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Natural and Regenerated Cellulosic Microfibers Dominate Anthropogenic Particles Ingested by Commercial Fish Species from the Adriatic Sea
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Researchers examined what commercial fish species from the Adriatic Sea are actually swallowing and found that natural and regenerated cellulose microfibers, rather than synthetic plastics, dominated the particles in their digestive tracts. While synthetic microplastics like polyester and nylon were present, they made up only a fraction of the total fibers ingested. The study highlights the importance of distinguishing between synthetic microplastics and natural textile fibers when assessing marine pollution.
This study investigated the occurrence of fibrous microplastics and natural and artificial cellulose microfibers in the gastrointestinal tracts of Mullus barbatus and Merluccius merluccius specimens from the Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterranean), an important hotspot for marine litter accumulation. Red mullet and European hake were chosen due to their roles as bioindicators of marine pollution in the Mediterranean, and their economic relevance as fishery resources. Microfibers were found in 72% of M. barbatus and 68% of M. merluccius, at levels ranging from 1 to 67 particles/individual. Most of the microfibers extracted were textile fibers that were blue (33.6%), clear (26.1%), and black (20.3%) in color, while the length distribution showed the prevalence of microfibers in the size range of 350-950 µm. This visual identification, corroborated by the micro-FTIR analysis of a sub-sample of microfibers, revealed that natural and artificial cellulose microfibers were more common (80%) than fibrous microplastics. The results confirmed that both of these fish species are susceptible to microfiber ingestion and indicated the high availability of natural and artificial cellulosic fibers in the Adriatic Basin. Despite the increased evidence of microfiber pollution in the marine ecosystem, only a limited number of studies examine natural/artificial microfiber contamination and ingestion by marine biota. Therefore, greater attention should be given to this new type of contaminant, considering its implications in terms of environmental health, food security, and food safety.
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Researchers studying the detritivore community on dead Neptune grass in the Mediterranean found that these invertebrates had ingested artificial cellulose fibers — textiles — rather than plastic fibers. The study highlights that not all "microplastic-like" fibers in organisms are synthetic plastics and calls for better chemical identification to distinguish natural from synthetic fibers.
Detection of artificial cellulose microfibers in Boops boops from the northern coasts of Sicily (Central Mediterranean)
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Cellulose microfibers (man-made, not natural) were detected in the stomachs of 63.3% of 30 bogue fish from northern Sicilian coasts, with 1–10 fibers per specimen and fibers dominated by blue and black colors. The findings demonstrate that artificial cellulose fibers from textiles are being ingested by Mediterranean fish and highlight this often-overlooked fiber type in microplastic monitoring.
Research and characterization of fibrous microplastics and natural microfibers in pelagic and benthic fish species of commercial interest
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Researchers assessed microfiber contamination in European anchovy and red mullet, two commercially important Mediterranean fish species. The study found microfibers in 53% of anchovies and 60% of red mullet, with an average of 6.9 and 9.2 microfibers per individual, respectively, composed of polymers including cellulose, cotton, and polyester. These findings confirm that fibrous microplastics are widespread in both pelagic and deep-sea food webs, with potential implications for seafood consumers.
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Scientists examined the gut contents of three popular fish species from the Tyrrhenian Sea sold in markets and found microfibers in all of them. While natural and artificial fibers were the most common, synthetic plastic fibers including polyester were also present. Since these are fish people regularly eat, the study highlights seafood as a pathway for human microplastic exposure and calls for better standardized methods to assess the risk.
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