Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

First insight into plastics ingestion by fish in the Gulf of California, Mexico

Researchers found that 50% of 1,095 fish examined from 13 species in a tropical estuarine system in the Gulf of California had ingested plastic particles, with all recovered particles being threads and most being small microplastic fibres.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and amount of microplastic ingested by fishes in watersheds of the Gulf of Mexico

Researchers quantified microplastic ingestion by fishes across several freshwater and estuarine watersheds of the Gulf of Mexico. The study documented widespread microplastic occurrence in fish from these environments, contributing important data about freshwater contamination at a time when most research had focused on marine ecosystems.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 307 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of plastic debris by commercially important marine fish in southeast-south Brazil

Scientists visually examined 965 specimens of eight commercially exploited fish species off the southeast-south coast of Brazil for plastic debris ingestion, finding plastic in multiple species across different marine habitats.

2020 Environmental Pollution 82 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in commercial fish from a natural estuarine environment

Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of commercial fish caught from a natural estuarine environment and found microplastics in a significant proportion of individuals, documenting both occurrence rates and particle characteristics.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 586 citations
Article Tier 2

Pelagic Sargassum as a Potential Vector for Microplastics into Coastal Ecosystems

This research assessed microplastics entrapped within pelagic Sargassum seaweed collected from the Mexican Caribbean coast. The study suggests that Sargassum mats act as vectors transporting microplastics from the open ocean to coastal ecosystems, amplifying plastic pollution in affected shoreline environments across more than 30 nations.

2024 Phycology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Does the trophic guild influence microplastic ingestion in nursery areas? A case study on a southwestern Atlantic mangrove-dominated estuary

Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in ten fish species from a mangrove-dominated estuary in Brazil's Tropical Atlantic, finding plastics in 61% of 145 specimens. Zooplanktivorous species ingested the most (averaging 2.33 MPs per individual), with polystyrene and polypropylene dominating.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Extensive Microplastic Contamination in Southeastern Florida Forage Fishes

Forage fish from four coastal sites in southeastern Florida contained high levels of microplastics, with contamination levels comparable to or exceeding those in larger predatory species, highlighting the importance of lower trophic levels as vectors for plastic in marine food webs.

2024 Caribbean Journal of Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Foraging preferences influence microplastic ingestion by six marine fish species from the Texas Gulf Coast

Researchers analyzed 1,381 fish from six Gulf Coast species and found microplastics — predominantly fibers — in 42% of individuals, with ingestion patterns reflecting the foraging ecology of each species. The results show that diet and habitat use strongly shape a fish's exposure to microplastic pollution.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 191 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on typical macrobenthos in sargassum ecosystems

Researchers studied the distribution and toxic effects of microplastics on macrobenthos organisms living in Sargassum seaweed ecosystems. They found that microplastic accumulation in these organisms increased in a concentration-dependent manner, though no significant bioaccumulation was observed up the food chain. The study revealed that microplastics induced oxidative stress and altered intestinal microflora composition in the exposed organisms.

2024 Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Feeding Habits and the Occurrence of Anthropogenic Debris in the Stomach Content of Marine Fish from Pattani Bay, Gulf of Thailand

Researchers found anthropogenic debris in the stomachs of 12 of 34 marine fish species from the Gulf of Thailand, with planktivorous fish ingesting the most debris and blue-colored items predominating, with ingestion rates peaking during the northeast monsoon season.

2022 Biology 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic density as a key factor in the presence of microplastic in the gastrointestinal tract of commercial fishes from Campeche Bay, Mexico

Researchers found microplastics in 316 particles across 240 gastrointestinal tracts from six commercially consumed fish species in Campeche Bay, Mexico, with average ingestion of 1.31 MPs per fish, and found that fish feeding in mid-water column tended to ingest denser polymer types reflecting their depth distribution.

2020 Environmental Pollution 106 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic intake does not depend on fish eating habits: Identification of microplastics in the stomach contents of fish on an urban beach in Brazil

Researchers analyzed microplastic content in the stomachs of seven fish species from an urban beach in Brazil and found that trophic guild (carnivore, omnivore, herbivore) did not predict microplastic ingestion rates, suggesting that incidental ingestion during feeding is widespread regardless of diet type.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundant plankton-sized microplastic particles in shelf waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Researchers found abundant microplastic particles of plankton-like size in the waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico shelf, raising concerns about their potential to be ingested by zooplankton and higher trophic level species. The study highlights how semi-enclosed coastal seas can accumulate high concentrations of small plastic fragments.

2017 Environmental Pollution 197 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic prevalence in marine fish from onshore Beibu Gulf, South China Sea

Researchers examined 271 fish across 32 species from the Beibu Gulf and found microplastics in the majority of samples, with fibers being the most common type and abundance varying by species, feeding habits, and habitat.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of biological and environmental factors on microplastic ingestion of commercial fish species

Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in commercially important fish species, evaluating how biological and environmental factors influence ingestion rates across 2,222 individual fish. The study assessed gastrointestinal tract contents to determine the extent and patterns of microplastic contamination. The findings suggest that both species-specific biology and environmental conditions play important roles in determining microplastic ingestion levels in commercial fish.

2022 Chemosphere 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Juvenile fish caging as a tool for assessing microplastics contamination in estuarine fish nursery grounds

Researchers used caged juvenile fish as a biomonitoring tool to assess microplastic contamination in estuarine nursery grounds, finding that fish accumulated microplastics during exposure periods and that this approach could effectively reflect local contamination levels in estuarine habitats.

2018 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on juveniles of the common goby (Pomatoschistus microps): Confusion with prey, reduction of the predatory performance and efficiency, and possible influence of developmental conditions

Researchers tested whether juvenile common goby fish ingest microplastics and whether their presence affects predatory performance. The study found that fish confused microplastics with prey, and that microplastic presence reduced predatory efficiency, with developmental conditions in different estuaries also influencing the fish's ability to distinguish between food and plastic particles.

2014 Environmental Pollution 540 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion by pelagic and benthic fish and diet composition: A case study in the NW Iberian shelf

Researchers found microplastics in 78% of fish examined across four pelagic and benthic species from the NW Iberian shelf, with ingestion rates varying by feeding ecology and habitat depth, and identified predominantly fibers and fragments in gastrointestinal contents following alkaline tissue digestion.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Decreased growth and survival in small juvenile fish, after chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastic

Researchers exposed juvenile glassfish to environmentally realistic concentrations of both virgin and harbor-collected microplastics for 95 days, finding that fish in plastic-fed groups grew significantly less in length, depth, and mass, and had lower survival probability than controls.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 189 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastic by ontogenetic phases of Stellifer brasiliensis (Perciformes, Sciaenidae) from the surf zone of tropical beaches

Microplastics were found in 9.5% of Stellifer brasiliensis fish from tropical Brazilian beaches, with ingestion occurring across juvenile, subadult, and adult life stages. The study indicates that microplastics are entering the food chain through commercial fish species in nearshore tropical ecosystems.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 26 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

Quantification and characterisation of microplastics ingested by selected juvenile fish species associated with mangroves in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Researchers quantified microplastic ingestion in four species of juvenile fish from mangrove habitats along the South African coast. They found that 52% of fish sampled contained microplastics, predominantly rayon and polyester fibers, with an average of 0.79 particles per fish. The study provides evidence that juvenile fish in mangrove nursery habitats are consuming significant quantities of microplastics, which could affect their development during a critical growth stage.

2019 Environmental Pollution 165 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion and diet composition of planktivorous fish

This study analyzed stomach contents of six planktivorous pelagic fish species from Atlanto-Iberian waters, finding microplastics in a substantial proportion of individuals. The relationship between microplastic ingestion and diet composition suggests that fish consuming prey similar in size to microplastics are at higher risk of ingestion.

2020 Limnology and Oceanography Letters 127 citations
Article Tier 2

Dynamics of Marine Debris Ingestion by Profitable Fishes Along The Estuarine Ecocline

Researchers found that snook fish in Brazilian estuaries accumulate microfilaments (tiny plastic threads under 5 mm) throughout their lives, with adults ingesting the most — especially during rainy season when fishing activity peaks. The color and size of ingested microfilaments matched local pollution sources, suggesting both direct consumption and trophic transfer (eating contaminated prey) are key pathways.

2019 Scientific Reports 40 citations