Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in livers of European anchovies ( Engraulis encrasicolus , L.)

This study examined the livers of European anchovies caught in the wild and found microplastics in a subset of the organs, suggesting that plastic particles can translocate from the gut to internal tissues in commercially important fish. The finding adds to growing evidence that microplastics are not simply excreted but can accumulate in fish organs.

2017 Environmental Pollution 422 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastics and natural fibres in Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) and Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758) along the Spanish Mediterranean coast

Microplastics and natural fibers were found in the digestive tracts of European sardines and anchovies collected from 14 stations along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, with microplastics present in about 15% of individuals. The study documents widespread but variable microplastic ingestion in two commercially important small pelagic fish species that are key components of Mediterranean food webs and human diets.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 263 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination from microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in the digestive tracts of the commercial species Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus

Researchers examined microplastic and anthropogenic particle contamination in the digestive tracts of European anchovies and sardines from Spanish waters, finding widespread ingestion of synthetic particles in these commercially important fish species.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination from microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in the digestive tracts of the commercial species Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus

Researchers examined the presence of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in the digestive tracts of European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) sampled along the continental shelf of Spain, finding bioaccumulation of particles across these commercially important fish species with implications for food web contamination and human health.

2022
Article Tier 2

Contamination from microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in the digestive tracts of the commercial species Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus

Researchers examined the presence of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in the digestive tracts of European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) sampled along the continental shelf of Spain, finding bioaccumulation of particles across these commercially important fish species with implications for food web contamination and human health.

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

First Report of Microplastic Ingestion and Bioaccumulation in Commercially Valuable European Anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus, Linnaeus, 1758) from the Romanian Black Sea Coast

Researchers conducted the first assessment of microplastic contamination in European anchovies from the Romanian Black Sea coast. They found that 88% of the fish contained microplastics, averaging about three plastic items per fish, which is the highest abundance reported for this species in the Black Sea. The study highlights growing concerns about microplastic accumulation in commercially important fish species and the potential for human dietary exposure.

2025 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract and gill of bioindicator fish species in the northeastern Mediterranean

Four commercial fish species from the northeastern Mediterranean were examined for microplastic presence in gastrointestinal tracts and gills, with plastics found in all species and fiber being the most common type. The results add to growing evidence that microplastic ingestion is routine for commercially harvested Mediterranean fish.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Monthly microplastics change in European anchovy's (Engraulis encrasicolus) gastrointestinal tract in the Black Sea

Researchers tracked monthly microplastic contamination in European anchovy from the Black Sea over a full year, finding seasonal variation in plastic ingestion that correlated with changes in feeding behavior and oceanographic conditions.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic uptake and gut retention time in Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) under laboratory conditions

Researchers found that adult Japanese anchovy selectively ingested 0.3-mm microplastics over 0.85-mm particles based on size but showed no color preference, and that over 90% of ingested microplastics were excreted within 20 hours, suggesting limited retention and accumulation under natural feeding conditions.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastics by demersal fish from the Spanish Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts

Researchers examined the gastrointestinal contents of demersal fish caught from Spanish Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts and found microplastics in a notable proportion, with fiber and fragment types most common, suggesting widespread exposure for bottom-dwelling fish.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 588 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine litter in stomach content of small pelagic fishes from the Adriatic Sea: sardines (Sardina pilchardus) and anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus)

Researchers examined marine litter and microplastics in the stomach contents of sardines (Sardina pilchardus) and anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) from the Adriatic Sea across seasons in 2013-2014, finding marine litter in over 90% of samples from both species. Ingestion levels were correlated with species, season, and fish biometry, underscoring the widespread contamination of small pelagic fish at the base of Mediterranean food webs.

2018 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 140 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics occurrence in edible fish species (Mullus barbatus and Merluccius merluccius) collected in three different geographical sub-areas of the Mediterranean Sea

Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of 229 demersal fish from two Mediterranean species across three geographic sub-areas, finding microplastics in a significant portion of individuals with fibers as the dominant type. The study contributes to growing evidence that microplastic ingestion is widespread in commercially fished Mediterranean species.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 207 citations
Article Tier 2

Research and characterization of fibrous microplastics and natural microfibers in pelagic and benthic fish species of commercial interest

Researchers assessed microfiber contamination in European anchovy and red mullet, two commercially important Mediterranean fish species. The study found microfibers in 53% of anchovies and 60% of red mullet, with an average of 6.9 and 9.2 microfibers per individual, respectively, composed of polymers including cellulose, cotton, and polyester. These findings confirm that fibrous microplastics are widespread in both pelagic and deep-sea food webs, with potential implications for seafood consumers.

2023 Italian Journal of Food Safety 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastics by anchovies from east Lombok Harbour, Lombok Island, Indonesia

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in the digestive tracts of anchovies (Stolephorus spp.) from East Lombok Harbour, Indonesia, finding an average of 88 microplastic particles per individual. Fibres (51%) and films (30%) dominated the microplastic morphologies, with FTIR spectroscopy confirming polymers including polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene.

2019 AIP conference proceedings 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics occurrence in juveniles of Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea

Researchers detected plastics on the external surface and in the gastrointestinal tracts of juvenile sardines and anchovies from the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, with sardines showing higher average counts (0.53 items per fish) than anchovies (0.26 items per fish).

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

Ingestion of microplastics by commercial fish off the Portuguese coast

Researchers examined the digestive tracts of commercial fish caught off the Portuguese coast and found microplastics — mainly fibers — in a substantial proportion of individuals across multiple species.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 954 citations
Article Tier 2

Revealing the capability of the European hake to cope with micro-litter environmental exposure and its inferred potential health impact in the NW Mediterranean Sea

Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion by juvenile European hake in the NW Mediterranean Sea, revealing the species' capacity to cope with environmental micro-litter exposure while identifying potential health impacts from anthropogenic particle accumulation in this commercially important fish.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastics and occurrence of parasite association in Mediterranean anchovy and sardine

Scientists quantified microplastic ingestion in European sardines and anchovies from the Northwestern Mediterranean, finding 58–60% occurrence rates and noting that parasite infection was negatively associated with microplastic presence, suggesting shared ecological or physiological factors.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 91 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic fragments and microbeads in digestive tracts of planktivorous fish from urban coastal waters

Researchers examined the digestive tracts of 64 Japanese anchovy from Tokyo Bay and found plastic fragments in 77% of the fish, averaging about 2.3 pieces per individual. The plastics were mostly polyethylene and polypropylene fragments and microbeads smaller than 1 millimeter. The findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination is widespread in urban coastal fish populations, raising questions about potential transfer through the food chain.

2016 Scientific Reports 695 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

Contamination from microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in the digestive tracts of the commercial species Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus

Researchers compiled a dataset of microplastics and anthropogenic particles found in the stomach contents of anchovy and sardines in the Gulf of Cadiz (Europe), recording particle characteristics alongside fish biometric data, geographic coordinates, and distances to major river mouths and coastal cities.

2022 DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC))
Article Tier 2

Contamination from microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in the digestive tracts of the commercial species Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus

Researchers compiled a dataset of microplastics and anthropogenic particles found in the stomach contents of anchovy and sardines in the Gulf of Cadiz (Europe), recording particle characteristics alongside fish biometric data, geographic coordinates, and distances to major river mouths and coastal cities.

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

Microplastics in the gut of anchovies caught from the mud bank area of Alappuzha, Kerala

Researchers found microplastics in the gut contents of anchovies caught from the Alappuzha mud bank area of Kerala, India, documenting the presence of plastic ingestion in a commercially important small pelagic fish from a poorly studied regional fishery. The findings contribute baseline data on microplastic ingestion in Indian coastal fish species.

2014 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of potential plastic microfibers in mussels and anchovies sold for human consumption: Preliminary results

Researchers found potential plastic microfibers in mussels and anchovies from the Tyrrhenian Sea sold for human consumption, with anthropogenic fibers present across samples, raising concerns about dietary microplastic exposure through seafood.

2021 Italian Journal of Food Safety 29 citations