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Does the microplastics ingestion patterns and polymer composition vary across the oceanic zones? A case study from the Indian coast
Summary
Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in 27 species of deep-sea fish from the Central Indian Ocean and found contamination in 19 of them, with PET being the most common polymer. The study suggests that feeding behavior, rather than habitat depth or trophic level, is the primary factor influencing how much microplastic deep-sea fish ingest, and proposes these fish could serve as indicators for monitoring deep-sea plastic pollution.
This study explores microplastic (MP) presence in the gastrointestinal tracts of deep-sea fish from the Central Indian Ocean, off the Indian coast. Among the 27 species examined, 19 showed MP contamination, averaging 2.68 ± 0.30 (±SE) MPs per individual. Polymer analysis via FTIR and micro-Raman identified several types, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polypropelene (PP), polyvinyl acetate (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyaniline (PANI), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polyethersulfone (PES), with PET being the most prevalent (33.33 %). MP ingestion was higher in benthopelagic fish and those at higher trophic levels, as indicated by comparisons across oceanic zones. Niche partitioning analysis suggests feeding behaviour as a primary influencer of MP ingestion in deep-sea fish rather than habitat or trophic level. The study proposes the potential use of deep-sea fish as indicators for assessing microplastic pollution across oceanic zones and deep-sea regions through bycatch monitoring.
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