Papers

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Article Tier 2

Low plastic ingestion rate in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from Newfoundland destined for human consumption collected through citizen science methods

Researchers examined Atlantic cod from Newfoundland and found a low rate of plastic ingestion compared to studies of other species and regions, suggesting that plastic ingestion rates vary substantially by species, habitat, and local pollution levels.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 103 citations
Article Tier 2

Low plastic ingestion rate in Atlantic Cod ( Gadus morhua ) from Newfoundland destined for human consumption collected through citizen science methods

This citizen science study sampled 205 Atlantic cod destined for human consumption in Newfoundland and found that only 5 (2.4 percent) had eaten plastic — a lower ingestion rate than reported for many other fish species. The authors discuss whether cod feeding behavior or the sampling context explains this low rate and note implications for human dietary exposure.

2016 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Newfoundland destined for human consumption collected

Using citizen science during the recreational cod fishery in Newfoundland, researchers found that 2.4% of Atlantic cod sampled had eaten plastic—the second lowest ingestion rate reported in the scientific literature. This is the first documentation of plastic ingestion in fish from Newfoundland, where fisheries are economically and culturally vital.

2016
Article Tier 2

Plastic ingestion by pelagic and demersal fish from the North Sea and Baltic Sea

Researchers examined gastrointestinal tracts of 290 North and Baltic Sea fish and detected plastic in 5.5% of individuals, with pelagic species like herring and mackerel ingesting plastic at three times the rate of bottom-dwelling cod and flounder, and polyethylene making up nearly 40% of identified polymer types.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 618 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and potential effects of plastic ingestion by pelagic and demersal fish from the North Sea and Baltic Sea

Researchers examined the occurrence and potential effects of plastic ingestion in pelagic and bottom-dwelling fish from the North Sea and Baltic Sea, finding plastics in both groups. The study contributed to baseline knowledge of microplastic ingestion rates in commercially important fish species in European seas.

2014 Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung (Alfred-Wegener-Institut) 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic in digestive tracts and gills of cod and herring from the Baltic Sea

Researchers found plastic particles in the digestive tracts and gills of Baltic Sea cod and herring, with ingestion rates and particle types differing between the two species, indicating widespread exposure of commercially important fish to plastic pollution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 31 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

Microplastic ingestion by fish: Body size, condition factor and gut fullness are not related to the amount of plastics consumed

Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in commercial cod and saithe collected in Iceland, finding particles in about 20% of cod and 17% of saithe stomachs. No significant relationship was found between microplastic ingestion and fish body size, weight, gut fullness, or condition index.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination and biological alterations in Atlantic wild fish populations, and human health risks associated to fillet consumption

Researchers found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts, gills, liver, brain, and muscle tissue of wild Atlantic pouting and hake fish, and the contamination was linked to measurable biological changes in the fish. The study also estimated human health risks from eating these fish fillets, developing a new index that combines microplastic intake levels with the hazard level of the specific plastic types found. This work provides a direct link between microplastic pollution in wild fish and potential risks to people who eat seafood regularly.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 7 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

Suspected anthropogenic microparticle ingestion by Icelandic capelin

A study found that Icelandic capelin fish had ingested anthropogenic microparticles including microplastics, establishing a baseline for plastic pollution in this ecologically important Arctic species. Capelin are a key forage fish in Arctic food webs, so microplastic ingestion at this level could have cascading effects on larger predators including seabirds, marine mammals, and humans who eat fish.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic ingestion by Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua ) from the Norwegian coast

Researchers examined 302 Atlantic cod stomachs from six locations along the Norwegian coast and found plastic in 3% overall, but with a hotspot in Bergen City Harbour where 27% of cod contained plastic, and polyester as the most common polymer, suggesting that local urban contamination strongly influences fish exposure.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 193 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative study of microplastic ingestion in commercial fish species from macaronesia

Researchers analyzed the gastrointestinal contents of 634 fish from seven commercial species across all four Macaronesian archipelagos to compare microplastic ingestion rates by species, habitat, and feeding behavior. They found microplastics across all species and locations, with ingestion rates varying by species ecology, contributing baseline contamination data for commercially important fish in this Atlantic island region.

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

Microplastic in tissue of naturally exposed fish from a plastic polluted coastal ecosystem- An investigation of the evidence for bioaccumulation

Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion and potential bioaccumulation in naturally exposed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from a plastic-polluted coastal ecosystem, examining whether older individuals accumulate higher microplastic concentrations as would be expected if bioaccumulation occurs.

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

Frequency of Microplastics in Mesopelagic Fishes from the Northwest Atlantic

Microplastics were found in the stomachs of mesopelagic fish collected from the Northwest Atlantic, with ingestion rates and particle types varying by species and depth. The study expands the known distribution of microplastic ingestion into deep-water fish communities, suggesting that plastic contamination has penetrated even mid-water food webs far from the surface.

2018 Frontiers in Marine Science 201 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in the stomachs of open-ocean and deep-sea fishes of the North-East Atlantic

Researchers investigated microplastic occurrence in the stomachs of 390 fish from three pelagic and two deep-sea species in the North-East Atlantic, comparing plastic ingestion between fish occupying contrasting ocean compartments. The study documented microplastic presence across species at different depths, highlighting how plastic contamination extends throughout the oceanic water column.

2020 Environmental Pollution 116 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English Channel

Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of both pelagic and demersal fish species and found microplastics in individuals from both groups, suggesting that microplastic ingestion occurs across fish species regardless of their position in the water column.

2012 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1993 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

Micro-and macro-plastics in marine species from Nordic waters

This study surveyed micro- and macro-plastic contamination in marine species collected from Nordic waters, finding plastic in fish, crustaceans, and seabirds from multiple locations. The results document the geographic extent of microplastic ingestion across commercially and ecologically important Nordic marine species.

2017 TemaNord 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution in different tissues of small pelagic fish of the Northeast Atlantic Ocean

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in three commercially important fish species from the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, finding plastic particles in the gut, gills, and muscle tissue. Horse mackerel had the highest contamination rates, with 92 percent of individuals containing microplastics in their digestive tract and 63 percent in their muscle. Since these fish are widely consumed by people, the presence of microplastics in edible muscle tissue is a direct concern for human dietary exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 40 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

Abundance and ecological risk of microplastics in commercial fish species from northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Researchers examined nine commercially important fish species from the northeastern Mediterranean Sea and found microplastics in both their digestive tracts and gills. The most common particles were small polyethylene and polypropylene fibers, and bottom-dwelling fish species had higher contamination levels. While the ecological risk was rated low to medium, the presence of microplastics in widely consumed fish species highlights a potential pathway for human exposure through seafood.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of biological and environmental factors on microplastic ingestion of commercial fish species

Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in commercially important fish species, evaluating how biological and environmental factors influence ingestion rates across 2,222 individual fish. The study assessed gastrointestinal tract contents to determine the extent and patterns of microplastic contamination. The findings suggest that both species-specific biology and environmental conditions play important roles in determining microplastic ingestion levels in commercial fish.

2022 Chemosphere 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in wild fish from North East Atlantic Ocean and its potential for causing neurotoxic effects, lipid oxidative damage, and human health risks associated with ingestion exposure

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in three commercially important fish species from the North East Atlantic Ocean and found that 49% of the 150 fish analyzed contained microplastics. Fish with microplastics showed significantly higher levels of lipid damage in the brain, gills, and muscle, along with signs of neurotoxicity. Based on the microplastics found in edible fish muscle, the study estimates that human consumers may ingest hundreds of microplastic particles per year from fish consumption alone.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 855 citations