Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on amphipods

Researchers exposed two amphipod species to environmentally relevant polyethylene microplastic concentrations and found increased mortality and oxidative stress, with species-specific sensitivity suggesting ecological impacts even at low exposure levels.

2022 Chemosphere 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of Microplastics by Zooplankton in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Researchers collected zooplankton from the northeast Pacific Ocean and found microplastics ingested by multiple species, demonstrating that microplastic uptake occurs throughout the open ocean zooplankton community far from coastlines.

2015 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 994 citations
Article Tier 2

Small microplastics and other components of microlitter in Arctic invertebrates (Amphipods)

Researchers examined small microplastics (under 100 µm) and other microlitter components in Arctic amphipods, addressing the relatively understudied size fraction of microplastic contamination in marine invertebrates from polar regions. The study characterized particle types, sizes, and abundances found within these organisms to better understand contamination pathways in Arctic food webs.

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

Microplastics ingestion by deep-sea decapod crustaceans from the Western Mediterranean

Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion by four deep-sea decapod crustacean species in the Sardinian and Catalan regions of the Western Mediterranean, analyzing gastrointestinal tracts from 210 individuals to assess abundance, characterization, and species- and region-level differences, finding ingestion prevalence of approximately 70%.

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

Arctic Amphipods as bioindicators of plastic pollution: identification and simultaneous quantification of small microplastics and microlitter (< 100 μm)

Researchers investigated Arctic amphipods as bioindicators of plastic pollution by simultaneously identifying and quantifying small microplastics, plastic additives, and other microlitter components below 100 micrometers in body tissues, focusing on the size fractions most likely to enter the trophic web.

2025 ARCA (Università Ca' Foscari Venezia)
Article Tier 2

Small microplastics and other components of microlitter in Arctic invertebrates (Amphipods)

Researchers investigated small microplastics (less than 100 µm) and other microlitter components in Arctic amphipod invertebrates, addressing a gap in knowledge since most Arctic microplastics research has focused on particles larger than 100 µm. The study characterised the presence and composition of these smaller particles within this ecologically important invertebrate group.

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

Occurrence and ingestion of microplastics by zooplankton in Kenya's marine environment: first documented evidence

Researchers documented the first evidence of microplastic ingestion by zooplankton in Kenyan coastal waters, finding an average of 110 microplastic particles per cubic metre at the sea surface, with 129 particles recovered from zooplankton including chaetognaths, copepods, amphipods, and fish larvae. Filaments dominated both water and ingested microplastics, comprising 76% and 97% of their respective compositions.

2018 African Journal of Marine Science 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of microplastic pollution in commercially relevant seafood across different geographical regions

Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution in commercially important seafood species, characterizing particle morphology and polymer composition across species. The study found microplastics in all species sampled, with differences in contamination levels linked to feeding ecology and habitat.

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

Ingestion and adherence of microplastics by estuarine mysid shrimp

Researchers investigated how estuarine mysid shrimp ingest and accumulate microplastics both internally and on their external body surfaces. The study found microplastics in the shrimp's bodies and fecal pellets, and feeding experiments revealed that these organisms readily consume plastic particles, raising concerns about microplastic transfer through marine food webs.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion in zooplankton from the Fram Strait in the Arctic

Researchers found that all five zooplankton species examined in the Arctic Fram Strait had ingested microplastics, with polyester and polyamide fibers being the most common types, confirming widespread microplastic contamination at the base of the Arctic food web.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 127 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of microplastics pollution on the feeding behavior of a prominent sandy beach amphipod, Orchestoidea tuberculata (Nicolet, 1849)

Microplastic pollution was found to reduce feeding activity and slow growth in a beach amphipod (small crustacean), even at environmentally relevant concentrations. This suggests microplastics can disrupt energy balance and population health in small invertebrates that play important roles in sandy beach ecosystems.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and translocation of microplastics in tissues of deposit-feeding crabs (Grapsoidea, Ocypodoidea) in Kochi estuary, Japan

More than half of 116 intertidal crabs collected from a Japanese estuary contained microplastics, with PET fragments dominating and particles concentrated primarily in the gut. Smaller deposit-feeding crab species carried a higher microplastic burden relative to body weight than larger omnivorous species, showing that feeding behavior and body size both shape how much plastic wildlife accumulates in contaminated estuaries.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and synthetic particles ingested by deep-sea amphipods in six of the deepest marine ecosystems on Earth

Amphipod crustaceans from six of the deepest Pacific ocean trenches (7,000–10,890 m depth) were examined for microplastic ingestion, with over 72% of the 90 individuals containing at least one microparticle, including fibers, films, and fragments of polyethylene terephthalate and nylon. The study provides the first evidence that microplastic contamination reaches the deepest inhabited parts of the world's oceans.

2019 Royal Society Open Science 429 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative assessment of microplastic ingestion among deep sea decapods: Distribution analysis in Sardinian and Catalan waters

Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in four species of deep-sea shrimp and lobster from the Mediterranean Sea, finding that nearly 73% of the animals had consumed microplastics. Fiber-shaped microplastics were by far the most common type found, and contamination levels varied between species and regions. The study shows that even deep-sea crustaceans consumed by humans are exposed to significant microplastic pollution.

2025 Environmental Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

In situ microplastic ingestion by neritic zooplankton of the central Mexican Pacific

Researchers documented in situ microplastic ingestion by zooplankton in two bays of the central Mexican Pacific, finding that copepods, decapod larvae, and chaetognaths ingested microplastics, predominantly fibers, with higher rates during the rainy season.

2023 Environmental Pollution 33 citations
Article Tier 2

First Assessment of Plasticizers in Marine Coastal Litter-Feeder Fauna in the Mediterranean Sea

Five small-sized Mediterranean amphipod crustacean species from coastal litter-feeder habitats were analyzed for plasticizer contamination, finding detectable levels and identifying these litter-feeding invertebrates as potential monitors of microplastic-associated chemical pollution.

2021 Toxics 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Polymer composition of microplastics in marine organisms across trophic levels

Researchers reviewed data from 16 studies to examine which types of microplastics are found in marine organisms across different levels of the food chain. They found that polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate were the most common polymers, with accumulation patterns varying between herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores. The study highlights how microplastic contamination is widespread throughout marine food webs, raising concerns about potential transfer to humans through seafood consumption.

2025 BIO Web of Conferences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in invertebrates on soft shores in Hong Kong: Influence of habitat, taxa and feeding mode

Researchers surveyed microplastic occurrence in 38 invertebrate species across 18 mudflats and sandy beaches in Hong Kong, finding that feeding mode and habitat type were stronger predictors of microplastic ingestion than taxonomic group, with suspension feeders in mudflat environments showing the highest contamination. The study provides a broad baseline for microplastic uptake across coastal invertebrate communities.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics in benthic and epibenthic organisms: Influence of habitat, feeding mode and trophic level

This study examined microplastic occurrence in benthic and epibenthic invertebrates from the Western English Channel, finding that habitat type, feeding mode, and trophic level all influenced microplastic ingestion rates. The results suggest that bottom-dwelling filter feeders and deposit feeders are among the most exposed organisms in seafloor food webs.

2018 Environmental Pollution 281 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and mesoplastic contaminants in marine diving ducks: A first assessments from the coast of Japan

Researchers conducted the first assessment of plastic contamination in two species of mollusk-eating seaducks wintering along Japan's Pacific coast and found microplastics in all ten birds examined. The vast majority of particles were tiny fragments under 200 micrometers, a size class previously overlooked in seaduck studies, suggesting these birds ingest microplastics primarily through their contaminated prey.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Coping with the “dirt”: brown shrimp and the microplastic threat

Field sampling found brown shrimp from the North Sea contained between 51 and hundreds of microparticles in their stomachs, and lab experiments showed the particles distributed throughout the digestive system. The study reveals that brown shrimp — a commercially important species — accumulate substantial microplastics in their natural habitat.

2020 Zoology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, composition, and distribution of microplastics in intertidal sediment and soft tissues of four species of Bivalvia from Southeast Brazilian urban beaches

Researchers found 100% microplastic contamination in intertidal sediments and four bivalve species from urbanized Brazilian beaches, identifying polypropylene, polyethylene, and PET polymers in organisms commonly consumed by humans.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics on coastal biota and the potential for trophic transfer

This research investigated how microplastics affect coastal marine organisms and whether they transfer up the food chain, finding that beach invertebrates readily ingest microplastics and show behavioral changes, and that contaminated prey can transfer plastics to predators. The results raise concerns about cascading effects through marine food webs.

2022 Figshare 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Natural substrates and amphipods epibionts contaminated by microplastic

Researchers sampled three natural substrates (algae, sponges, and ascidians) and their associated amphipod epibionts on rocky shores in Brazil to compare microplastic abundance, finding that organisms interacting with and filtering microplastics may transfer contamination to associated epibiont communities.

2025 Acta Scientiae et Technicae