Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish: A Comprehensive Review

This review synthesizes research on microplastics in fish, covering contamination sources, detection methods, and impacts on wild and farmed populations globally — and examining how plastic particles in fish tissues may transfer to humans through seafood consumption.

2025 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
Meta Analysis Tier 1

A meta-analysis of the characterisations of plastic ingested by fish globally

This meta-analysis pools data from global studies to assess what types of plastic fish most commonly ingest, finding that microfibers and small fragments dominate across both freshwater and marine species. These findings are important for human health because widespread plastic ingestion by fish means that microplastics are likely present in much of the seafood consumed around the world.

2022
Article Tier 2

Global Review and Analysis of the Presence of Microplastics in Fish

This global review and meta-analysis compiled data on microplastic occurrence in fish from studies across dozens of countries, finding microplastics in fish from virtually all sampled regions with higher concentrations in coastal and urban-influenced waters. The analysis identified fibers and fragments as the most common forms, and raised concerns about human dietary exposure through fish consumption.

2022 Asian Fisheries Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro(nano)plastics in the fish gastrointestinal tract: A mini review and relevance to One Health perspective

Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics accumulate in fish digestive systems and enter the broader food web, highlighting that the fish gut acts as a critical pathway for these particles — and the chemicals stuck to them — to travel from the environment into the human food supply.

2025 Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Threats of Microplastic Pollution on Fishes and its Implications on Human Health (Review Article)

This review summarizes research from 2010 to 2023 on microplastic contamination in fish and its potential implications for human health. Researchers found that microplastics are ingested by fish across diverse aquatic environments, with particles accumulating in the gastrointestinal tract and other tissues. The study highlights concerns that microplastic-contaminated seafood may represent a pathway for human exposure to both the plastic particles and associated chemical pollutants.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Worldwide contamination of fish with microplastics: A brief global overview

A literature review from March 2019 to March 2020 synthesized worldwide data on microplastic contamination in fish, finding that a median of 60% of fish from 198 species across 24 countries contained microplastics in their organs. Carnivorous species ingested more microplastics than herbivores, consistent with trophic transfer and bioaccumulation through food webs.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 144 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A global perspective on microplastic bioaccumulation in marine organisms

This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in marine organisms around the world, documenting how plastics of various sizes and types build up in seafood species. Since many of these species end up on our plates, the findings raise important questions about how much microplastic humans may be consuming through seafood.

2023 Ecological Indicators 107 citations
Article Tier 2

What are the global patterns of microplastic ingestion by fish? A scientometric review

This review summarizes global research on microplastic ingestion by fish and finds that contamination is widespread across aquatic ecosystems, with fibers and fragments being the most commonly ingested shapes. The study highlights that fish higher on the food chain tend to accumulate more microplastics, which matters for human health since many of these species are commonly consumed as seafood.

2024 Environmental Pollution 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish and Seafood Species

This chapter reviews microplastic contamination in fish and seafood species, including how plastics enter seafood through wild capture and aquaculture pathways. Because seafood is widely consumed globally, microplastics in fish and shellfish represent a direct route of human dietary exposure.

2022 5 citations
Review Tier 2

A review of microplastic pollution in commercial fish for human consumption

This review examined microplastic contamination in commercial fish muscle consumed by humans worldwide. Researchers found that microplastics were present in 56.5% of the fish samples analyzed, with contamination levels ranging from 0.016 to 6.06 items per gram of muscle tissue, raising concerns about long-term dietary exposure to microplastics through seafood consumption.

2021 Reviews on Environmental Health 73 citations
Review Tier 2

Bioavailability and toxicity of microplastics to fish species: A review

This review summarizes current knowledge about microplastic ingestion and its toxic effects in fish species worldwide. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in fish from nearly all types of aquatic habitats, and both field and laboratory studies confirm fish are highly susceptible to ingesting these particles. The study notes that microplastics alone or combined with other pollutants can cause various health problems in fish, raising concerns about implications for human seafood consumption.

2019 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 511 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

A meta-analysis of the characterisations of plastic ingested by fish globally

This meta-analysis pools data from studies worldwide to characterize the types of plastic that fish ingest, finding that small fibers and fragments are the most common forms consumed. The findings matter for human health because the same fish that swallow these microplastics are often eaten by people, creating a direct pathway for plastic particles to enter our diet.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Meta Analysis Tier 1

A Meta-Analysis of the Characterisations of Plastic Ingested by Fish Globally

This meta-analysis examined what types of plastic fish are swallowing around the world. The findings show that fish most commonly ingest tiny microplastic fibers and fragments smaller than 1 millimeter. Since many of these fish species end up on our plates, this research raises important questions about how much microplastic we may be consuming through our seafood diet.

2022 Toxics 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastic on fisheries and seafood security — Global analysis and synthesis

A global review of 10 years of research found that microplastics contaminate over 900 seafood species worldwide, with Asian seafood being the most affected. Microplastics accumulate in fish skin, gills, organs, and muscles, and are even found in dried and canned fish products. Since microplastics can carry heavy metals, pesticides, and other toxic chemicals, eating contaminated seafood is a significant pathway for human exposure to these pollutants.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 69 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Microplastics on Fish Poses a Threat to Human Health

This review summarizes how microplastics ingested by fish accumulate through the food chain, posing a direct threat to human health via consumption of contaminated seafood.

2024
Systematic Review Tier 1

Global meta‐analysis reveals diverse effects of microplastics on freshwater and marine fishes

This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the effects of microplastics on fish in both freshwater and ocean environments. The findings show that microplastics reduce feeding, impair digestion, slow growth, and weaken immune function in fish, which is concerning because contaminated fish are a major food source for people worldwide.

2022 Fish and Fisheries 69 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A Systematic Review on Microplastic Contamination in Fishes of Asia: Polymeric Risk Assessment and Future Prospectives

This systematic review found widespread microplastic contamination in freshwater and saltwater fish across Asia, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common plastic types. Since fish is a major protein source for billions of people, this contamination represents a direct pathway for microplastics to enter the human diet.

2024 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 54 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A Decade of Microplastic Ingestion in Coral Fish: A Systematic Review of Trends in Asia

This systematic review summarizes a decade of research on microplastic ingestion by coral reef fish in Asia. It found widespread contamination across species, which matters for human health because many of these fish are commonly consumed as seafood in the region.

2025 Water Air & Soil Pollution
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish and Fishery Products and Risks for Human Health: A Review

This review summarizes existing research on microplastic contamination in fish and seafood products and the associated human health risks. Microplastics found in fish can carry harmful chemicals and pathogens, and once eaten by humans, they may cause oxidative stress and move from the gut to other tissues. The review highlights seafood as a major dietary source of microplastic exposure and calls for better monitoring and risk assessment.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 200 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the links between micro/nanoplastics-induced gut microbes dysbiosis and potential diseases in fish: A review

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics accumulate in fish intestines and disrupt their gut bacteria, potentially leading to inflammation, immune problems, and metabolic diseases. The disrupted gut microbiome can weaken the intestinal barrier, allowing harmful substances to enter the fish's body. Since fish are a major protein source for billions of people, understanding how microplastics damage fish gut health is important for assessing risks to human food safety.

2024 Environmental Pollution 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in marine organism

This review examines microplastic contamination in marine organisms, systematically cataloguing data from the literature on particle counts and concentrations found in fish and other marine species. The study highlights the ecological significance of microplastic ingestion given that humans occupy the top of the marine food chain and are consequently exposed through seafood consumption.

2024 Juraj Dobrila University of Pula Digital Repository
Article Tier 2

The Challenge of Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystem: A Review of Current Consensus and Future Trends of the Effect on the Fish

This review synthesizes research on how microplastics affect aquatic ecosystems, covering ingestion by marine animals, trophic transfer up the food chain, and the chemicals that microplastics carry. The findings highlight that microplastic contamination is now widespread enough to threaten marine biodiversity and food security for populations that rely on seafood.

2023 BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS eBooks
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics in freshwater fishes health and the implications for human health

This review examines how microplastics affect the health of freshwater fish, which are a major protein source for billions of people. Fish ingest microplastics that accumulate in their guts, gills, and tissues, leading to inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted growth. Since microplastics in fish tissue can transfer to humans through the food chain, this is relevant to both ecosystem and human health.

2023 Brazilian Journal of Biology 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish and Shellfish – A Threat to Seafood Safety?

This review evaluated the current knowledge on microplastic contamination in fish and shellfish in relation to seafood safety. Researchers found that while microplastics are commonly detected in the gastrointestinal tracts of fish (which are typically not consumed), bivalves and small fish eaten whole may present a more direct route of human exposure, though the overall health risk from microplastics in seafood remains uncertain.

2020 Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology 131 citations