Microplastics in Certain Commercial Finfish and Shellfish From Cox’s Bazar Fish Landing Center, Bangladesh: Evaluating Abundance and Risks

Microplastics (MPs) are significant environmental pollutants that have rapidly garnered public attention due to their widespread presence and harmful effects on ecosystems and human health. While MP pollution in the coastal regions has been widely reported, their potential impacts on public health are still not fully understood. The current study examined MP contamination in nine commercially important fish and shellfish species collected from the coastal waters of Bangladesh, specifically from the Bay of Bengal. MP abundances (fiber, fragment, and microbeads) were evaluated in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and gills of fish and in the whole body of shellfish. Fibers were the most prevalent MP types found across the samples. In the case of gills, the highest abundance of MPs was found in Bombay duck, while the lowest was in pomfret. For GIT samples, hilsa showed the highest MP concentration, whereas the lowest was observed in bombay duck. Moreover, the highest level was observed in crabs, while the lowest was in squid (<i>p</i> < 0.05), likely because crabs are benthic feeders exposed to sediment-bound MPs, whereas squids are pelagic predators with lower exposure and more selective diets. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared research revealed that the major polymer types were polymethyl methacrylate (43.33%), ethylene vinyl acetate (23.33%), nitrile butadiene rubber (1.67%), polypropylene (5%), polycarbonate (3.33%), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (6.67%), nylon (5%), high-density polyethylene (1.67%), polyvinyl chloride (6.67%), and polyurethane (3.33%). MP contamination in fish and shellfish was assessed using contamination factor and pollution load index values, both below 10, indicating low to moderate pollution levels. The polymer hazard index further categorized the identified polymer types into risk levels ranging from low to very high, highlighting potential ecological and health concerns. These results underscore the urgent need for effective environmental management and continuous monitoring to mitigate MP-related risks.