gonads and transferred to offspring embryos, increasing mortality and malformation rates in the next generation. The study suggests that microplastic exposure can cause cross-generational reproductive harm in freshwater fish.

2022 Chemosphere 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and the toxicological effects of virgin polyethylene (PE) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) microplastics in commercial freshwater fish, tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Researchers exposed tilapia to polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics through their diet over 21 days and observed behavioral changes, mortality, and reduced growth rates. The study suggests that ingestion of common microplastic types can impair the health and survival of commercially important freshwater fish, with implications for aquaculture and food safety.

2025 Fish Physiology and Biochemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and the toxicological effects of virgin polyethylene (PE) and PVC microplastics in commercial freshwater fish, Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Researchers exposed Nile tilapia to virgin polyethylene and PVC microplastics for 21 days, finding that both types caused behavioral changes and mortality, with PVC producing greater toxicity, reduced growth rates, and histological damage to gut and liver tissue.

2025
Article Tier 2

Some Behavioural and Physiological Effects of Plastics (Polyethylene) on Fish

Researchers examined behavioral and physiological effects of polyethylene microplastics on fish, finding that plastic exposure disrupted endocrine function, altered behavior, and impaired normal development and reproduction.

2023 Tropical Aquatic and Soil Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Sex-specific gene expression alterations in response to ingested PVC microplastics in Wistar rats

Researchers investigated sex-specific differences in gene expression changes triggered by PVC microplastic ingestion, examining whether males and females show distinct molecular responses to the same plastic exposure. Sex-specific gene expression patterns were identified, suggesting that microplastic toxicity may manifest differently in males and females with implications for health risk assessment.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics on reproduction, oxidative stress and reproduction and detoxification-related genes in Daphnia magna

Researchers exposed water fleas (Daphnia magna) to PVC microplastics of two different sizes and measured effects on reproduction, oxidative stress, and gene expression. They found that smaller microplastics caused greater reproductive impairment and stronger oxidative stress responses, along with changes in genes related to reproduction and detoxification. The study demonstrates that microplastic size is an important factor in determining toxicity to freshwater invertebrates.

2022 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental microplastics accumulate in gonads in a sex-dependent manner and alter reproductive success in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Zebrafish exposed to environmentally sourced microplastics accumulated particles preferentially in the testes rather than ovaries, and males showed the highest gonadal microplastic loads along with PCB co-contaminant effects including inhibited apoptosis and hepatotoxicity.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Survival rate and growth performance of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed in polyvinyl chloride microplastics

This study tested how polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics affect the survival and growth of tilapia, a widely eaten fish. While focused on fish rather than humans, it provides data on how microplastics in water can harm aquatic life that ends up on our plates. The findings add to concerns about microplastic contamination in the food chain.

2024 DEPIK
Article Tier 2

Phenotypic and Gene Expression Alterations in Aquatic Organisms Exposed to Microplastics

This review summarizes research on how microplastics affect aquatic animals at the genetic level, covering changes in hatching, development, and growth. Microplastics, especially when combined with other pollutants, trigger abnormal gene activity in antioxidant and stress-response systems in fish and other water organisms. These genetic disruptions in aquatic life are relevant to human health because affected organisms can enter the food chain through seafood.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Sex-specific gene expression alterations in response to ingested PVC microplastics in Wistar rats

Researchers examined sex-specific differences in gene expression changes in mice exposed to PVC microplastics via ingestion, finding that male and female animals responded differently at the molecular level. The sex-specific patterns suggest that biological sex may be an important variable in microplastic health risk assessments.

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

Histopathological damage and stress‐ and immune‐related genes' expression in the intestine of common carp, Cyprinus carpio exposed to copper and polyvinyl chloride microparticle

Researchers examined the combined effects of copper and PVC microplastics on common carp intestines, finding that co-exposure caused greater histopathological damage and altered stress- and immune-related gene expression compared to either contaminant alone.

2021 Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A Ecological and Integrative Physiology 33 citations