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First assessment of microplastic consumption in sympatric black bass species in a temperate river system.
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Researchers quantified microplastic ingestion across three sympatric black bass species in the Monongahela River, finding plastics in every fish sampled and using Bayesian regression to show that consumption rates differ significantly by species, location, and season — highlighting that even closely related species in the same watershed accumulate microplastics very differently.
Microplastics (i.e. plastic particles ranging in size from 1 μm to 5 mm) are an understudied emerging pollutant in rural rivers that may pose significant health risks to organisms, and their monitoring is resource-intensive and costly. This study quantifies microplastic consumption in the Monongahela River, West Virginia, USA in three sympatric black bass species: largemouth bass (Micropterus nigricans), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus). Utilizing an existing sampling program and low-cost methodology, the spatial variability of microplastic ingestion between navigational pools within the Monongahela River and limited temporal variability within a pool was examined to determine differences between the sympatric species in total and shape-size fractions. Microplastics were found in all fish surveyed and Bayesian regression models revealed that microplastic consumption is influenced by species, spatial location and temporal factors, with significant interspecies and intraspecies differences in microplastic consumption. The results emphasize the variability that exists even among similar species and reinforce the need to monitor microplastic pollution in rural river systems to evaluate the ecological risks of microplastic pollution.
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This thesis investigated microplastic ingestion in black bass species in rivers of the Ohio River drainage, finding microplastics in fish stomachs and exploring spatial and species-level variation. The study integrates fish ecology data with microplastic contamination assessment to better understand how bass populations are exposed.
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Researchers conducted a diet analysis of 84 smallmouth bass from the central Susquehanna River and its tributaries, then used acid digestion to inspect their gastrointestinal tracts for microplastics. The study documents both what these fish eat and whether they are accumulating plastic particles in their tissues, connecting diet ecology to microplastic exposure pathways.
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Researchers measured microplastic loads in riverine fish and macroinvertebrates and found that particle counts were not reliably predicted by species ecology or morphology, suggesting that individual variation and local environmental factors play a larger role in microplastic ingestion than feeding guild or habitat alone.
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Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.