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Tissue-specific distribution of microplastics in commercial crab Portunus segnis: a baseline data for sea-food security
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Scientists found tiny plastic bits (microplastics) in nearly two-thirds of crabs tested from the Gujarat coast in India, with the highest amounts in the gut and gills, but plastic was also found in the muscle tissue that people actually eat. The most common plastics found were polyethylene and nylon, common materials in packaging and fishing gear. While this study didn't test health effects directly, it adds to growing evidence that seafood lovers may be unknowingly consuming microplastics, making crabs a useful early-warning signal for plastic pollution in our oceans and food supply.
Microplastic (MP) pollution has emerged as a growing threat to marine ecosystems and seafood safety. The study assessed the MP abundance, distribution and characterization in different tissues of the commercial crab Portunus segnis. A total of 198 samples of crabs were taken from three study sites of Gujarat, namely Jakhau, Okha and Veraval. In the laboratory, the samples were washed and dissected to isolate the gut, gills, hepatopancreas and muscle tissues. The organic digestion was carried out using 10% hydrogen peroxide following floatation. After filtration, the MPs were quantified under a stereo zoom microscope to count and classify them based on physical characteristics. Polymer identification was carried out using ATR-FTIR. Out of 198 crabs sampled, 63.63% of crabs were found contaminated with MPs. A total of 106, 212 and 432 MPs were recorded in crabs collected from Jakhau, Okha and Veraval, respectively, with overall MP contamination in all the studied crabs as 5.95 ± 3.34 MPs/individual. Maximum concentration was found in the gut, followed by gills, hepatopancreas and muscle tissues (5 g of muscle tissues was used for analysis). Maximum MPs were recorded in crabs collected from study site Veraval, followed by Okha and Jakhau. The MP contamination is recorded higher in male crabs than females in all three study sites. The positive relation was observed between body parameters of crabs in MPs in various tissues. The black, blue and red shaped fibers and fragments with a size class less than 1 mm were recorded dominantly. Polyethylene and nylon were found as major contributing polymers of MPs found in crabs. The indices highlighted a very high risk of MPs in crabs. The study provides the comprehensive tissue-specific assessment of MP contamination in P. segnis from the Gujarat coast, highlighting spatial variation in MP accumulation and reinforcing the potential use of this commercial crab as a bioindicator of coastal plastic pollution.
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