Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Multi-omics reveals the particle size effect of nanoplastics on the hepatopancreas and intestinal toxicity of crustacean model Neospoda palmata

Researchers used multi-omics techniques to study how polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes affect freshwater shrimp over 35 days of exposure. They found that smaller nanoplastics (75 nm) were more likely to trigger cell death than larger ones (200 nm), and both sizes caused significant organ damage, gene expression changes, and disruption of gut bacteria. The study reveals that particle size plays a critical role in determining the toxicity of nanoplastics to aquatic organisms.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent toxicological effects and mechanisms of PET microplastics in Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)

This study exposed Pacific white shrimp to PET microplastics of three different sizes for 21 days and found that smaller particles caused the most harm, reducing growth and swimming ability while causing significant tissue damage. Larger microplastics were less harmful, and the shrimp showed some ability to recover from their effects. The findings are important for aquaculture and food safety because they show that microplastic particle size matters significantly when assessing health risks to commercially important seafood species.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The toxicity of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) varies with the particle size and concentration

Scientists exposed rare minnow fish to polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics at different sizes and concentrations and found that both caused growth inhibition, tissue damage, and disrupted gut bacteria. Interestingly, larger microplastics at high concentrations were the most disruptive to gut microbiome communities, while nanoplastics caused more oxidative stress. The study shows that the health effects of plastic particles depend on both their size and amount, and that gut health is a key target of microplastic toxicity.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent adverse effects of microplastics on intestinal microbiota and metabolic homeostasis in the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

Researchers exposed marine medaka fish to different sizes of polystyrene microplastics for 60 days and found that particle size was a key factor in determining health effects. Larger particles (200 micrometers) caused weight gain and fat accumulation, while smaller particles (2 and 10 micrometers) led to liver inflammation and damage. The study also revealed that microplastics disrupted the balance of gut bacteria, particularly with larger particle exposure.

2021 Environment International 214 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic toxicity in shrimp: From mechanistic pathways to ecological implications.

Researchers systematically reviewed 94 studies on microplastic toxicity in shrimp, mapping mechanistic pathways from particle characteristics to oxidative stress, immune dysfunction, neurotoxicity, and reproductive impairment across hepatopancreas, gills, gut, and gonad tissues, and identifying shrimp as effective bioindicators for aquatic microplastic risk assessment.

2026 Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology : CBP
Article Tier 2

[Accumulation and Clearance of Polystyrene Microplastics in Brine Shrimp and the Responses of Microbiome and Metabolism].

Researchers exposed brine shrimp (Artemia salina) to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations under varying nutritional conditions and analyzed microbiome and metabolic responses. Accumulation and clearance were concentration-dependent, while nutritional status modulated MP uptake; combined microbiome and metabolomics analysis revealed disruptions in microbial community composition and metabolic function.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Impacts of size-fractionation on toxicity of marine microplastics: Enhanced integrated biomarker assessment in the tropical mussels, Perna viridis

Researchers studied how different sizes of polystyrene microplastics (0.5, 5, and 50 micrometers) affect toxicity in tropical green mussels. The study found that smaller microplastics caused greater bioaccumulation and more severe toxic effects, including oxidative stress and tissue damage, indicating that size is a critical factor in determining microplastic toxicity in marine organisms.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nanoplastics on the gut microbiota of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Researchers fed polystyrene nanoplastics to Pacific white shrimp and found significant damage to their gut bacteria, intestinal structure, and immune system. The nanoplastics increased harmful bacteria like Vibrio while reducing beneficial species, and visibly damaged the intestinal lining. Since shrimp are widely consumed seafood, these gut health disruptions raise questions about how nanoplastic contamination in farmed and wild shrimp could affect both the animals and the people who eat them.

2024 PeerJ 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of microplastics in Litopenaeus vannamei as indicated by an integrated microbiome, proteomic and metabolomic approach

Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) exposed to five microplastic types for 14 days showed gut microbiota shifts (increased Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, decreased Firmicutes) and altered haemolymph proteomes, with each MP type producing distinct immune pathway effects.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces apoptosis, autophagy, histopathological damage, and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis of the Pacific whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Exposing Pacific white shrimp to nanoplastics caused intestinal damage, cell death, disrupted immune function, and increased the abundance of harmful gut bacteria. Higher concentrations of nanoplastics led to more severe effects, including visible damage to the intestinal lining and formation of autophagosomes (cellular waste structures). These findings add to growing evidence that nanoplastic contamination in seafood farming can compromise the health of organisms that many people eat.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Tissue accumulation of polystyrene microplastics causes oxidative stress, hepatopancreatic injury and metabolome alterations in Litopenaeus vannamei

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics accumulated in shrimp organs, especially the liver-like hepatopancreas, causing growth problems, abnormal swimming, and oxidative stress. Higher microplastic concentrations led to greater tissue damage and disrupted key metabolic pathways including sugar, fat, and amino acid processing. The study expands our understanding of how microplastics affect commercially important seafood species.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on marine organisms

Researchers exposed Pacific white shrimp to polystyrene nanoplastics at various concentrations and measured immune, antioxidant, and tissue responses after seven days. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted immune function, increased oxidative stress, and caused tissue damage, particularly in the hepatopancreas and gills. The study adds to growing evidence that nanoplastics can harm the health of commercially important marine species.

2023 Environmental Technology & Innovation 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Different effects of nano- and microplastics on oxidative status and gut microbiota in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma

Researchers compared the effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on oxidative stress and gut microbiota in marine medaka fish. They found that nanoplastics caused more severe oxidative damage and greater disruption to the gut microbial community than larger microplastic particles. The study suggests that particle size plays a critical role in determining the biological impact of plastic pollution on aquatic organisms.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 244 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of polystyrene microplastics in the freshwater commercial fish, grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella): Emphasis on physiological response and intestinal microbiome

Researchers exposed grass carp to different sizes and concentrations of polystyrene microplastics for up to 14 days, followed by a depuration period, and assessed physiological and intestinal microbiome effects. The study found that microplastics caused histological damage, oxidative stress, and shifts in gut microbial communities, with smaller particles and higher concentrations producing more severe effects.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of metabolome profiles in zebrafish (Danio rerio) intestine induced by polystyrene microplastics with different sizes

Researchers compared metabolic profiles in zebrafish intestines after exposure to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes, finding that smaller particles caused more severe metabolic disruption including altered lipid metabolism and amino acid pathways in a size-dependent manner.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of Microplastics on the Growth and the Intestinal Microbiota Composition of Brine Shrimp

Researchers exposed brine shrimp to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics and found that both types significantly reduced growth rates, with body length decreasing by 15-18%. The study also revealed that microplastic ingestion altered the gut microbiota composition, increasing microbial diversity and shifting the balance of key bacterial groups in the shrimp intestines.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the immune and microbial response of the white-leg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei to microplastics

Researchers exposed white-leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) to different concentrations of microplastics for 48 hours and measured immune and microbial responses. The study found that high microplastic concentrations significantly reduced survival rates, altered immune-related gene expression, and disrupted the gut microbial community, suggesting that microplastic pollution may compromise shrimp immune function.

2021 Marine Environmental Research 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of nano- and micro-polystyrene plastics on red tilapia: Are larger plastic particles more harmless?

Researchers exposed red tilapia to three sizes of polystyrene particles (0.3, 5, and 70-90 micrometers) to compare their toxic effects. The study found that the largest particles showed the highest accumulation in tissues, but all sizes induced oxidative stress, disrupted cytochrome P450 enzymes, caused neurotoxicity, and altered metabolic profiles, indicating that even smaller nanoplastics can cause significant harm to fish.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 253 citations
Article Tier 2

Size matters either way: Differently-sized microplastics affect amphibian host and symbiotic microbiota discriminately

Researchers exposed toad tadpoles to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics and found both caused growth delays, but through different mechanisms. Larger particles disrupted gut bacteria, while smaller ones triggered stronger gene expression changes in tissues related to brain function and energy metabolism. The study suggests microplastic size matters for how toxicity manifests in amphibians.

2023 Environmental Pollution 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of Particle Size on Ecotoxicity of Low-Density Polyethylene Microplastics, with and without Adsorbed Benzo-a-Pyrene, in Clam Scrobicularia plana

Researchers found that smaller polyethylene microplastics (4-6 µm) caused greater biomarker alterations in clam gills, while the digestive gland was more affected overall, suggesting particle size influences microplastic ecotoxicity in marine bivalves.

2022 Biomolecules 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent effects of polystyrene microplastics on gut metagenome and antibiotic resistance in C57BL/6 mice

Researchers investigated how the size of polystyrene microplastics affects gut microbiome composition and function in mice. The study found that smaller microplastic particles (0.05-0.1 micrometers) had a significantly greater impact on both bacterial and fungal gut communities, as well as metabolic pathways, compared to larger particles (9-10 micrometers). These results suggest that size-dependent effects are an important factor to consider when assessing the health risks of microplastic exposure.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of long-term polystyrene microplastic exposure on gut microbiota, antioxidant capacity, and digestive enzyme activities in Thamnaconus septentrionalis

Researchers exposed filefish (Thamnaconus septentrionalis) to 1 and 5 µm polystyrene microplastics for 30 days and examined gut microbiota, antioxidant capacity, and digestive enzymes. Both particle sizes disrupted gut microbial diversity and reduced antioxidant defenses, with smaller particles generally causing more pronounced effects.

2025 Israeli Journal of Aquaculture - Bamidgeh
Article Tier 2

Accumulation and damage of polyethylene-microplastics to the digestive system of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp exposed through feed

Researchers fed juvenile Pacific white shrimp diets containing polyethylene microplastics at varying concentrations for 28 days. While survival and growth were not affected, microplastics accumulated in the digestive system and caused tissue damage to the hepatopancreas and intestine, suggesting that even without visible growth effects, microplastic ingestion can cause internal harm to commercially important crustacean species.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce molecular toxicity in Simocephalus vetulus: A transcriptome and intestinal microorganism analysis

Researchers exposed a freshwater crustacean to polystyrene nanoplastics and found widespread molecular-level damage, including oxidative stress, disrupted energy metabolism, and signs of neurotoxicity. The nanoplastics also significantly altered the animals' gut microbiome, increasing harmful bacteria and weakening intestinal barrier function. The study provides a detailed picture of how plastic pollution can affect freshwater organisms at the cellular and genetic level.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 6 citations