Microplastics in Aquatic Animals: Investigating Ingestion, Accumulation, and Health Effects
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2026 | Viewed by 19
Special Issue Editor
Interests: microplastics in the gill and stomach of fish; marine science; fishery; fish reproduction; fish otoliths; environmental DNA; genetic diversity; population genetics; taxonomy; molecular phylogeny; systematics; reef fish; moray eels (Mureanidae); cephalopods; sharks; rays
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
With escalating global concerns over microplastic contamination in aquatic ecosystems and its cascading impacts on wildlife health, this special issue highlights cutting-edge research on the ingestion pathways, bioaccumulation dynamics, ecosystem cycling, and physiological/toxicological consequences of microplastics in aquatic organisms. By integrating mechanistic insights with applied conservation frameworks, we aim to advance understanding of microplastic interactions across trophic levels, reveal potential threats from physiological mechanisms to ecosystem consequences, and inform evidence-based mitigation strategies. The contributions span multidisciplinary approaches, from molecular-scale analyses to ecosystem-level risk assessments, to address complex challenges in animal-related microplastics research. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Ingestion mechanisms and pathways: Microplastic uptake routes, particle selectivity, and biofilm-mediated ingestion in diverse aquatic taxa, etc.
- Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer: Microplastic retention and depuration rates, effects through food webs, and tissue-specific accumulation patterns, etc.
- Toxicological and health impacts: Oxidative stress, inflammation, genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, immune function, and impacts on development, reproduction, and transgenerations, etc.
- Ecological risk assessment and ecosystem consequences: Population-level conservation, freshwater, marine, and estuarine environments, as well as microplastic impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function.
- Mitigation and policies: Engineering solutions, filtration systems, bioremediation, and regulatory strategies for aquatic ecosystem protection, etc.
We encourage submissions in the form of original research articles, reviews, communications, commentaries, and case reports. The contributions will provide actionable tools for environmental managers, conservation biologists, and policymakers to mitigate microplastic pollution, safeguard aquatic biodiversity, and promote ecosystem resilience.
Dr. Kar Hoe Loh
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- microplastic contamination
- microplastic pollution
- aquatic animals' health
- aquatic ecosystems
- ingestion pathways
- bioaccumulation dynamics
- toxicological impacts
- trophic transfer
- bioremediation
- ecosystem resilience
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