Papers

20 results
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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 freshwater fishes: Occurrence, impacts and future perspectives

This review synthesizes current knowledge about microplastic contamination in freshwater fish, which serve as important indicators of plastic pollution in rivers and lakes. Researchers found that microplastic ingestion patterns in fish are related to body size, feeding habits, and local urbanization levels, with controlled studies showing various effects on fish physiology and behavior. While fish can typically expel most microplastics quickly, certain particle shapes and sizes may remain in the body or cross into other organs through the intestinal wall.

2021 Fish and Fisheries 149 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Freshwater Systems: A Review on Its Accumulation and Effects on Fishes

This review covers the accumulation and effects of microplastics in freshwater fish, including how fish ingest them through feeding and the physical and chemical harm they can cause. Since many freshwater fish species are consumed by humans, the findings are relevant to food safety.

2018 Preprints.org 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Effects of Microplastics on Freshwater Fish

This review examines the growing body of research on how microplastics affect freshwater fish, documenting evidence of ingestion, tissue damage, immune system impairment, and gastrointestinal obstruction across multiple species. Researchers highlight that microplastics from personal care products and degraded plastic goods are accumulating in freshwater ecosystems at concerning rates. The study warns that combined with existing threats like overfishing and habitat loss, microplastic pollution could accelerate population declines in vulnerable fish species.

2024 International Journal of Nature and Life Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Global Review and Analysis of the Presence of Microplastics in Fish

This global review and meta-analysis compiled data on microplastic occurrence in fish from studies across dozens of countries, finding microplastics in fish from virtually all sampled regions with higher concentrations in coastal and urban-influenced waters. The analysis identified fibers and fragments as the most common forms, and raised concerns about human dietary exposure through fish consumption.

2022 Asian Fisheries Science 8 citations
Review Tier 2

Bioavailability and toxicity of microplastics to fish species: A review

This review summarizes current knowledge about microplastic ingestion and its toxic effects in fish species worldwide. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in fish from nearly all types of aquatic habitats, and both field and laboratory studies confirm fish are highly susceptible to ingesting these particles. The study notes that microplastics alone or combined with other pollutants can cause various health problems in fish, raising concerns about implications for human seafood consumption.

2019 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 511 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Contamination in Freshwater Fish – a Review

Researchers reviewed what is known about microplastic contamination in freshwater fish and found that fish ingest particles through their gut, gills, and skin, with the particles then distributing throughout body tissues and potentially reaching humans through seafood consumption — though inconsistent sampling methods make it difficult to compare findings across studies.

2025 Agrobiological Records 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, characteristics, and risk assessment of microplastics in indigenous freshwater fishes of India

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in five widely consumed freshwater fish species from India and found plastic particles in all specimens, with fibers being the most dominant type. Evidence of microplastics in edible fish tissue indicates translocation from the gut, suggesting a pathway for human exposure through consumption. Risk assessment showed that while microplastic abundance posed a low quantitative risk, the polymer types identified indicated a high hazard potential for the fish species studied.

2022 Environmental Research 48 citations
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 contamination in wild freshwater fish: Global trends, challenges and perspectives

This global review analyzed 144 studies on microplastic contamination in wild freshwater fish across 45 countries and found that 450 fish species were contaminated, including 35 species on the conservation Red List. Microplastics were most commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract, with fibers and fragments being the dominant shapes. The evidence indicates that freshwater fish worldwide are widely exposed to microplastic pollution, with potential implications for both aquatic ecosystems and human seafood consumption.

2025 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing and Managing Microplastic Risks in Freshwater Fisheries: Exposure Pathways and Toxicological Evidence

This review assessed microplastic exposure pathways and toxicological risks for freshwater fish in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and aquaculture ponds, covering ingestion, trophic transfer, and chemical co-contaminant effects. The authors concluded that freshwater fish face substantial microplastic risk and outlined monitoring and risk management strategies for fisheries managers.

2025 Asian Journal of Research in Zoology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Aquatic Environments and Their Toxicological Implications for Fish

This review summarizes research on microplastic occurrence in freshwater and marine environments and the toxicological risks they pose to fish, examining both direct physical effects and the role of plastics as vectors for chemical pollutants. The authors highlight that freshwater fish are particularly vulnerable given the high loads of microplastics in rivers receiving wastewater.

2016 InTech eBooks 61 citations
Article Tier 2

A review on occurrence and environmental risk assessment for microplastics in freshwater systems

This review covers the occurrence, distribution, and health risks of microplastics across aquatic environments, food sources, and the atmosphere. It evaluates evidence for human exposure through multiple pathways and identifies gaps in understanding the full health impacts of chronic microplastic ingestion.

2019 The Korean Journal of Public Health 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characterization of microplastic content in the digestive system of riverine fishes

Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 32 citations
Review Tier 2

Do Freshwater Fish Eat Microplastics? A Review with A Focus on Effects on Fish Health and Predictive Traits of MPs Ingestion

This review examined microplastic ingestion by wild freshwater fish, finding that 257 species across 32 countries have been documented to consume microplastics. Researchers found that ingestion rates tend to increase with urbanization levels, and microplastic exposure has been linked to intestinal damage, oxidative stress, and altered behavior in fish. The evidence indicates that microplastic pollution in freshwater environments poses a widespread concern for fish health.

2021 Water 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of microplastics in fish: A short review

This short review summarizes current knowledge on microplastic occurrence in fish, covering sources and pathways of ingestion, impacts on fish physiology and behavior, and potential strategies for monitoring and reducing contamination.

2024 Journal of Toxicological Studies
Meta Analysis Tier 1

A meta-analysis of the characterisations of plastic ingested by fish globally

This meta-analysis pools data from global studies to assess what types of plastic fish most commonly ingest, finding that microfibers and small fragments dominate across both freshwater and marine species. These findings are important for human health because widespread plastic ingestion by fish means that microplastics are likely present in much of the seafood consumed around the world.

2022
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in aquatic systems: A review of occurrence, monitoring and potential environmental risks

Researchers review the presence of microplastics — tiny plastic fragments less than 5 mm — across freshwater and marine environments worldwide, finding that polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene are the most commonly detected types. Exposure disrupts feeding, movement, and reproduction in aquatic wildlife, and the authors call for standardized measurement methods and legal limits to protect ecosystems.

2023 Environmental Advances 80 citations
Article Tier 2

What are the global patterns of microplastic ingestion by fish? A scientometric review

This review summarizes global research on microplastic ingestion by fish and finds that contamination is widespread across aquatic ecosystems, with fibers and fragments being the most commonly ingested shapes. The study highlights that fish higher on the food chain tend to accumulate more microplastics, which matters for human health since many of these species are commonly consumed as seafood.

2024 Environmental Pollution 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polyethylene-microplastics on freshwater fish species: Implications for human health

This study reviews the toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on freshwater fish species and the implications for human health, drawing on a body of existing literature on plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems. The work synthesizes evidence of microplastic ingestion, bioaccumulation, and physiological effects in freshwater fish with relevance to human dietary exposure.

2022 Public Health Toxicology 3 citations