Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Combined effects of PVC microplastics and thermal rise alter the oxidative stress response in Antarctic fish Harpagifer antarcticus and Sub-Antarctic Harpagifer bispinis

Researchers studied how PVC microplastics and rising water temperatures affect oxidative stress in two species of cold-water Antarctic and sub-Antarctic fish. They found that the two species responded quite differently to the same stressors, and that the combination of microplastics and heat together sometimes triggered unexpected responses not seen with either stressor alone. The study highlights that climate change and plastic pollution may interact in complex ways that could threaten polar marine life.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Data from: Microplastic pollution and thermal increase alter cellular stress responses and microbiomes in Antarctic and SubAntarctic fish

This dataset contains raw data from experiments exposing two Antarctic and sub-Antarctic fish species (Harpagifer bispinis and Harpagifer antarticus) to combined microplastic pollution and thermal stress. The data supports research into how these dual stressors alter cellular stress responses and microbiome composition in polar fish.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Data from: Microplastic pollution and thermal increase alter cellular stress responses and microbiomes in Antarctic and SubAntarctic fish

This dataset contains raw data from experiments exposing two Antarctic and sub-Antarctic fish species (Harpagifer bispinis and Harpagifer antarticus) to combined microplastic pollution and thermal stress. The data supports research into how these dual stressors alter cellular stress responses and microbiome composition in polar fish.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Exposure to global change and microplastics elicits an immune response in an endangered coral

Researchers exposed an endangered coral species to combined stressors of elevated seawater temperature, reduced pH, and microplastics, finding that these global change factors together with local microplastic pollution elicit measurable immune responses, suggesting additive or synergistic stress effects on reef-building corals.

2022 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to global change and microplastics elicits an immune response in an endangered coral

Researchers examined how the combination of ocean warming, acidification, and microplastic exposure affects the endangered coral Acropora cervicornis over 22 days. They found that while individual stressors produced subtle gene expression changes, the combined multistressor treatment triggered the strongest response, particularly in genes related to innate immunity. The study suggests that microplastics may compound the effects of climate change on coral health by activating immune stress responses.

2023 Frontiers in Marine Science 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination suppressed immune and health status in cage cultured Barramundi: An investigation on pollution sources, ecotoxicological impacts, and transcription of genes involved in detoxification

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in cage-cultured Barramundi from the Persian Gulf, finding that gills accumulated the most plastic and fish with higher microplastic loads showed suppressed immune function, reduced enzyme activity, and upregulated liver detoxification genes — though biomagnification risk to consumers was low.

2025 Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University AVESIS
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of global warming and microplastic exposure from individual to populational levels of a benthic copepod

This study examined the combined effects of global warming and microplastic exposure on aquatic organisms from the individual to the population level, investigating how these two co-occurring stressors interact. Warming amplified some microplastic effects, suggesting that climate change will exacerbate the ecological consequences of plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems.

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

Microplastic Pollution as a Driver of Immune Dysregulation in Marine Mammal Populations

This review examines how microplastic pollution drives immune dysregulation in marine mammals, discussing how bioaccumulated MPs impair immune cell function, promote inflammation, and may compromise disease resistance in apex marine predators already stressed by other environmental pressures.

2025 Journal of Animal Environment
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastic binding capacity on antioxidant and immune responses of Korean rockfish Sebastes schlegeli in a co-exposure environment with microplastics and Streptococcus iniae

Researchers investigated what happens when Korean rockfish are exposed to both microplastics and the fish pathogen Streptococcus iniae at the same time. They found that microplastics can bind to the bacteria and amplify harmful effects on the fish's antioxidant defenses and immune responses beyond what either stressor causes alone. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution in coastal aquaculture environments may worsen the impact of bacterial infections on fish health.

2025 Chemosphere 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and benzo[a]pyrene on Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer growth and expression of functional genes

Researchers exposed juvenile Asian sea bass to polyethylene microplastics and the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene, both individually and in combination, over 56 days. They found that co-exposure caused more severe effects on growth and gene expression related to immune function and stress response than either contaminant alone. The study highlights that microplastics may worsen the toxic effects of chemical pollutants already present in marine environments.

2024 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics induce transcriptional changes, immune response and behavioral alterations in adult zebrafish

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics for twenty days and analyzed the effects at the genetic, tissue, and behavioral levels. They found significant changes in immune system genes, disrupted intestinal and gill tissue integrity, and increased presence of inflammatory cells. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may compromise fish defenses against pathogens by weakening the protective barriers of their mucosal tissues.

2019 Scientific Reports 361 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of global warming and microplastic exposure from individual to populational levels of a benthic copepod

This study assessed the combined effects of global warming and microplastic exposure on freshwater and marine organisms across individual and population levels, examining how climate and plastic pollution interact as co-occurring stressors. Results showed that warming conditions modified microplastic toxicity in ways that suggest climate change will alter the ecological risk of plastic pollution in aquatic systems.

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

Immunotoxicity of microplastics in fish

This review examines how microplastics damage the immune systems of fish, from harming their gills and organs to disrupting immune cell signaling and gene expression. Over time, microplastic exposure weakens fish immunity by killing immune cells and reducing their ability to fight off infections, with implications for the broader food chain that connects aquatic life to human diets.

2024 Fish & Shellfish Immunology 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics accumulation in gastrointestinal tracts of Mullus barbatus and Merluccius merluccius is associated with increased cytokine production and signaling

Researchers found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of red mullet and European hake from the Mediterranean and showed that MP accumulation was associated with elevated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in gut tissue. The immunotoxic response to ingested MPs suggests that plastic contamination may chronically impair immune function in commercially important fish species.

2022 Chemosphere 54 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

Oysters under anthropogenic pressure: A cellular perspective on the interactive effects of microplastic pollution and climate change

Researchers exposed oysters to microplastics under combined conditions of elevated temperature and ocean acidification, finding that climate change stressors significantly altered the cellular response to MP pollution. Temperature had a stronger effect than acidification, and combined stressors produced non-additive interactions in immune and oxidative stress markers.

2025 Media (https://www.suub.uni-bremen.de/)
Article Tier 2

Phenotypic and Gene Expression Alterations in Aquatic Organisms Exposed to Microplastics

This review summarizes research on how microplastics affect aquatic animals at the genetic level, covering changes in hatching, development, and growth. Microplastics, especially when combined with other pollutants, trigger abnormal gene activity in antioxidant and stress-response systems in fish and other water organisms. These genetic disruptions in aquatic life are relevant to human health because affected organisms can enter the food chain through seafood.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in our water: Fish microbiomes at risk?

This review examined how microplastics and leached plasticizers affect the gut microbiomes of freshwater and marine fish, summarizing evidence for dysbiosis and reduced microbial diversity and discussing potential consequences for fish immunity, metabolism, and environmental fitness.

2021 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D Genomics and Proteomics 25 citations
Article Tier 2

In vitro effects of virgin microplastics on fish head-kidney leucocyte activities

Researchers investigated the in vitro effects of PVC and polyethylene microplastics on immune cells from two fish species, gilthead seabream and European sea bass. They found that microplastic exposure affected phagocytic activity, respiratory burst, and the expression of genes related to inflammation and oxidative stress in the immune cells. The study suggests that microplastics may directly modulate fish immune function, potentially making them more vulnerable to infections and disease.

2017 Environmental Pollution 192 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of zebrafish exposure to high-density polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics at molecular and histological levels

This study exposed zebrafish to high-density polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics and used genomic analysis to identify which biological pathways were most affected, finding widespread disruption of immune function, metabolism, and stress response genes. The transcriptomic approach reveals that different plastic types activate distinct molecular stress responses in fish.

2018 Use Siena air (University of Siena)