Do trophic guilds and habitat use influence microplastic ingestion in fishes from the Jaguariaíva River, upper Paraná River basin, Brazil?

Abstract Microplastics are emerging pollutants that have raised great concerns to the fish community and are present in most freshwater aquatic ecosystems. These pollutants can cause physical damage and accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to intestinal obstruction. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal content of the fish community in the Jaguariaíva River, considered an important tributary of the Itararé River, upper Paraná River basin, Brazil. To this end, we tested whether (i) microplastic ingestion varies among fish from different trophic guilds (detritivores, omnivores, herbivores, insectivores, and piscivores) and (ii) whether ingestion is associated with habitat use (demersal, benthopelagic, and pelagic). The fishes were collected from March 2013 to December 2014 at seven points along the Jaguariaíva River and had their gastrointestinal tracts removed and analyzed in the laboratory. Microplastics were analyzed with a micro Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. In general, fibers and fragments were found in 13 fish species, with their composition being polyvinyl alcohol and polydimethylsiloxane. Furthermore, the consumption of these microplastics was not associated with trophic groups or the types of habitats used by the species analyzed. The presence of microplastics in fish provides insights into the current pollution in the Jaguariaíva River. These findings reinforce the need for mitigation measures to reduce plastic pollution and minimize its impact on aquatic biodiversity.