Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in fish (O. niloticus and C. gariepinus) in a Nile Canal, Delta of Egypt.

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the gastrointestinal tracts of 127 Nile tilapia and 32 African catfish from a Nilotic canal in Egypt's Delta, finding microplastic occurrence rates of 33.9% and 59.4% respectively with fibers as the dominant morphology. The study analyzed the relationship between microplastic ingestion and fish biological parameters, feeding habits, and seasonal variation.

2023 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and Abundance of Microplastics (MPs) in the Water, Sediment, and Some Freshwater Animals, Nile River, Upper Egypt

Researchers found microplastics in all water, sediment, and animal samples collected from the Nile River in Upper Egypt, with Edfu showing the highest abundances and crayfish accumulating the most microplastics in gills while African catfish had the highest alimentary canal burden.

2025 Water Air & Soil Pollution
Article Tier 2

The first evidence of microplastic presence in the River Nile in Khartoum, Sudan: Using Nile Tilapia fish as a bio-indicator

This scoping study investigated microplastic presence in Nile Tilapia fish from the River Nile in Khartoum, Sudan -- the first such study in Sudanese freshwaters -- finding microplastics across sampled fish. The authors establish baseline data for a major African river system with previously no microplastic records.

2023 Heliyon 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of meso- and macroplastics in the water, sediment, and fauna of the Nile River, Egypt

Researchers characterized the abundance and distribution of meso- and macroplastics in water, sediment, fish, and crayfish from the Nile River in Upper Egypt, finding plastics throughout all media and at all sites, with the Nagaa Hammadi site having the highest abundance. African catfish had the highest plastic load among the species examined.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in water, fish, and shrimp collected from the Nile River in Upper Egypt poses ecological and human health hazards

Researchers found significant microplastic contamination in Nile River water, fish, and shrimp in Upper Egypt, with urban areas showing the highest levels. They estimated that adults living in the area may ingest thousands of microplastic particles per kilogram of body weight annually through water alone. Since millions of people depend on the Nile for drinking water and food, these findings raise serious concerns about long-term health effects from chronic microplastic exposure.

2025 Environmental Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics profile in fishes from selected burrow pits: a case of plastic pollution in Kano metropolis, Nigeria

Researchers detected microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts, gills, and muscle tissues of Nile tilapia and redbelly tilapia collected from burrow pits in Kano, Nigeria, confirming that plastic pollution has penetrated freshwater fish in a landlocked urban African setting.

2022 Environmental Forensics 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence and risk assessment of microplastics in the Nile Delta estuaries: “The Plastic Nile” revisited

Researchers assessed microplastic prevalence and health risks in estuaries of the Nile Delta in Egypt, finding MPs in water, sediment, and seafood samples across multiple sites. Risk assessment indicated potential exposure concern for communities relying on these estuaries for food and water.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Pollution in Aquatic Environment: A Review of Abundance, Distribution, and Composition in the Egyptian Coastal Waters

This review compiles data on microplastic pollution across Egypt's Mediterranean coast, the Nile River, and the Red Sea, all of which face significant plastic contamination. Researchers found that the Mediterranean is a global hotspot for marine plastic accumulation, while the Nile acts as a major conduit for plastics entering the eastern Mediterranean basin. The study calls for more systematic monitoring to understand the full scope of microplastic pollution in Egyptian waters.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characterization of microplastic content in the digestive system of riverine fishes

Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics on Gene Expression, Muscular Performance, and Immunological Responses in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Seasonal and Habitat Variations

Researchers found microplastics in both the gut and muscle tissue of Nile tilapia fish from two sites along the Nile River in Egypt, with contamination levels varying by season and location. The microplastics activated genes linked to muscle wasting, cell death, and inflammation while suppressing growth-related genes, with the worst effects seen during summer months. Since tilapia is a widely consumed fish, these findings raise concerns about microplastic-related damage being passed to humans through the food supply.

2025 Marine Biotechnology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and risk assessment of microplastics in water, sediment, and aquatic insects of the Nile River

Researchers measured microplastic pollution in the Nile River across water, sediment, and aquatic insects throughout different seasons, finding contamination in all compartments. Fiber-shaped polyester microplastics were the most common, with summer showing the highest levels. The presence of microplastics in aquatic insects at the base of the food chain means these particles could be transferred up to fish and eventually to humans who consume them.

2024 Chemosphere 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and enumeration of microplastic pollution in three fish species of the Upper Mississippi River

Researchers found 891 microplastic particles across 281 fish from three species in the Upper Mississippi River, with fibers being the most common type and smaller fish containing proportionally more microplastics than larger ones. This confirms microplastic ingestion is widespread in freshwater fish — not just marine species — and the presence of styrene-isoprene, polyester, and ABS polymers highlights the diverse plastic sources contaminating major river systems.

2023 Minds at UW (University of Wisconsin)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in commercial fish from Alexandria City, the Mediterranean Coast of Egypt

Researchers found microplastic contamination in commercial fish samples from Alexandria City markets on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, with MPs detected in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple species. The study assessed potential human dietary exposure from consuming fish that had ingested plastic particles in the heavily polluted Eastern Mediterranean.

2022 Environmental Pollution 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic abundances in freshwater fishes in a subtropical African reservoir

Scientists examined freshwater fish from a reservoir in South Africa and found microplastics in nearly 87% of the fish across eight species. Fibers were the most common type of microplastic, found in both the gills and digestive tracts of the fish. Since these fish are consumed by local communities, the widespread contamination raises concerns about human exposure to microplastics through freshwater fish, an understudied area compared to marine seafood.

2024 Discover Sustainability 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Microplastic Types and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Levels: Evaluating the Depuration Effect on Accumulation in Two Freshwater Invertebrate Species in the Nile Delta, Egypt

This study assessed the accumulation of microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water, sediments, and the tissues of freshwater animals in two locations along the Nile River in Egypt. The research addressed a gap in freshwater contamination data for this major river system, which serves as a critical water source.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in commercially valued Gangetic fishes and its exposure assessment on humans

Researchers characterized microplastics in commercially sold fish from the Ganges River in India, finding plastic contamination across multiple species and providing an initial exposure assessment for human consumers who rely on freshwater fish as a primary protein source.

2023
Article Tier 2

Assessment on Microplastics Contamination in Freshwater Fish: a Case Study of the Ubolratana Reservoir, Thailand

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in freshwater fish from the Ubolratana Reservoir, Thailand, finding that 96.4% of 14 examined species had ingested microplastics, and assessed abundance, size, colour, and shape of particles from stomach and intestinal contents across sampling stations.

2021 International Journal of Geomate 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Microplastics in the Tissues of Nile Tilapia (Orechromis niloticus) from Zobe Dam, Katsina State, Nigeria

This study found microplastics in the tissues of Nile tilapia cultured in freshwater, with particles identified in gills, intestines, and muscle tissue. The results highlight the potential for microplastic transfer from farmed fish to human consumers.

2024 Sahel Journal of Life Sciences FUDMA 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution, abundance, and composition of microplastics in market fishes from the Red and Mediterranean seas in Egypt

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in commercially sold fish from both the Mediterranean and Red seas in Egypt and found microplastics in 88 percent of the fish examined. Fibers were the most common particle type, and species that feed closer to the seafloor tended to have higher contamination levels. The study raises concerns about human dietary exposure to microplastics through regularly consumed market fish in the region.

2023 Journal of Sea Research 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of microplastics in commonly consumed fish species of the river Old Brahmaputra, Bangladesh

Researchers found microplastics in nearly 59% of edible fish from Bangladesh's Old Brahmaputra river, with polyethylene fibers and pellets dominating, and ingestion rates linked to fish size, feeding behavior, and downstream location.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 39 citations
Article Tier 2

First Evidence of Microplastic Ingestion by Riverine Fish From the Freshwater of Northwest Peninsular Malaysia

Researchers found microplastics in the guts of multiple fish species from two rivers in northwest Malaysia, with some species averaging nearly 50 microplastic particles per gram of body weight. The dominant particles were fibers and fragments of polyethylene and polypropylene — findings that signal widespread contamination of freshwater food sources and raise concerns about human exposure through fish consumption.

2024 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in freshwater fish: first insights from the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand

Researchers found microplastics in 100% of 89 fish gastrointestinal tracts sampled from the Mekong River in Thailand, averaging 23.76 items per individual, with fragments being the dominant shape (83%), particles under 100 µm the most common size, and 17 polymer types identified across species.

2025 Ecologica Montenegrina
Article Tier 2

Abundance, characteristics and variation of microplastics in different freshwater fish species from Bangladesh

Researchers examined 48 freshwater fish from 18 species in Bangladesh and found microplastics in the digestive tracts of over 73% of the fish studied. Fibers were the most common shape, and the plastics were primarily polyethylene and polypropylene-based polymers. Bottom-dwelling fish contained more microplastics than those living higher in the water column, suggesting that contaminated sediments are a significant source of exposure for freshwater species.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 220 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics prevalence in water, sediment and two economically important species of fish in an urban riverine system in Ghana

Microplastics were detected in water, sediment, and two commercially important fish species from an urban river system in Ghana, with fiber being the dominant type across all matrices. The study represents one of the first assessments of freshwater microplastic contamination in West Africa and highlights urban river systems as major pathways for plastic transport.

2022 PLoS ONE 65 citations