Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Recent advances in the analysis methodologies for microplastics in aquatic organisms: current knowledge and research challenges

This review examines recent advances in analytical methods for detecting and quantifying microplastics in aquatic organisms, identifying key sources of variability across studies and outlining research challenges needed to improve comparability and standardization.

2020 Analytical Methods 73 citations
Article Tier 2

A critical view on microplastic quantification in aquatic organisms

Researchers critically reviewed the methods used to quantify microplastics in aquatic organisms including zooplankton, bivalves, and fish. The study highlights that no standardized methodology exists for measuring microplastic contamination in biota, which makes comparing results across studies difficult and underscores the need for consistent analytical protocols.

2015 Environmental Research 463 citations
Article Tier 2

Screening for microplastics in sediment, water, marine invertebrates and fish: Method development and microplastic accumulation

Researchers developed improved methods for extracting microplastics from biological samples and sediments, using enzymatic digestion that achieved 97% particle recovery without damaging the plastics. When applied to field samples from the North Sea and Swedish coast, they found microplastics in 8 of 9 invertebrate species tested and in 68% of brown trout. Mussel tissue contained roughly a thousand times more microplastic particles per kilogram than surrounding sediment or water.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 539 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in aquatic food chain : sources, measurement, occurrence and potential health risks

This review examines the sources, measurement methods, occurrence, and potential health risks of microplastics throughout aquatic food chains, finding that while microplastics are ubiquitous in fish, shellfish, and other aquatic food sources, the data needed for a comprehensive human dietary exposure and risk assessment are not yet available. Researchers identify standardization of detection methods as a critical prerequisite for meaningful risk evaluation.

2013 Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplasts in Freshwater Fish – Problems and Challenges

This review examines microplastic contamination of freshwater fish, covering ingestion evidence from over 150 species, the mechanisms of accumulation in gastrointestinal and other tissues, potential health impacts, and challenges in standardizing quantification methodologies.

2025 Journal Scientific and Applied Research
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
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence and effects in commercially harvested North American finfish and shellfish: Current knowledge and future directions

This review assessed the occurrence and effects of microplastics in commercially harvested fish and shellfish in North America, finding a paucity of data and inconsistent methodologies that limit risk assessment for fisheries and seafood consumers. The authors call for standardized monitoring protocols and more research on population-level effects in commercially important species.

2019 Limnology and Oceanography Letters 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in juvenile Chinook salmon and their nearshore environments on the east coast of Vancouver Island

Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion in juvenile Chinook salmon and their nearshore marine environments on the east coast of Vancouver Island, finding microplastics present in both fish digestive tracts and surrounding waters and characterizing the types of particles consumed.

2018 Environmental Pollution 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Sampling, Isolating and Identifying Microplastics Ingested by Fish and Invertebrates *

This methodological review critically evaluated sampling, isolation, and identification techniques for microplastics ingested by fish and invertebrates, identifying common sources of error including contamination during processing, particle loss, and misidentification — and recommending standardized protocols.

2020 85 citations
Article Tier 2

Sampling, isolating and identifying microplastics ingested by fish and invertebrates

This study reviewed sampling and identification methods for microplastics ingested by fish and invertebrates, evaluating each approach for accuracy, reproducibility, and applicability to different species and sample types.

2016 Analytical Methods 945 citations
Article Tier 2

The first observation of the presence of microplastics in wild common bleak (Alburnus alburnus L.) and standardization of extraction protocols

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in the digestive tracts, muscle tissue, and whole bodies of common bleak fish from a Serbian reservoir, comparing different extraction protocols. The study provides first evidence of microplastics in this species while also developing cost-effective extraction methods.

2022 Kragujevac Journal of Science 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Effective and easy to use extraction method shows low numbers of microplastics in offshore planktivorous fish from the northern Baltic Sea

Microplastics were found at low levels in planktivorous fish from the northern Baltic Sea using a validated alkaline digestion extraction method. The study demonstrates an efficient, validated protocol for detecting microplastics in fish and provides baseline contamination data for Baltic marine food webs.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Research progress on the pollution status and their detection methods of microplastics in aquatic products

This review covered the prevalence of microplastic contamination in aquatic products (fish, shellfish, crustaceans) and the analytical methods used for their detection and quantification. The authors emphasized that aquatic food consumption is a direct route of microplastic exposure for humans and called for standardized detection protocols.

2025 Chinese Journal of Chromatography
Article Tier 2

Towards harmonised methods for microplastic analysis in food: development and optimisation for seafood products

Researchers evaluated and optimized methods for detecting and quantifying microplastics in the edible parts of seafood products, comparing enzymatic-alkaline digestion combined with filtration and oxidative treatment against other approaches for sensitivity, precision, and practical accessibility. The study aimed to contribute to method standardization, identifying the combined digestion protocol as most suitable for routine food control analysis.

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

A review on methods for extracting and quantifying microplastic in biological tissues

This review evaluates the methods scientists use to extract and identify microplastics from biological tissues like fish, shellfish, and animal organs. Researchers found that different extraction approaches (using acids, bases, or enzymes) yield different results, and many studies report finding plastics at sizes that may be too large to have actually crossed biological barriers. The study calls for more standardized and biologically plausible methods to improve the reliability of tissue contamination research.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Microplastics in Commercial Seafood under the Perspective of the Human Food Chain. A Review

This review evaluated the occurrence of microplastics in commercial seafood species from the perspective of the human food chain. Researchers found that while microplastics have been detected across a wide range of seafood species, comparing data across studies and conducting appropriate risk assessments remains difficult due to methodological inconsistencies, and the study proposed linking seafood feeding strategies with microplastic contamination levels as a new analytical approach.

2020 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 293 citations
Article Tier 2

Quality Criteria for the Analysis of Microplastic in Biota Samples: A Critical Review

Ten quality criteria were applied to review recent microplastic ingestion studies in aquatic biota, finding wide variation in methodological rigor including inadequate sample sizes, poor contamination controls, and inconsistent polymer identification methods. The authors propose a standardized quality assessment framework to improve comparability of microplastic ingestion data across studies.

2018 Environmental Science & Technology 528 citations
Article Tier 2

Recommended best practices for collecting, analyzing, and reporting microplastics in environmental media: Lessons learned from comprehensive monitoring of San Francisco Bay

Researchers developed and tested standardized methods for collecting, analyzing, and reporting microplastics during a comprehensive monitoring study of San Francisco Bay. They identified best practices for sampling across water, sediment, and fish tissue, and highlighted how methodological differences can lead to incomparable results between studies. The study provides a practical framework that other monitoring programs can adopt to improve the consistency and reliability of microplastic data.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 183 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards the suitable monitoring of ingestion of microplastics by marine biota: A review

This review assessed various monitoring methods for detecting microplastic ingestion by marine biota, comparing laboratory and field-based approaches. The authors recommend method selection based on organism type and research question and call for more consistent reporting standards to enable cross-study comparison.

2016 Environmental Pollution 254 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Aquaculture Environment

This review covers high-efficiency analytical methods for identifying and quantifying microplastics in aquaculture environments, addressing the growing concern that plastic products widely used in aquaculture operations are an underreported source of microplastic contamination.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 43 citations