A systematic review of xenobiotics: classification, risks, and long-term effects on fish health

Vollständiger Abstract

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Abstract Xenobiotics are materials that are foreign to living organisms. They are commonly utilised for home, farming and industrial reasons. Xenobiotics, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, heavy metals, industrial chemicals, environmental contamination, food additives, hydrocarbons, oil mixes, synthetic polymers, and carcinogens, are often introduced into aquatic environments through agricultural runoff, industrial discharges, and wastewater treatment plant effluents. Increasing concentration of xenobiotics in aquatic habitats poses significant risks to fish species, potentially affecting their growth, reproduction, immune functions, and overall population dynamics. A systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant studies were identified by searching scientific databases, i.e. Scopus and Web of Science, using specific search terms related to xenobiotics, classification, exposure, long-term effect and fish health. Studies between 2000 and 2024 were considered. The review identified several classes of xenobiotics based on their source, nature and mode of action. Exposure to these xenobiotics lead to a range of health issues in fish, including altered behavior, muscular system, liver, kidney, scales, reproductive system, respiratory system, immune suppression neural system, cardiovascular system and increased susceptibility to disease. Xenobiotics have a huge effect on fish health, with consequences for biodiversity and aquatic ecosystem stability. Greater use of chemicals in daily life increases the concentration of xenobiotics in aquatic ecosystems. Further research on these xenobiotics and their emergence is needed to develop sustainable mitigation strategies and to understand the synergistic effects of multiple contaminants.