We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Enhanced ecological risk of microplastic ingestion by fish due to fragmentation and deposition in heavily sediment-laden river
Summary
A large-scale survey of the Yellow River found microplastics in 100% of water, sediment, and fish gut samples, with concentrations two to three times higher downstream. The heavy sediment load in the river accelerates the breakup of plastics into smaller, more dangerous fragments that are more easily consumed by fish. Since fish from sediment-heavy rivers may contain more microplastics, this has implications for the safety of freshwater fish as human food.
The widespread occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in rivers has aroused increasing concerns. However, there remains a significant gap about its effect on fish with different species, especially in highly-sediment-laden rivers. Here, through a large-scale investigation of microplastics in the Yellow River, our research highlighted effects of heavily sediments on MPs contamination in fish gut. MPs were 100 % tested in water, sediment and fish gut samples, with MPs in the lower reach 2∼3 times larger than that of the upper reach. Most of the microplastics were small (<1 mm), fibrous and blue fragments, composed of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. Feeding habitat and environment significantly controlled MPs ingestion by fish (p < 0.05), of which filter feeders and species with broader dietary preferences exhibited higher ingestion abundance, omnivorous fish abundance up to 24.9 items/individual. Heavily sediment load accelerated the fragmentation and deposition of MPs (p < 0.05), leading to the generation of more and smaller MPs particles, increasing ecological risks to aquatic organisms. Downstream, smaller sediment size and higher organic matter content also facilitated microplastic accumulation. The prevalence of highly toxic polyvinyl chloride polymers was emerged as the major contributor to environmental risks. Our results suggested that the contribution and ecological risks of small microplastics are worth attention in the mid and lower reaches of the Yellow River.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic pollution in Yellow River: Current status and research progress of biotoxicological effects
A comprehensive assessment of microplastic pollution in China's Yellow River found average abundances of 5,358–654,000 items/m³ in water and 43.57–615 items/kg in sediment, with fibers dominant in water samples, and reviewed evidence of biotoxicity in fish, invertebrates, and microorganisms.
[Microplastics pollution in the Yellow River basin: current status and control strategy].
This review summarizes microplastic contamination in the Yellow River basin, finding that pollution increases from upstream to downstream with the highest concentrations in the Yellow River Delta wetland, and that both sediment and surface water are impacted at levels posing risks to aquaculture and human health.
Spatial distributions of macronutrients, heavy metals and microplastics in surface sediments of the mainstem and lakes in the middle part of the Yellow River Basin
Researchers mapped the distribution of macronutrients, heavy metals, and microplastics in sediments along the middle section of the Yellow River and adjacent lakes in China. They found that microplastic concentrations ranged from 233 to 3,333 items per kilogram in river sediments, with nylon as the dominant polymer type. Contamination levels increased significantly after the river flowed through intensive agricultural areas, with urban lakes showing the highest heavy metal concentrations.
[Occurrence Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in the Yellow River Basin].
Researchers examined the spatial distribution, composition characteristics, and ecological risks of microplastic pollution across the Yellow River Basin in China, assessing contamination levels in the nation's historically significant waterway system.
Characteristics and retention of microplastics in the digestive tracts of fish from the Yellow Sea
Researchers systematically characterized microplastics in 19 fish species from the Yellow Sea coast of China, finding plastic retention in 34% of individual fish sampled, with fibers dominating and significant variation in microplastic load by species and habitat.