Papers

61,006 results
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Article Tier 2

Gooseneck barnacles ( Lepas spp.) ingest microplastic debris in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

Researchers examined the gut contents of gooseneck barnacles (Lepas spp.) collected from floating debris in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre and found that all individuals had ingested microplastic particles. The findings demonstrate that suspension-feeding invertebrates colonizing floating plastic debris are directly exposed to and ingest microplastics, representing a pathway for plastic entry into open-ocean food webs.

2013 PeerJ 239 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion by pelagic gooseneck barnacles (Lepas spp.) and other insights on their biology and ecology in the South Pacific Ocean

This study examined microplastic ingestion by pelagic gooseneck barnacles (Lepas spp.) in the South Pacific Ocean, species considered highly capable of microplastic ingestion among rafting organisms. Microplastics were found in barnacles across sampling sites, and the study provided ecological context for understanding the role of rafting organisms in concentrating and transporting plastic pollution in open-ocean ecosystems.

2024
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

Relative Abundance of Floating Plastic Debris and Neuston in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean

Researchers examined the relative abundance of floating plastic debris versus neuston organisms in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, finding significant knowledge gaps in understanding how accumulating plastic in subtropical gyres affects surface-associated marine life. The study argues that removing floating debris is necessary to prevent harm to neuston communities and limit secondary microplastic formation.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Anthropogenic fibers and microplastics in the pelagic gooseneck barnacle Lepas (Lepas) anatifera in Capo Milazzo Marine Protected Area (Tyrrhenian Sea): A first characterization

Researchers examined gooseneck barnacles collected from a marine protected area in the Tyrrhenian Sea and found microplastics and synthetic fibers in nearly a third of them, suggesting these filter-feeding organisms could serve as inexpensive, widely distributed biological indicators for monitoring microplastic contamination in coastal waters.

2023 Ecological Indicators 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards the suitable monitoring of ingestion of microplastics by marine biota: A review

This review assessed various monitoring methods for detecting microplastic ingestion by marine biota, comparing laboratory and field-based approaches. The authors recommend method selection based on organism type and research question and call for more consistent reporting standards to enable cross-study comparison.

2016 Environmental Pollution 254 citations
Article Tier 2

Peer Review #1 of "Microplastic ingestion by commercial marine fish from the seawater of Northwest Peninsular Malaysia (v0.2)"

This peer review evaluates a revised version (v0.2) of a study on microplastic ingestion by four commercial marine fish species from Northwest Peninsular Malaysia, where all 72 sampled fish guts contained microplastics totaling 432 particles across species. The reviewer assesses the adequacy of revisions addressing earlier concerns about methodology and the significance of findings for Malaysian food safety given the dietary importance of these fish.

2022
Article Tier 2

Peer Review #2 of "Microplastics do not affect bleaching of Acropora cervicornis at ambient or elevated temperatures (v0.1)"

This peer review provides a second independent evaluation of a study examining whether microplastic pollution affects bleaching in Acropora cervicornis coral at ambient or elevated temperatures, contributing to rigorous assessment of microplastic impacts on coral reef organisms.

2022
Article Tier 2

In situ microplastic ingestion by neritic zooplankton of the central Mexican Pacific

Researchers documented in situ microplastic ingestion by zooplankton in two bays of the central Mexican Pacific, finding that copepods, decapod larvae, and chaetognaths ingested microplastics, predominantly fibers, with higher rates during the rainy season.

2023 Environmental Pollution 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources, fate and effects of microplastics in the marine environment: part 2 of a global assessment

This second part of a major GESAMP review on microplastics in the marine environment examined sources, fate, and effects, providing a comprehensive scientific assessment of the state of evidence and priority research needs.

2015 590 citations
Article Tier 2

Non-selective feeding on microplastics in the acorn barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite: the implications in assessing barnacles as global microplastics bioindicators

Researchers studied microplastic ingestion by striped barnacles (Amphibalanus amphitrite) by exposing them to three plastic types, two sizes, and two concentrations, with and without biofilm coatings. Barnacles ingested microplastics non-selectively regardless of type or biofilm status, confirming them as useful bioindicators of plastic pollution in marine environments.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science
Article Tier 2

Assessing size-based exposure to microplastic particles and ingestion pathways in zooplankton and herring in a coastal pelagic ecosystem of British Columbia, Canada

Researchers assessed size-based microplastic exposure and ingestion pathways in zooplankton and larval Pacific herring in British Columbia's coastal waters, finding evidence of both direct consumption and trophic transfer of microplastics through the pelagic food web.

2021 Marine Ecology Progress Series 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Barnacles as emerging sentinels of microplastic contamination: A global synthesis and analytical framing

Barnacles — the small crustaceans that encrust ship hulls and rocky shores — filter seawater continuously, making them promising sentinels for detecting microplastic pollution levels in the ocean. This global review of 14 field studies across seven countries found that barnacles consistently reflect local microplastic contamination, with fibers and fragments of polyethylene and cellophane being most common. While barnacles show real potential as low-cost monitoring organisms, the authors call for standardized methods to make data from different regions and studies comparable.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Fate of Nanoplastics in Marine Larvae: A Case Study Using Barnacles, Amphibalanus amphitrite

Researchers tracked the fate of nanoplastics in barnacle larvae, finding that these tiny particles were ingested and could accumulate in larval tissues, with potential implications for early development and survival of marine invertebrates.

2018 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 104 citations
Article Tier 2

Review: Environmental toxicology of marine microplastic pollution — R0/PR3

This is a third peer review document associated with the same marine microplastic toxicology review, which covers bioaccumulation and biological effects of microplastics across multiple marine organism groups. The review it supports is a significant synthesis of evidence on how microplastics harm marine ecosystems. As a peer review artefact, it is not original research but reflects the rigour applied to publishing key microplastics science.

2023
Article Tier 2

Experimental accumulation of microplastics in acorn barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite and its use in estimating microplastic concentration in coastal waters

Researchers assessed the potential of acorn barnacles (Amphibalanus amphitrite) as bioindicators for microplastic pollution, finding that these filter feeders accumulate polypropylene fibers and fragments in ways that could help estimate coastal water contamination levels.

2023 Frontiers in Marine Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pathways in marine pelagic systems

This review examines how microplastics move through open-ocean (pelagic) ecosystems and what effects they might have on sea life. The authors conclude that clear evidence of harm in pelagic species is still limited, and well-designed cause-and-effect studies are needed to draw firmer conclusions about environmental risk.

2020 ARAN (University of Galway Research Repository) (Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway)
Article Tier 2

Pelagic microplastics in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre: A prevalent anthropogenic component of the particulate organic carbon pool

This study measured microplastic concentrations in the water column of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre and found that fossil-based microplastics make up a significant fraction of the particulate organic carbon pool, with implications for ocean biogeochemical carbon cycling and export.

2023 PNAS Nexus 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Peer Review #2 of "Presence of microplastics and microparticles in Oregon Black Rockfish sampled near marine reserve areas (v0.1)"

This is a peer review report for a study on microplastics and microparticles found in Oregon Black Rockfish near marine reserve areas. The reviewer assessed the study's methodology and findings on the presence of synthetic particles in commercially harvested fish.

2023
Article Tier 2

Peer Review #2 of "Microplastic ingestion by commercial marine fish from the seawater of Northwest Peninsular Malaysia (v0.1)"

This peer review by a second reviewer evaluates the initial version of a study on microplastic ingestion by four commercial marine fish species from Northwest Peninsular Malaysia, which found microplastics in all 72 sampled fish guts with Sardinella fimbriata recording the highest mean ingestion at 6.5 items per individual. The reviewer provides an independent assessment of the study design, analytical methods, and conclusions for this food-safety-relevant finding.

2022
Article Tier 2

The origin of microplastics of offshore discharge: A review in assessing the relationship between microplastics content and other contaminants

This review synthesized data on microplastic distribution across the North Pacific, South Atlantic, and polar oceans, highlighting ocean gyres as major accumulation zones. It also reviewed how microplastics carry leached chemicals into marine food chains, ultimately leading to human exposure through seafood.

2021 E3S Web of Conferences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental implications of microplastic pollution in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean

Researchers assessed microplastic concentrations, distribution, and characteristics across the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, finding widespread contamination with significant spatial variation and identifying environmental implications for marine ecosystems in this understudied region.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 94 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics as contaminants in the marine environment: A review

This review synthesized the state of knowledge on microplastics as marine contaminants, covering their sources, pathways, distribution, biological uptake, and potential ecological and toxicological effects.

2011 Marine Pollution Bulletin 5709 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding species-microplastics interactions : a laboratory study on the effects of microplastics on the Azorean barnacle, Megabalanus azoricus

Researchers exposed the Azorean barnacle to PVC microplastics at different concentrations for six weeks as part of a coordinated global experiment, finding that medium plastic densities reduced cirral activity but no clear negative effects on survival, respiration, or stress tolerance. The mixed results suggest that barnacle responses to microplastics are more complex and variable than responses seen in other marine invertebrates.

2015 Skemman 4 citations