Exploring the ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics on freshwater fish: A critical review

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) have become ubiquitous in the environment, prompting significant concern among ecotoxicologists due to their potential toxic effects. These particles originate from various sources, including the fragmentation of larger plastic debris (secondary microplastics) and consumer products such as liquid soaps, exfoliants, and cleaning agents. The widespread use of plastics, coupled with inadequate waste management, poses a growing threat to ecosystem health worldwide. MPs are plastic particles composed of high-molecular-weight polymers that exhibit biochemical stability. Plastics break down into MPs and even smaller nanoplastics through various degradation mechanisms, such as exposure to UV radiation from sunlight and other environmental factors. Due to their resemblance to certain types of zooplankton and food particles, MPs are often ingested by fish, entering their digestive systems. Once inside, they do not remain solely in the gut; rather, they infiltrate the fish's circulatory and lymphatic systems, eventually distributing throughout various tissues and organs. Microplastics have been found in fish gills, muscles, liver, heart, swim bladders, ovaries, spinal cords, and even brains. The presence of MPs in these organs has been linked to significant adverse effects, including reproductive, neurological, hormonal, and immune system disruptions. This toxicity extends beyond fish, as bioaccumulation and biomagnification of MPs affect other organisms as well, marking MPs as a major anthropogenic stressor that impacts ecosystems at multiple levels. Research indicates that nearly all aquatic environments globally are at risk of MP contamination. Laboratory and field studies highlight fish as particularly susceptible to MP ingestion, though freshwater species have been less extensively studied than marine counterparts. After exposure, fish may suffer various health issues, either directly from MPs or from their interaction with other contaminants. The broader environmental implications of these laboratory findings and the specific role of MPs in increasing fish exposure to harmful chemicals remain topics of ongoing debate. This review aims to contribute to ecotoxicological insights on fish contamination by MPs and outline areas for future investigation.