Occurrence, abundance, and characterization of microplastics in edible tissues of mud spiny lobster (Panulirus polyphagus) from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

Microplastic contamination of seafood has emerged as a growing environmental and food-safety concern, yet information on edible tissues of decapod crustaceans remains limited. This study investigated the occurrence, abundance, and characteristics of microplastics in the tail muscle of the mud spiny lobster Panulirus polyphagus collected from the Teknaf coast of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. A total of 30 specimens were analyzed using alkaline digestion followed by microscopic observation and polymer identification via ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Microplastics were detected in 93.3% of individuals, with a mean abundance of 0.63 ± 0.47 particles g⁻ wet weight (range: 0.10-1.80 particles g⁻). No significant relationship was observed between lobster body weight and microplastic abundance (Spearman's ρ = -0.134, p = 0.480). Fibers were the dominant morphotype (85.71%), followed by fragments (12.50%) and pellets (1.79%). Most particles were medium-sized, with 101-500 µm (37.50%) and 501-1500 µm (33.93%) fractions prevailing. Whitish or transparent particles were most frequent (28.57%) among the five colors observed. Ethylene propylene was the predominant polymer (85.71%), followed by polyethylene (11.43%) and polyester (2.86%). The presence of microplastics in edible lobster muscle highlights a potential pathway for human exposure and provides baseline data for future monitoring and risk assessment.