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From Gujarat to global plates: An integrated assessment and meta-analysis of microplastics in commercially important pelagic fishes and human health risks
Summary
Scientists tested popular fish species from Indian fishing harbors and found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in every fish they checked—with the highest levels actually showing up in the muscle tissue, the part we typically eat, not just the guts or gills. Combined with a review of over 130 other studies worldwide, the research confirms this is a global pattern, meaning the seafood on your plate likely contains some level of plastic contamination, though scientists are still working out exactly how much risk that poses to human health.
Microplastic (MP) pollution has been recognized as a seafood contaminant. In the current investigation, MP contamination was assessed in surface water and the tissue of gut, gills, and muscles of 280 individuals of 14 species of commercially important pelagic fishes collected from five major fishing harbors of Gujarat state, India. MPs extraction was carried using standard protocols. A total of 4033 MP particles were extracted fish specimens. The maximum and minimum MP contamination was recorded in Thryssa setirostris and Trichiurus lepturus, respectively. The highest MP abundance was found in the surface water and fish specimens collected from the Sartanpar and lowest from Jakhau. Overall, muscle tissue showed higher contamination than gut and gill tissue. Fibers were recorded dominant having black and blue colours belonging to the size range of <500 μm. The chemical composition of extracted MPs revealed polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurethane, polystyrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), and rubber as polymer compositions of MPs. Contamination factors, pollutant load index, and polymeric hazard index classified all the study sites under very high risk of MP pollution. The findings of meta-analysis of 136 peer-reviewed articles published from 2011 to 2025 revealed the MP contamination in 317 marine pelagic fishes globally. Fiber shape MPs with black and blue colours belonging to size range of 500 μm-1 mm was dominant. Polyethylene was recorded as dominant plastic polymer in 317 marine pelagic fishes. The findings conclude the greater risk of MP pollution in pelagic fishes and in humans due to consumption of contaminated sea-food.