Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in commercial marine dried fish in Asian countries

Researchers examined 14 types of commercially available dried fish products from seven Asian countries and found microplastics present in all samples tested. The most common types were fibers and fragments, with polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene being frequently identified. The findings raise concerns about widespread human dietary exposure to microplastics through popular dried seafood products consumed across Asia.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 146 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular identification of polymers and anthropogenic particles extracted from oceanic water and fish stomach – A Raman micro-spectroscopy study

Researchers applied Raman micro-spectroscopy to identify plastic polymers in Pacific Ocean trawl samples and fish stomach contents, finding polyethylene and polypropylene as the dominant types while demonstrating that many particles visually suspected as plastic were actually non-polymer biological material — underscoring the necessity of chemical verification.

2017 Environmental Pollution 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Commercial Fishes and By-Catch from Selected FAO Major Fishing Areas of the Southern Baltic Sea

Researchers found microplastics in both edible and non-edible organs of five fish species from the southern Baltic Sea, with 1-12 particles per fish dominated by fibers, and polymers including cellophane, polyamide, polyethylene, and polypropylene identified by FTIR spectroscopy.

2023 Animals 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and characterization of microplastics in commercial fish from southern New Zealand

Researchers quantified microplastic ingestion in ten commercially important fish species from southern New Zealand using microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The study found that 75% of fish contained microplastics, with an average of 2.5 particles per fish, predominantly fibers in blue, black, and red colors, composed mainly of polyester and polyethylene terephthalate.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in fresh fish: insights from wet market in Selangor, Malaysia

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the gut and muscle tissue of four commercially important fish species from a Malaysian wet market, using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy for polymer identification. Microplastics were detected in all species, with the highest abundance found in the gut of Lutjanus erythropterus, raising food safety concerns.

2025 Journal of Public Health and Development
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in salted and sun dried fish and implications for food security – A study on the effect of location, style and constituents of dried fish on microplastics load

Researchers tested 21 species of dried fish from four locations in India and found microplastics in every sample, predominantly small fragments under 100 micrometers. The type and amount of microplastic contamination varied by location, fish species, and whether the fish was whole or eviscerated. The findings raise food safety concerns since dried fish is a dietary staple for many people in coastal regions.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection and Identification of Microplastics from Locally Sold Fishes in Borongan City, Samar Island, Philippines

Researchers detected and identified microplastics in the digestive tracts and gills of locally sold fish species from Borongan City, Eastern Samar, Philippines, finding mostly irregularly shaped micro-fragments that were transparent or red in color. The study highlights microplastic contamination in commercially important fish as a food safety concern for coastal communities in the region.

2024 Open Journal of Ecology
Article Tier 2

Detection of Anthropogenic Particles in Fish Stomachs: An Isolation Method Adapted to Identification by Raman Spectroscopy

This study developed a method for separating anthropogenic particles — including microplastics — from bulk fish stomach contents using an adapted protocol, improving the efficiency of visual examination. The approach aims to reduce misidentification errors that occur when relying solely on color, size, and shape to distinguish plastic from organic matter.

2015 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 285 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Mackerel (Rastrelliger sp) at the Tual City Fish Market

Researchers identified and quantified microplastics in the digestive tracts of mackerel from the Tual City fish market in Indonesia using microscopy and FTIR analysis, confirming the presence of multiple polymer types in commercially sold fish.

2025 Agrikan Jurnal Agribisnis Perikanan
Article Tier 2

Evidence of microplastics (MP) in gut content of major consumed marine fish species in the State of Kuwait (of the Arabian/Persian Gulf)

Researchers examined the gastrointestinal contents of eight commercially consumed marine fish species from Kuwait in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, confirming microplastic presence across multiple trophic levels using Raman and FTIR spectroscopy.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 83 citations
Article Tier 2

First report on the presence of small microplastics (≤ 3 μm) in tissue of the commercial fish Serranus scriba (Linnaeus. 1758) from Tunisian coasts and associated cellular alterations

Researchers provided the first report of small microplastics (3 micrometers or smaller) in both the gastrointestinal tract and muscle tissue of the commercial fish Serranus scriba from Tunisian coasts. The study identified polymer types using Raman microspectroscopy and found associated cellular alterations, raising concerns about microplastic contamination in Mediterranean fish consumed by humans.

2020 Environmental Pollution 134 citations
Article Tier 2

Limits of the detection of microplastics in fish tissue using stimulated Raman scattering microscopy

This study demonstrated the detection sensitivity of stimulated Raman scattering microscopy for identifying microplastic beads within fish tissue, characterizing how signal-to-noise ratio varies with particle size. The technique provided chemical contrast to distinguish different plastic types within biological tissue without destructive sample preparation.

2024 Biomedical Optics Express 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Protocol for extraction and analysis of microplastics in freshwater, sediment, and fish samples

Researchers developed a standardized protocol for extracting and identifying microplastics from freshwater, sediment, and fish digestive system samples, combining chemical digestion, density separation, vacuum filtration, and Raman spectroscopy to enable reliable, reproducible analysis across aquatic sample types.

2025 STAR Protocols 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Screening of Microplastics in Aquaculture Systems (Fish, Mussel, and Water Samples) by FTIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and Micro-Raman Spectroscopies

Researchers screened for microplastics in fish, mussels, and water from aquaculture farms using multiple detection methods. Microplastics were found in both farmed fish and mussels, which are widely sold for human consumption. This study highlights that aquaculture systems are not free from microplastic contamination, meaning farmed seafood, like wild-caught fish, is a potential source of microplastic exposure for people.

2023 Applied Sciences 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic presence in dried and fresh fish from seafood markets in Sri Lanka

Scientists examined both fresh and dried fish from seafood markets across Sri Lanka and found microplastics in over 82% of the samples, with fiber-shaped pieces making up more than 95% of the contamination. Fresh fish had higher contamination levels than dried fish, suggesting that preparation methods affect microplastic content. Since these small fish species are commonly eaten whole, consumers may be ingesting significant amounts of microplastics through popular seafood products.

2025 Marine and Freshwater Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and implication of microplastics on riverine population of the River Ravi, Lahore, Pakistan

Researchers found microplastics in three commercially important freshwater fish species from the River Ravi in Pakistan, with Raman spectroscopy confirming multiple polymer types, indicating widespread contamination of riverine fish populations and potential implications for human dietary exposure in the region.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in the fishes of selected sites in Pasig River and Marikina River in the Philippines

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in three fish species from the Pasig and Marikina Rivers in the Philippines using Raman microspectroscopy. They found polypropylene and polyethylene fragments were the most common microplastics, reflecting the widespread use of these polymers in packaging. The study demonstrates that microplastics accumulate in freshwater fish in urban river systems, raising concerns about dietary exposure for communities that rely on these fish for food.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Additives, plasticizers, small microplastics (<100 μm), and other microlitter components in the gastrointestinal tract of commercial teleost fish: Method of extraction, purification, quantification, and characterization using Micro-FTIR

Researchers developed a Micro-FTIR extraction and identification method for small microplastics (under 100 µm) and plastic additives in the gastrointestinal tracts of five commercial Mediterranean fish species, finding species-specific contamination patterns with anchovies and sardines showing the highest microplastic burdens.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics in two common dried marine fish species from Bangladesh

Researchers examined two popular dried fish species from Bangladesh and found microplastics present in all samples, with fibers being the most common type. Fish from one collection site had significantly higher microplastic contamination than the other, suggesting location-specific pollution levels. The findings raise concerns about human dietary exposure to microplastics through commonly consumed seafood products in the region.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 87 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of microplastics in fish from the local fish market of Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia

This study identified microplastics in fish sold at a local market in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, finding plastic particles in multiple species across fiber, fragment, and film forms. The detection of microplastics in commercially sold fish raises food safety concerns for consumers who regularly eat locally caught seafood.

2023 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinguishing Microplastics from Microplastic-like particles: a Case study of Fish from the Marine Waters of Qatar

Researchers examined microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of 170 fish from four commercially important species in Qatar's marine waters, finding that fibers were the dominant shape and blue the most common color, but micro-Raman spectroscopy confirmed only 7 particles (4.12% of samples) met the polymer-match threshold to be classified as true microplastics. The study underscores the importance of chemical confirmation methods to distinguish genuine microplastics from morphologically similar natural particles.

2025
Article Tier 2

Identification and Characterization of Micro and Mesoplastics Isolated from Commercially Important Marine Fishes of Pulicat Lake, Tamil Nadu, India

This study identified micro- and mesoplastics in the digestive tracts of 15 commercially important fish species from an Indian coastal lake, using infrared spectroscopy to confirm plastic polymer types. The presence of plastics in food fish raises concerns about human dietary exposure through seafood consumption.

2022 International Journal of Zoological Investigations 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in commercial marine fish from Malaysia

Microplastics were found in the digestive tracts of eight commercially important marine fish species caught in Malaysian waters, with prevalence and particle types varying by species and location. The study raises food safety concerns for Malaysian seafood consumers and highlights the widespread occurrence of microplastic ingestion in wild-caught fish from Southeast Asian seas.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 270 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the edible and inedible tissues of pelagic fishes sold for human consumption in Kerala, India

Researchers examined microplastics in both edible and inedible tissues of nine commercially important fish species from Kerala, India. They found that 41% of fish had microplastics in inedible tissues like gills and viscera, while 7% had particles in edible muscle and skin, with filter-feeding fish showing higher contamination than visual predators. The study suggests that human consumption of pelagic fish from this region could result in microplastic exposure, though the quantities found in edible tissues were relatively small.

2020 Environmental Pollution 160 citations