Papers

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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

Synthetic and Semi-Synthetic Microplastic Ingestion by Mesopelagic Fishes From Tristan da Cunha and St Helena, South Atlantic

Scientists examined the digestive tracts of deep-sea mesopelagic fish from the remote South Atlantic and found microplastics in their intestines. The presence of plastic in fish at depths down to 1,000 meters in one of the most isolated ocean regions confirms that microplastic contamination has reached even the deep ocean.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic intake in epi- and mesopelagic fish and squid species from an oceanic environment (NE Atlantic)

Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion in epi- and mesopelagic fish and squid species from the open NE Atlantic Ocean, documenting contamination in oceanic species that may confuse microplastics with similarly sized and colored planktonic prey.

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

Microplastic occurrence in deep-sea fish species Alepocephalus bairdii and Coryphaenoides rupestris from the Porcupine Bank (North Atlantic)

Microplastics were found in two deep-sea fish species collected from the Porcupine Bank in the North Atlantic, with occurrence in Alepocephalus bairdii and Coryphaenoides rupestris confirming that plastic ingestion extends to deep-water environments far from human activity. The study highlights the need for broader assessment of microplastic exposure in commercially unexploited deep-sea fauna.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic interactions with North Atlantic mesopelagic fish

Researchers examined mesopelagic fish from the North Atlantic and found microplastics in a significant proportion of individuals, with plastic loads reflecting the fish's diel vertical migration behavior. Because mesopelagic fish migrate daily between deep and surface waters, they may serve as a biological pump transporting microplastics from surface accumulation zones to depth.

2015 ICES Journal of Marine Science 326 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

Microplastic ingestion by deep‐pelagic crustaceans and fishes

Among 557 individual deep-pelagic crustaceans and fishes from the Gulf of Mexico, 29% of crustaceans and 26% of fishes had ingested microplastics, with ingestion rates in non-migratory fishes increasing with depth and reaching 40% at 1200-1500 m, suggesting plastic accumulates at greater ocean depths.

2023 Limnology and Oceanography 23 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

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 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

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

Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of benthic by–catches from an eastern Mediterranean deep–sea environment

Microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of eight deep-sea fish species collected as bycatch from the eastern Mediterranean near Sardinia, including all three shark species sampled, demonstrating microplastic contamination in deep-sea ecosystems at depths down to several hundred meters.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Does the microplastics ingestion patterns and polymer composition vary across the oceanic zones? A case study from the Indian coast

Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in 27 species of deep-sea fish from the Central Indian Ocean and found contamination in 19 of them, with PET being the most common polymer. The study suggests that feeding behavior, rather than habitat depth or trophic level, is the primary factor influencing how much microplastic deep-sea fish ingest, and proposes these fish could serve as indicators for monitoring deep-sea plastic pollution.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Influencing factors for microplastic intake in abundant deep-sea lanternfishes (Myctophidae)

Researchers found microplastics in 68% of mesopelagic lanternfish from the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic, with body size and feeding depth identified as key factors influencing microplastic intake in these abundant deep-sea fish.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of microplastics by pelagic fish from the Moroccan Central Atlantic coast

Researchers found microplastics in the stomachs of three small pelagic fish species caught along the Moroccan Central Atlantic coast, confirming plastic ingestion in commercially important species in a region where marine litter is predominantly plastic. The study adds to growing evidence of microplastic contamination in North African Atlantic fisheries.

2020 Environmental Pollution 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion in deep-sea fish from the South China Sea

Microplastics were found in all deep-sea fish species examined from the northern continental slope of the South China Sea, with fiber shapes predominating, suggesting pervasive contamination even in deep-water ecosystems.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 224 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in large migratory fishes collected in the open Atlantic Ocean

Researchers found microplastic contamination in large migratory fish collected during a circumnavigation of the Atlantic Ocean, with all seven commercially important species containing microplastics predominantly as fibers in their gastrointestinal tracts.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Consistent microplastic ingestion by deep-sea invertebrates over the last four decades (1976–2015), a study from the North East Atlantic

Researchers found consistent microplastic ingestion by deep-sea invertebrates in the North East Atlantic over a 40-year period from 1976 to 2015, demonstrating that microplastic contamination of remote deep-sea habitats is a long-standing and persistent problem.

2018 Environmental Pollution 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Contamination of Large Pelagic Fish in the Open Atlantic Ocean

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in large pelagic fish including tunas, mackerels, and amberjacks collected from the open Atlantic Ocean to assess plastic exposure in top predators. They found microplastics present in fish from even remote open-ocean habitats, demonstrating the ubiquity of microplastic contamination and the utility of large migratory fish as indicators of ocean health.

2022 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of mesopelagic fishes as microplastics vectors across the deep-sea layers from the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic

Mesopelagic fish from the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic were examined as vectors of microplastics between surface waters and deep-sea layers, with plastics found in their digestive tracts and their vertical migration behavior identified as a transport mechanism. The study suggests that diel migrating fish can actively carry microplastics from surface feeding zones to deeper waters during downward migration.

2022 Environmental Pollution 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion and diet composition of planktivorous fish

This study analyzed stomach contents of six planktivorous pelagic fish species from Atlanto-Iberian waters, finding microplastics in a substantial proportion of individuals. The relationship between microplastic ingestion and diet composition suggests that fish consuming prey similar in size to microplastics are at higher risk of ingestion.

2020 Limnology and Oceanography Letters 127 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of Microplastics by Zooplankton in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Researchers collected zooplankton from the northeast Pacific Ocean and found microplastics ingested by multiple species, demonstrating that microplastic uptake occurs throughout the open ocean zooplankton community far from coastlines.

2015 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 994 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic microfibre ingestion by deep-sea organisms

Researchers provided the first evidence that microplastics are being ingested and internalized by deep-sea organisms living on the ocean floor. The study found plastic microfibres in multiple deep-water species, demonstrating that microplastic contamination has already reached some of the most remote habitats on Earth.

2016 Scientific Reports 491 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