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Microplastics in Morocco's most consumed fisheries: Chemical characterization, ecological traits, and implications for human health

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2024 6 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Maryam Ouheddou, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Sara Hajji, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Sara Hajji, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Sara Hajji, Maryam Ouheddou, Sara Hajji, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Aicha Ait Alla Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Sara Hajji, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Sara Hajji, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Aicha Ait Alla Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Sara Hajji, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Sara Hajji, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Mohamed Rida Abelouah, Aicha Ait Alla Aicha Ait Alla Aicha Ait Alla Aicha Ait Alla Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Nour Eddine Laaraj, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Nour Eddine Laaraj, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Sara Hajji, Nour Eddine Laaraj, Ihya Akhouchal, Nour Eddine Laaraj, Ihya Akhouchal, Sara Hajji, Aicha Ait Alla Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Aicha Ait Alla Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Aicha Ait Alla Issam Barra, Aicha Ait Alla Aicha Ait Alla Aicha Ait Alla Aicha Ait Alla Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Aicha Ait Alla Issam Barra, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Aicha Ait Alla Aicha Ait Alla Mustapha Agnaou, Mohamed Ben-Haddad, Aicha Ait Alla Nelson Rangel-Buitrago, Aicha Ait Alla

Summary

Researchers analyzed 240 fish from 12 of Morocco's most commonly consumed species and found microplastics in 100% of samples, with particles detected in the gills, gonads, and digestive tracts. The most common plastics were polyethylene, PET, and polypropylene, predominantly appearing as fragments and fibers smaller than 1 mm. The findings raise concerns about human exposure to microplastics and associated heavy metals through everyday seafood consumption.

Polymers

HDPE PE PET PP

Body Systems

Digestive Reproductive

Study Type Environmental

The pervasive presence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment is well established, yet many critical questions remain about their distribution and potential impacts on both ecological and human health. To assess the risks that MPs pose, especially through marine ecosystems and human consumption, monitoring their ingestion by fish in natural environments is essential. This study investigated the contamination of 12 fish species, the most commonly consumed in Morocco, collected from the Atlantic Ocean off the Moroccan coast. Analysis of 240 fish (20 individuals per species) revealed that 100 % of the samples contained microplastics. MPs were detected in the gills, gonads, and gastrointestinal tracts of all 12 species. The average abundance of microplastics per fish ranged from 20.6 to 133.2 MPs, with the forms identified as fragments (60 %), fibers (30 %), films (8 %), and pellets and foams (1 %). Additionally, omnivorous and demersal species presented the highest levels of MP contamination. Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis identified seven polymers, with high-density polyethylene (34 %), polyethylene terephthalate (30 %), and polypropylene (17.5 %) being the most prevalent. The microplastics were predominantly dark or light in color, with a notable presence of red and blue particles. Fish ingest various sizes of microplastics, primarily particles smaller than 1 mm. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) revealed that most MPs exhibited visible signs of weathering and contained inorganic components on their surfaces. The potential risk of MPs to fish, as assessed by the polymer hazard index (PHI), was categorized as level V, indicating that MPs may pose significant risks to human health. The highest estimated daily intake (EDI) of microplastics was found in children (1620 MPs/year), whereas the lowest intake was estimated in women (350 MPs/year) and men (337 MPs/year). Given the widespread presence of microplastics in commonly consumed fish species in Morocco, there is an urgent need for regulatory measures to ensure the safety of fisheries, both for domestic consumption and export. Policymakers should consider the development of guidelines for acceptable levels of microplastic contamination in fish to safeguard public health.

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