Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Effects of frying on microplastics load in fish and implications on health

Researchers investigated the effects of polyethylene microplastics on gut microbiota composition in mice fed a high-fat diet, finding that microplastic exposure altered microbial diversity and increased gut permeability. Co-exposure with a high-fat diet amplified metabolic disruption.

2022 Food Frontiers 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Caught in Fish Gut: Uptake and Inflammatory Effects of Nanoplastics through Different Routes in the Aquatic Environment

Researchers investigated how nanoplastics accumulate in zebrafish intestines through different exposure routes, including waterborne, foodborne, and combined pathways. They found that while foodborne exposure led to higher particle accumulation, both routes caused similar levels of intestinal inflammation and immune disruption. The study suggests that current risk assessments based on single-route exposure may underestimate the true danger of nanoplastic pollution in aquatic environments.

2023 ACS ES&T Water 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive understanding the impacts of dietary exposure to polyethylene microplastics on genetically improved farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): tracking from growth, microbiota, metabolism to gene expressions

Researchers investigated the impacts of dietary polyethylene microplastics on genetically improved farmed tilapia over nine weeks, tracking effects on growth, gut microbiota, liver metabolism, and gene expression. The study found that microplastic exposure altered gut microbial communities, disrupted liver metabolic processes, and affected gene expression in brain and liver tissues. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in fish feed and aquatic environments poses risks to farmed fish health.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-omics association pattern between gut microbiota and host metabolism of a filter-feeding fish in situ exposed to microplastics

Scientists exposed filter-feeding fish to environmentally realistic levels of microplastics and found that the particles reshaped gut bacteria communities, which in turn altered the fish's liver metabolism through changes in amino acid processing. This gut-microbiome-to-organ connection matters because it shows microplastics may affect human health not just through direct toxicity but by disrupting the beneficial bacteria in our digestive systems.

2025 Environment International 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Chronic Exposure of Adult Zebrafish to Polyethylene and Polyester-based Microplastics: Metabolomic and Gut Microbiome Alterations Reflecting Dysbiosis and Resilience

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene and polyester microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found significant disruptions to metabolic pathways and gut microbiome composition. Polyethylene primarily affected cell membrane compounds and inflammation-related metabolites, while polyester altered lipid metabolism and gut bacterial interactions. The study reveals that chronic microplastic exposure can cause subtle but meaningful shifts in fish metabolism and gut health, even at low concentrations.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Concurrent water- and foodborne exposure to microplastics leads to differential microplastic ingestion and neurotoxic effects in zebrafish

Researchers compared how zebrafish are affected by microplastics ingested directly from water versus through their food chain. They found that the route of exposure made a significant difference, with food-chain transfer leading to different patterns of microplastic accumulation and more pronounced neurotoxic effects than waterborne exposure alone. The study highlights that trophic transfer is an important but often overlooked pathway for microplastic exposure in aquatic organisms.

2022 Water Research 116 citations
Article Tier 2

Differential biochemical responses of Cyprinus carpio after dietary and waterborne exposure to microplastics from polyethylene-based biodegradable and conventional bags

Researchers compared the toxic effects of microplastics from biodegradable and conventional polyethylene bags on common carp through both dietary and waterborne exposure. They found that the toxicity ranking differed depending on the exposure route, and that biodegradable plastic microplastics showed significant differences from conventional plastics, particularly in liver nitric oxide levels. The study emphasizes that both the chemical composition of microplastics and how organisms encounter them influence the resulting biological harm.

2025 Ecotoxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro(nano)plastics in the fish gastrointestinal tract: A mini review and relevance to One Health perspective

Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics accumulate in fish digestive systems and enter the broader food web, highlighting that the fish gut acts as a critical pathway for these particles — and the chemicals stuck to them — to travel from the environment into the human food supply.

2025 Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiome and metabolome changes in Javanese medaka fish (Oryzias javanicus Bleeker, 1854)

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastic exposure altered gut microbiome composition and metabolic profiles in Javanese medaka fish, with effects on amino acid and lipid metabolism pathways suggesting microplastics can disrupt gut health in aquatic organisms.

2022 Toxicology Reports 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in our water: Fish microbiomes at risk?

This review examined how microplastics and leached plasticizers affect the gut microbiomes of freshwater and marine fish, summarizing evidence for dysbiosis and reduced microbial diversity and discussing potential consequences for fish immunity, metabolism, and environmental fitness.

2021 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D Genomics and Proteomics 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Acute exposure to microplastics induces metabolic disturbances and gut dysbiosis in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene and polyester microplastics and used untargeted metabolomics and gut microbiome analysis to assess the effects. The study found that acute microplastic exposure caused significant metabolic disturbances and gut dysbiosis, altering key metabolites involved in lipid and amino acid metabolism.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the links between micro/nanoplastics-induced gut microbes dysbiosis and potential diseases in fish: A review

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics accumulate in fish intestines and disrupt their gut bacteria, potentially leading to inflammation, immune problems, and metabolic diseases. The disrupted gut microbiome can weaken the intestinal barrier, allowing harmful substances to enter the fish's body. Since fish are a major protein source for billions of people, understanding how microplastics damage fish gut health is important for assessing risks to human food safety.

2024 Environmental Pollution 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics alter the intestinal microbiota function and the hepatic metabolism status in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

Researchers fed marine medaka fish polystyrene microplastics of two sizes for 28 days and examined effects on gut microbiota and liver metabolism. They found that microplastic exposure significantly altered the functional composition of gut bacteria and disrupted hepatic metabolic pathways, even without causing visible tissue damage. The study suggests that microplastics can affect fish health through subtle microbiome and metabolic changes that precede obvious physical harm.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 129 citations
Article Tier 2

Revealing Metabolic Dysregulation Induced by Polypropylene Nano- and Microplastics in Nile Tilapia via Noninvasive Probing Epidermal Mucus

Using a noninvasive needle-based sampling technique paired with mass spectrometry, researchers detected metabolic disruptions in the skin mucus of Nile tilapia exposed to polypropylene micro- and nanoplastics.

2024 Analytical Chemistry 8 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of exposure to microplastics on grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) at the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic levels

Researchers exposed grass carp to microplastics at two concentrations for 21 days and observed liver damage, inhibited growth, and increased oxidative stress. Transcriptome analysis revealed over 1,500 differentially expressed genes related to immune response, metabolism, and cellular stress pathways. The study suggests that microplastic exposure can trigger broad physiological and molecular disruptions in freshwater fish.

2021 Chemosphere 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Different effects of nano- and microplastics on oxidative status and gut microbiota in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma

Researchers compared the effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on oxidative stress and gut microbiota in marine medaka fish. They found that nanoplastics caused more severe oxidative damage and greater disruption to the gut microbial community than larger microplastic particles. The study suggests that particle size plays a critical role in determining the biological impact of plastic pollution on aquatic organisms.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 244 citations
Article Tier 2

Liver Metabolic Dysregulation Induced by Polypropylene Nano- and Microplastics in Nile Tilapia Using Internal Extractive Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Researchers exposed Nile tilapia fish to polypropylene nano- and microplastics and analyzed changes in liver metabolism using advanced mass spectrometry. They identified 46 metabolites that were significantly altered, including phospholipids, amino acids, and energy-related compounds, indicating disrupted liver function. The study suggests that polypropylene plastic particles can cause measurable metabolic disturbances in fish even without obvious visible harm.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of micro- nanoplastics in a commercial recirculated aquaculture system and their translocation to cultured fish organs: A baseline study

Researchers found microplastics and nanoplastics inside the muscle, brain, and gut of Nile tilapia raised in a commercial fish farm that uses recirculated water, identifying multiple plastic polymer types in fish tissue — a finding that suggests farmed fish are a direct route for microplastic exposure in people who eat them.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 17 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Microplastic Exposure on Crucian Growth, Liver Damage, and Gut Microbiome Composition].

Researchers exposed crucian carp to varying concentrations of polyethylene microplastics in feed for 30 days and found that low-concentration exposure increased body weight while higher concentrations caused liver damage and altered gut microbiome composition, suggesting dose-dependent effects.

2022 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Transcriptome sequencing and metabolite analysis reveal the toxic effects of nanoplastics on tilapia after exposure to polystyrene

Researchers exposed larval tilapia to polystyrene nanoplastics and then analyzed changes in gene expression and metabolic profiles after a recovery period. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted immune-related pathways, energy metabolism, and lipid processing in the fish, with some effects persisting even after exposure ended. The study suggests that nanoplastics can cause lasting metabolic and immune disruptions in freshwater fish.

2021 Environmental Pollution 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro/nano-plastics cause neurobehavioral toxicity in discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus): Insight from brain-gut-microbiota axis

Researchers exposed juvenile discus fish to microfibers and nanoplastics and found that both types caused neurobehavioral problems, but through different mechanisms involving the brain-gut-microbiota axis. Nanoplastics weakened swimming and predatory abilities, while microfibers reduced growth, and both disrupted gut microbial communities that influence brain function. The study provides the first evidence linking microplastic-induced gut microbiome changes to neurological effects in fish through the gut-brain connection.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 173 citations
Article Tier 2

Lipid Metabolism and Oxidative Stress Altered in Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus) Following Exposure to Microplastics Under Laboratory and Field Conditions

Researchers used high-throughput sequencing to assess the impact of microplastics on crucian carp under both field and laboratory conditions. After four weeks of in-situ exposure, intestinal microplastic levels slightly increased, and transcriptome analysis revealed over 3,000 differentially expressed genes in the liver, with notable enrichment in pathways related to lipid metabolism and oxidative stress.

2026 Water
Article Tier 2

New insights into the impact of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics on the nutritional quality of marine jacopever (Sebastes schlegelii)

Researchers investigated how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect the nutritional quality of marine jacopever fish (Sebastes schlegelii), finding that nanoplastics reduced nutritional quality more severely than microplastics. Despite no notable impact on intestinal microbiota function, both particle types impaired lipid and protein metabolism pathways.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular LandscapeRemodeling Unravels the Cross-Linksof Microplastics-Induced Lipidomic Fluctuations,Nutrient Disorders and Energy Disarrangements

Proteomic and lipidomic profiling of mouse livers after polypropylene microplastic exposure revealed crosstalk between hepatic lipid fluctuations, nutrient metabolism disorders, and energy pathway disarrangements, providing mechanistic insight into microplastic-induced liver toxicity.

2025 Figshare