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Hit the target: A new experimental method to select bioindicators of microplastic ingestion by marine fish
Summary
Researchers developed a scoring system to identify the best fish species for monitoring microplastic pollution in the marine environment. Testing eight fish species from the central Tyrrhenian Sea, they evaluated factors like how readily each species ingests microplastics and how well they reflect local contamination levels. The approach aims to help standardize biomonitoring programs across different marine regions as required by European environmental legislation.
Implementing biomonitoring programs for assessing the impact of microplastic ingestion on marine organisms is a priority to verify the effectiveness of measures adopted by legislative frameworks to deal with plastic pollution. At the European level, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive mandates Member States to establish a unified monitoring approach. However, due to the vast range and differences in marine regions, the selection of bioindicators must be tailored locally. The present study proposes a bioindication score to rapidly assess the aptitude of different species in providing an adequate description of the bioavailability of microplastics. The bioindication score is validated through the analysis of eight fish species from the Central Tyrrhenian Sea, for which a set comprising two pelagic (Scomber colias and Trachurus trachurus) and two benthopelagic/demersal species (Pagellus acarne and Mullus barbatus) is identified as the best group to obtain ecologically relevant data on microplastic ingestion in the study area.