Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Does microplastic induce oxidative stress in marine invertebrates

This review examined whether microplastic ingestion induces oxidative stress in marine invertebrates, finding evidence that microplastics can elevate reactive oxygen species and disrupt antioxidant defenses in species including mussels, sea urchins, and copepods. Oxidative stress is a key mechanism through which microplastics may cause cellular damage in marine animals.

2017 Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung (Alfred-Wegener-Institut) 1 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Invertebrate responses to microplastic ingestion: Reviewing the role of the antioxidant system

Microplastic ingestion poses an oxidative challenge to invertebrates requiring upregulation of antioxidant defenses, but studies are limited to only seven taxa, dominated by polystyrene spheres <10 µm, and the lack of systematic experiments prevents identifying which specific microplastic characteristics drive the oxidative stress response.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 208 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity Induced by Micro-and Nanoplastics through Oxidative Stress: The Role of Co-Exposure to Other Chemical Pollutants

This review examined how micro- and nanoplastics cause oxidative stress — a form of cellular damage — in living organisms, particularly when combined with other chemical pollutants in the environment. Co-exposure to microplastics and chemicals like pesticides or heavy metals tends to be more damaging than either pollutant alone.

2021 International Journal of Zoology and Animal Biology 2 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Is microplastic an oxidative stressor? Evidence from a meta-analysis on bivalves

Microplastics induce time-dependent oxidative stress in bivalves, with antioxidant enzymes (GPx, GST, SOD) increasing during short-term exposure but declining after long-term exposure, while glutathione levels and catalase activity remained elevated throughout and may serve as reliable biomarkers of sublethal microplastic effects.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 199 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Aquatic Organisms: Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress and Implications for Human Health—A Review

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics cause oxidative stress, a harmful chemical imbalance, in aquatic organisms from plankton to fish. These tiny plastics accumulate in the food chain and may reach humans through seafood consumption. While the evidence of harm in aquatic species is growing, more research is needed to fully understand the implications for human health.

2023 Environments 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging environmental stressors and oxidative pathways in marine organisms: Current knowledge on regulation mechanisms and functional effects

This review summarized current knowledge on how emerging environmental pollutants including microplastics, heavy metals, and other stressors trigger oxidative stress in marine organisms, examining regulatory mechanisms from pre-transcriptional to catalytic levels.

2021 Biocell 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidative Stress in Mussel Mytilus trossulus Induced by Different-Sized Plastics

Researchers exposed mussels to both tiny polystyrene microparticles and larger polyethylene plastic fragments and found that both sizes triggered oxidative stress in the animals. The plastic exposure caused DNA damage, weakened cellular membranes, and destabilized immune cell structures in the mussels' gills and digestive glands. The findings indicate that plastics of any size and polymer type can be harmful to marine filter-feeding organisms.

2024 Journal of Xenobiotics 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastics activation of oxidative and inflammatory adverse outcome pathways

This review maps the biological harm caused by micro- and nanoplastics to formal toxicity pathways, finding that oxidative stress is a common starting point for damage at every level from cells to whole organisms. Researchers found that in ecological settings, this oxidative damage cascades into growth inhibition and behavioral changes, while in human health contexts it may trigger inflammatory responses. The study highlights that more mammalian research is needed to fully define the health risks of plastic particle exposure.

2020 Redox Biology 566 citations
Article Tier 2

In vivo oxidative stress responses of the freshwater basket clam Corbicula javanicus to microplastic fibres and particles

Researchers found that microplastic exposure caused oxidative stress in freshwater basket clams, with polyester fibers increasing antioxidant enzyme activity while polyethylene fragments decreased it, indicating different toxicological impacts depending on plastic type.

2022 Chemosphere 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of weathered high density polyethylene microplastics-induced oxidative stress and modulation of antioxidant responses in post larval stages of Litopenaeus vannamei

Post-larval whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) exposed to weathered high-density polyethylene microplastics showed elevated oxidative stress markers and upregulated antioxidant enzyme activity, demonstrating that even environmentally weathered PE particles remain toxic to marine invertebrates at early life stages.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science
Article Tier 2

Effects of Human Activity on Markers of Oxidative Stress in the Intestine of Holothuria tubulosa, with Special Reference to the Presence of Microplastics

Researchers studied oxidative stress markers in the intestines of sea cucumbers (Holothuria tubulosa) collected from areas with varying levels of human activity and microplastic contamination. The study found elevated oxidative stress indicators in organisms from more polluted sites, suggesting that microplastic ingestion contributes to cellular damage in marine invertebrates.

2022 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on amphipods

Researchers exposed two amphipod species to environmentally relevant polyethylene microplastic concentrations and found increased mortality and oxidative stress, with species-specific sensitivity suggesting ecological impacts even at low exposure levels.

2022 Chemosphere 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Efectos Celulares De La Exposición a Micropartículas Plásticas En Organismos Acuáticos

This review examines cellular effects of microplastic and nanoplastic exposure in aquatic organisms, synthesizing laboratory evidence that plastics alone or combined with other toxicants cause membrane lysis, mitochondrial damage, reactive oxygen species generation, genotoxicity, and apoptosis.

2022 Kuxulkab
Article Tier 2

Oxidative and Inflammatory Potential of Nano/Microplastics in Living Organisms

This review examines the growing body of evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics trigger oxidative stress and inflammatory responses across a wide range of animals, though the findings are often inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. The authors conclude that plastic particle weathering can alter these effects in complex ways, and call for standardized, systematic research to establish clearer dose-response relationships before firm regulatory conclusions can be drawn.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene Microplastics Affected Survival Rate, Food Intake and Altered Oxidative Stress Parameters in Freshwater Snail Indoplanorbis exustus

Researchers exposed freshwater snails to various concentrations of low-density polyethylene microplastics and measured the effects on survival and physiology. The study found significant increases in oxidative stress markers and lipid peroxidation, along with reduced food intake and body weight, at higher concentrations. Evidence indicates that microplastics cause broad physiological impairment in freshwater invertebrates, and affected snails failed to recover even after exposure ended.

2023 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics mixture exposure at environmentally relevant conditions induce oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in the wedge clam Donax trunculus

Wedge clams (Donax trunculus) exposed to an environmentally relevant microplastic mixture showed elevated oxidative stress markers and neurotoxicity indicators (inhibited acetylcholinesterase), demonstrating that real-world mixed microplastic exposure causes biochemical harm in marine bivalves.

2020 Chemosphere 95 citations
Review Tier 2

Toxicological consequences of microplastics pollution on aquatic Li Ving organisms: a review

This review examines the toxicological consequences of microplastic pollution on aquatic organisms, summarizing effects on growth, reproduction, oxidative stress, and endocrine function across fish, invertebrate, and algae model species.

2024 Dutse Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental Microplastics Exposure and Its Biochemical Impacts on Human Oxidative Stress Markers: A Clinical Chemistry Perspective

This clinical chemistry review examined how environmental microplastic exposure affects oxidative stress markers in humans, synthesizing evidence on circulating reactive oxygen species, antioxidant enzyme changes, and inflammatory biomarkers. The authors found consistent evidence that MNP exposure elevates markers of oxidative damage across multiple tissue types.

2025 European Journal of Medical and Health Research
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Oxidative Stress—Current Problems and Prospects

This review examines how microplastics cause oxidative stress, a condition where harmful molecules called free radicals damage cells. Microplastics have been linked to DNA damage, cell membrane disruption, mitochondrial problems, inflammation, and cell death, all driven by oxidative stress. These effects may contribute to serious health conditions including cancer and cardiovascular disease, though the authors note that more research is needed to fully understand the risks.

2024 Antioxidants 196 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics Exposure on the Acropora sp. Antioxidant, Immunization and Energy Metabolism Enzyme Activities

Researchers exposed Acropora coral fragments to microplastics and measured antioxidant enzyme activity, immune markers, and energy metabolism enzymes, finding that MP exposure elevated oxidative stress and suppressed immune function, with effects worsening at higher concentrations.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, genotoxicity and prey-predator interactions in freshwater snails exposed to microplastics

This conference abstract investigates oxidative stress, nerve damage, DNA damage, and changes in predator-prey behavior in freshwater snails exposed to microplastics, pointing to a broad range of harmful biological effects. Understanding these impacts in aquatic invertebrates matters because they occupy important ecological roles and their exposure to microplastics can have cascading effects through food webs.

2023 Endocrine Abstracts
Article Tier 2

Nanoparticle-Biological Interactions in a Marine Benthic Foraminifer

Researchers exposed single-celled marine organisms called foraminifera to three types of engineered nanoparticles — including polystyrene nanoplastics — and found that all three accumulated inside the cells and triggered oxidative stress (a form of cellular damage). This study shows that even microscopic seafloor organisms are vulnerable to nanoplastic pollution, expanding the known range of species harmed by plastic contamination.

2019 Scientific Reports 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of micro- and nano-plastics on marine organisms under environmentally relevant conditions

This review summarized the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on marine organisms including microalgae, crustaceans, snails, and fish at environmentally realistic concentrations. Researchers found that while some species showed tolerance at low concentrations, chronic exposure to nanoplastics in particular caused oxidative stress and behavioral changes. The study emphasizes that more research using real-world concentration levels is needed to accurately assess the risks microplastics pose to ocean life.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the marine environment: Current trends in environmental pollution and mechanisms of toxicological profile

This review examines current trends in marine microplastic pollution and the mechanisms through which these particles cause toxicity in marine organisms. Researchers found that microplastics can cause physical damage to digestive tracts, transfer absorbed chemical pollutants to tissues, and trigger inflammatory and oxidative stress responses. The study highlights the growing scale of the problem as global plastic production continues to rise.

2019 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 783 citations