Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Residual Levels of Mercury, Cadmium, Lead and Arsenic in Some Commercially Key Species from Italian Coasts (Adriatic Sea): Focus on Human Health

Researchers assessed mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic levels in two commercially important fish species from the Adriatic Sea, finding that while individual metal concentrations were generally below safety thresholds, cumulative exposure from high fish consumption may pose health risks.

2022 Toxics 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and Characteristics of Fibrous Microplastics and Microfibers Isolated in Mullus barbatus from the Adriatic Sea—Preliminary Investigation

This preliminary study assessed the occurrence of fibrous microplastics and microfibers in red mullet (Mullus barbatus) from the Adriatic Sea, finding contamination across sampled fish. The results provide baseline data on microfiber ingestion in a commercially important Mediterranean fish species.

2023 Microplastics 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Heavy Metal Content and Risk Assessment in Trachurus trachurus Investigated from the Marmara Sea

Not relevant to microplastics — this study measures heavy metal concentrations (such as lead, cadmium, and mercury) in Atlantic horse mackerel from the Marmara Sea and assesses associated cancer and non-cancer health risks for consumers.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics’ Occurrence in Edible Fish Species (Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus) from an Italian Marine Protected Area

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in the gastrointestinal tracts and livers of red mullet species (Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus) from a Marine Protected Area in the Ionian Sea, finding microplastics in over 60% of specimens at an average of three items per fish. ATR-FTIR and pyrolysis-GC/MS identified the dominant polymer types, with red mullets showing nearly twice the contamination levels of striped red mullets.

2022 Microplastics 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Mercury Biogeochemistry and Biomagnification in the Mediterranean Sea: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects in the Context of Climate Change

This review examines mercury contamination in the Mediterranean Sea, where fish contain much higher mercury levels than Atlantic species, mainly due to environmental conditions that promote conversion of mercury into its most toxic form. Climate change is expected to worsen the problem by altering the marine food web in ways that increase mercury accumulation in predatory fish like tuna. While focused on mercury, the findings are relevant to microplastics research because microplastics can absorb and transport mercury and other heavy metals through aquatic food chains.

2024 Coasts 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic accumulation in commercial fish from the Adriatic Sea

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in six commercial fish species from the Northern Adriatic Sea sold for human consumption. The study found that 47.8% of fish contained microplastics, primarily polyethylene and polypropylene fragments, which is particularly concerning because some of these species are consumed whole without being gutted.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Screening for microplastics in gastrointestinal tract of mullet (Chelon auratus) from the Northern Adriatic

Researchers screened the gastrointestinal tracts of golden grey mullet (Chelon auratus) from Medulin Bay in the Adriatic Sea — part of the NATURA 2000 ecological network — for microplastic particles ranging from 0.02 to 200 µm. The study documented microplastic presence and characteristics in this coastal fish species, contributing data on plastic ingestion in ecologically protected Adriatic marine environments.

2024 Juraj Dobrila University of Pula Digital Repository
Article Tier 2

First abnormalities investigation in Mullus barbatus (Mullidae) from the Eastern Coast of Algeria

A study of 500 red mullet (Mullus barbatus) from the Algerian Mediterranean coast documented skeletal and other physical abnormalities in the fish for the first time. Red mullet are considered biological indicators of pollution, and the abnormalities may reflect environmental contamination in the region.

2023 Zoology and Ecology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Coping with current impacts: The case of Scyliorhinus canicula in the NW Mediterranean Sea and implications for human consumption

Researchers assessed the health of small-spotted catsharks along the coast of Catalonia by examining their diet, parasite load, tissue damage, and contamination levels. They found high rates of plastic fiber ingestion and mercury concentrations in the muscle tissue well above European safety limits for human consumption. The findings raise food safety concerns for consumers eating this commonly caught shark species in the Mediterranean.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioaccumulation of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants in Fish from Thermaikos Gulf: Preliminary Human Health Risk Assessment Assisted by a Computational Approach

Researchers tested two commercially important fish species from Thermaikos Gulf in Greece for pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and trace metals. While adult health risks were generally within acceptable limits, mercury levels exceeded regulatory thresholds in some samples, and children may face higher exposure risk from consuming these fish due to their lower body weight.

2024 Journal of Xenobiotics 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Heavy Metals Concentration in Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) from the Moroccan Mediterranean Coast and Potential Human Health Risk Assessment

Researchers assessed heavy metal concentrations in sardines from the Moroccan Mediterranean coast and found spatiotemporal variations in toxic metal accumulation, with health risk assessments indicating generally safe levels for human consumption.

2023 Journal of Food Quality 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of anthropogenic and environmental stressors on the current status of red mullet (Mullus barbatus L., 1758) populations inhabiting the Bulgarian Black Sea waters

Researchers assessed the health of red mullet populations in the Bulgarian Black Sea, finding that fish from the southern region ingested more microplastics and showed elevated oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant defenses. The study suggests these populations are under significant anthropogenic pressure, with genetic markers indicating patterns typical of overexploited species.

2023 Nature Conservation 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of Microplastics and Inorganic Contaminants in Mussels from the Montenegrin Coast, Adriatic Sea

Researchers analyzed mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from three sites in Montenegro's Adriatic coast using optical and Raman microscopy, detecting microplastics in all samples along with elevated concentrations of trace metals, providing the first combined MPs and inorganic contaminant data for this coastline.

2021 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 25 citations
Article Tier 2

First occurrence and composition assessment of microplastics in native mussels collected from coastal and offshore areas of the northern and central Adriatic Sea

Microplastics were detected for the first time in native mussels from coastal and offshore areas of the northern and central Adriatic Sea, with chemical analysis confirming common plastic polymers and offshore populations also affected. The study establishes a baseline for microplastic contamination in an important Mediterranean commercial shellfish species.

2019 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Heavy metals content in fresh tuna and swordfish caught from Hindian and Pacific Oceans: Health risk assessment of dietary exposure

Researchers assessed cadmium, lead, and mercury levels in yellowfin tuna and swordfish from the Pacific and Indian Oceans, finding that heavy metal concentrations were within acceptable safety limits and dietary exposure posed no significant health risk.

2023 Veterinary World 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of phthalate esters and preliminary data on microplastics in fish from the Tyrrhenian sea (Italy) and impact on human health

Researchers measured phthalate ester levels and microplastic contamination in three fish species caught along the coast of Campania, Italy. They found higher phthalate bioaccumulation in red mullet compared to other species, and detected microplastics including polyamide and polypropylene in gill samples. While the overall dietary health risk from consuming these fish was low, the study identified a potential cancer risk in worst-case scenarios, particularly for young children.

2022 Environmental Pollution 41 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastic Concentration in Mediterranean Commercial Fish: A Systematic Review

This systematic review examines microplastic levels in five commercially important fish species caught in Mediterranean waters. The findings confirm that microplastics are routinely present in popular seafood, with concentrations varying by species and location, underscoring the need to monitor and reduce plastic contamination in fish that millions of people eat regularly.

2025 Microplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of ecological factors in the modulation of pollution biomarkers of two small pelagic marine fish

Researchers examined how ecological factors such as body condition, sex, and season modulate pollution biomarker responses in two small pelagic fish species, finding that biological variability must be accounted for when using hepatic biomarkers to assess marine contamination levels.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Relationship between biological, ecological parameters and microplastic concentration in Mediterranean fish species

Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in five commercially important Mediterranean fish species -- including Mullus barbatus, Sardina pilchardus, and Trachinus draco -- and analyzed how biological parameters (length, weight) and ecological factors (diet, habitat) influenced microplastic contamination levels across species.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mullet (Liza aurata) from Bizerte and Ghar El Melh Lagoons (Tunisia) and associated human health risk assessment

Researchers measured concentrations of 15 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) muscle tissue from the Bizerte and Ghar El Melh Lagoons in Tunisia, finding PAH levels comparable to or lower than those reported globally for fish. Human health risk assessment indicated that PAH intake from mullet consumption does not pose a significant cancer risk to local consumers, though the detected compound profiles revealed both petrogenic and pyrolytic contamination sources.

2022 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in fillets of Mediterranean seafood. A risk assessment study

Researchers analyzed fillets of several common Mediterranean seafood species for microplastic contamination and estimated the associated human dietary exposure. They detected microplastics in the edible tissue of all species tested, including sardines, sea bream, and mussels. The study provides risk estimates suggesting that regular seafood consumption represents a notable pathway for human microplastic ingestion.

2021 Environmental Research 101 citations
Article Tier 2

A Hazard Index of Microplastics Contamination in Commercial Marine Fish Species and Mussels in the Southern Marmara Sea, Turkey

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in five commercially important fish species and Mediterranean mussels from the southern Marmara Sea in Turkey. They found microplastics in all species examined, with varying levels of contamination across different collection sites, and calculated hazard indices to estimate potential risks. The study provides evidence that seafood consumers in the region may face meaningful dietary exposure to microplastics.

2025 Aquaculture Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastics by commercial fish species from the southern Black Sea coast

Three commercial fish species from the Turkish Black Sea coast -- European anchovy, whiting, and red mullet -- were examined for microplastic ingestion, with plastics found in all three species and fibers being the dominant type. The study adds to regional evidence that microplastic contamination is widespread in commercially harvested Black Sea fish.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Health Risks Attributed to Toxic Trace Elements and Selenium in Farmed Mediterranean Mussels from Türkiye and Bulgaria

Researchers measured levels of selenium and toxic trace metals including cadmium, mercury, and lead in farmed mussels from the coasts of Turkey and Bulgaria. While most metal concentrations were below safety thresholds, some samples showed elevated cadmium levels that could pose health risks with regular consumption. The study emphasizes the importance of monitoring contaminant levels in farmed shellfish to protect consumer health.

2024 Biological Trace Element Research 8 citations