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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics stunt fish growth and alter behavior
ClearSome Behavioural and Physiological Effects of Plastics (Polyethylene) on Fish
Researchers examined behavioral and physiological effects of polyethylene microplastics on fish, finding that plastic exposure disrupted endocrine function, altered behavior, and impaired normal development and reproduction.
Polystyrene microplastics alter the behavior, energy reserve and nutritional composition of marine jacopever (Sebastes schlegelii)
Researchers exposed juvenile jacopever fish to polystyrene microplastics and observed significant changes in feeding behavior, swimming activity, and energy reserves. The fish took longer to find food, moved less, and showed reduced levels of stored energy and altered nutritional composition in their tissues. The study suggests that microplastic exposure can impair the basic survival behaviors and overall fitness of marine fish.
Microplastic's triple threat
A brief research summary describes how Eurasian perch larvae exposed to microplastics became less active, stopped responding to predator cues, and preferred eating plastic over natural prey. The study demonstrated that microplastics have multiple compounding harmful effects on fish behavior and survival.
Effects of microplastics on the feeding rates of larvae of a coastal fish: direct consumption, trophic transfer, and effects on growth and survival
Researchers tested whether microplastics in seawater affect the feeding rates, growth, and survival of California Grunion fish larvae. They found that microplastics reduced feeding rates and demonstrated that trophic transfer of microplastics from zooplankton to larval fish occurs readily. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may impair early fish development by interfering with feeding behavior and introducing contaminants through the food chain.
Microplastics Lead to Hyperactive Swimming Behaviour in Adult Zebrafish
Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics across a wide concentration range and found that microplastics accumulated primarily in the gastrointestinal tract and gills. The study revealed that exposed fish exhibited hyperactive swimming behavior, suggesting that microplastic ingestion can affect locomotor activity even without obvious physical damage to internal organs.
The Effect of Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics in Feed on the Growth of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
This study exposed tilapia fish to polystyrene microplastics mixed into their feed at different concentrations. The results showed that microplastic exposure negatively affected the growth and development of the fish. This is relevant to human health because tilapia is a widely consumed fish, and microplastics accumulating in farmed fish could be passed along to the people who eat them.
Exposure to microplastics impairs fish's major behaviors. A novel threat to aquatic ecosystem
This review synthesises evidence on how microplastic exposure alters key behaviours in fish including feeding, reproduction, predator avoidance, and social interaction. It identifies neurological disruption, chemical co-toxicity, and gut effects as primary mechanisms, and highlights exposure to realistic environmental concentrations as an ongoing knowledge gap.
Decreased growth and survival in small juvenile fish, after chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastic
Researchers exposed juvenile glassfish to environmentally realistic concentrations of both virgin and harbor-collected microplastics for 95 days, finding that fish in plastic-fed groups grew significantly less in length, depth, and mass, and had lower survival probability than controls.
Polystyrene nanoplastics affect digestive function and growth in juvenile groupers
Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics accumulated in the liver and intestines of juvenile grouper fish, reducing digestive enzyme activity and impairing growth. The nanoplastics also decreased intestinal microbial diversity while increasing the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Vibrio. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure can significantly compromise digestive function and overall health in marine fish during early development.
Adaptation of life-history traits and trade-offs in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) after whole life-cycle exposure to polystyrene microplastics
Researchers conducted a whole-life-cycle exposure of marine medaka to polystyrene microplastics and observed effects on hatching, growth, and reproduction across generations. Microplastics accumulated on eggshells, reduced hatching rates and larval body length, and altered reproductive investment strategies. The study suggests that chronic microplastic exposure can trigger life-history trade-offs in fish, potentially affecting population dynamics over multiple generations.
Trophic transfer and individual impact of nano-sized polystyrene in a four-species freshwater food chain
Researchers traced nano-sized polystyrene plastics through a four-species freshwater food chain — from algae to water fleas to two fish species — finding that nanoplastics transferred at each level and caused reduced activity, liver damage in fish, and penetration into fish embryos. The results highlight the broad ecological and health risks of nanoplastics moving up through aquatic food webs.
Environmental microplastics disrupt swimming activity in acute exposure in Danio rerio larvae and reduce growth and reproduction success in chronic exposure in D. rerio and Oryzias melastigma
Researchers exposed zebrafish and marine medaka to environmental microplastics collected from Caribbean beaches and found that acute exposure disrupted swimming behavior in larvae, while chronic dietary exposure reduced growth and reproduction by up to 70%. The study suggests that environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations can cause cross-generational effects, with offspring of exposed fish showing premature mortality.
Exposure to microplastics decreases swimming competence in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos and larvae to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles adhered to egg surfaces before being ingested into the stomach and intestines after hatching. At higher concentrations, exposed larvae showed significantly reduced swimming distance and speed, along with upregulated genes related to inflammation and oxidative stress. The study suggests that microplastic exposure can impair swimming ability in larval fish, which could have broader ecological consequences for population fitness.
Assessment of dietary polyvinylchloride, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate exposure in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus: Bioaccumulation, and effects on behaviour, growth, hematology and histology
Nile tilapia fish fed three common types of microplastics (PVC, polypropylene, and PET) showed reduced growth, abnormal behavior, blood cell damage, and tissue damage in their gills, liver, and intestines. The harmful effects increased with higher doses of microplastics and varied by plastic type. Since tilapia is one of the most widely consumed fish globally, these findings raise concerns about the health of fish that may carry microplastic contamination to human diets.
Microplastics and the functional traits of fishes: A global meta‐analysis
This global meta-analysis pooled data from multiple studies to measure how microplastics affect fish. The results showed that microplastic exposure harms feeding behavior, growth, and overall health in fish, with younger fish being especially vulnerable. Since fish are a major protein source for humans, these effects could ultimately impact food security and the quality of seafood on our plates.
Unveiling the noxious effect of polystyrene microplastics in aquatic ecosystems and their toxicological behavior on fishes and microalgae
This review provides an extensive look at how polystyrene microplastics affect aquatic ecosystems, with a particular focus on their toxic effects on fish and microalgae. Researchers found alarming levels of polystyrene in surface waters and sediments across urban, coastal, and rural areas. Evidence indicates that polystyrene particles can impair growth, reproduction, and immune function in aquatic organisms, raising concerns about cascading effects through marine food chains.
Effects of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics on the Growth Rate, Liver Enzyme, and Serum Metabolites of Cirrhinus mrigala
Scientists found that plastic particles in water seriously harm fish by damaging their liver and slowing their growth. Since we eat fish and plastic pollution affects the entire food chain, this research suggests that microplastics could eventually impact human health too. The more plastic particles in the water, the sicker the fish became, which is concerning because plastic pollution in our waterways keeps getting worse.
Ingestion of polyethylene microplastics impacts cichlid behaviour despite having low retention time
Researchers fed juvenile cichlid fish brine shrimp contaminated with polyethylene microplastics and observed significant behavioral changes, including altered activity and feeding patterns, even though the plastic particles passed through the fish quickly. The study suggests that even brief microplastic exposure can disrupt normal fish behavior, which could affect their survival in polluted waterways.
Microplastic Vector Effects: Are Fish at Risk When Exposed via the Trophic Chain?
Three-spined sticklebacks exposed to chlorpyrifos-contaminated microplastics via a trophic chain accumulated the pesticide in their bodies and showed inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity and hyperactivity, a behavioral change that could increase vulnerability to predators. The study confirms that microplastics can deliver contaminants to fish and alter organ distribution of chemicals compared to direct water exposure.
Microplastics alter development, behavior, and innate immunity responses following bacterial infection during zebrafish embryo-larval development
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics altered zebrafish larval development, behavior, and innate immune responses in a timing-dependent manner, with early embryonic exposure through the egg chorion amplifying susceptibility to subsequent bacterial infection.
Microplastic pollution in aquatic environments may facilitate misfeeding by fish
Researchers found that biofilm growth on polystyrene microplastic surfaces, developed over weeks of freshwater exposure, significantly increased misfeeding behavior in goldfish even in the presence of genuine food, suggesting that biofouling makes microplastics more attractive to fish and helps explain widespread ingestion observed in aquatic animals.
Effect of Early-Life Exposure of Polystyrene Microplastics on Behavior and DNA Methylation in Later Life Stage of Zebrafish
Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics during early development and then assessed neurobehavioral effects later in life. The study found that early-life microplastic exposure caused lasting changes in behavior and DNA methylation patterns, suggesting that developmental exposure to microplastics may have long-term epigenetic consequences on neurodevelopment.
Polystyrene microplastics exposure in freshwater fish, Labeo rohita: evaluation of physiology and histopathology
Researchers fed freshwater fish varying levels of polystyrene microplastics for 90 days and found dose-dependent damage to blood health, growth, and organ tissues. Higher microplastic concentrations caused more severe harm to the liver, kidneys, gills, and intestines. The study highlights that microplastics in freshwater systems can accumulate in fish and cause significant health problems, raising concerns about food safety for communities that rely on freshwater fish.
Ecotoxicological effects of low-density polyethylene microplastic on Heteropneustes fossilis: behavioral, hematological, biochemical, and histopathological impacts
Scientists exposed freshwater fish to tiny plastic particles (microplastics) from everyday items like plastic bags and found they caused serious health problems including blood disorders, organ damage, and weakened immune systems. The higher the amount of plastic particles, the worse the damage became to vital organs like gills, intestines, and liver. This matters because these same microplastics are found throughout our food chain and water supply, raising concerns about potential health risks for humans who consume contaminated fish and water.