We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The EU Interreg Project “ADRINET”: Assessment of Well-Known and Emerging Pollutants in Seafood and Their Potential Effects for Food Safety
AI summary Read the abstract
A Mediterranean seafood biomonitoring project (ADRINET) found negligible cadmium and antibiotic contamination in commercially fished species, but detected high levels of microplastics in the stomachs and guts of sea bass and sea bream. This highlights that microplastic ingestion by fish is a persistent concern for food safety in the Mediterranean, even in areas not heavily affected by industrial pollution.
Anthropogenic activities lead to the spread of chemicals and biological materials, including plastic waste, toxic metals, and pharmaceuticals, of which the impact on the Mediterranean Sea is of high concern. In this context, the EU Interreg Italy-Albania-Montenegro Project "ADRINET (Adriatic Network for Marine Ecosystem) _244" (2018-2020) arises. It aims to carry out biomonitoring campaigns in the main commercial interest of fish and cephalopod species, such as Sparus aurata, Dicentrarchus labrax, Sepia spp., and Loligo spp. sampled in three different subregions of the Mediterranean Sea. The presence of the main environmental contaminants, such as cadmium, microplastics, and antibiotics was investigated in these seafood samples. Contamination by cadmium and antibiotics in the seafood investigated in our study was negligible. However, a high value of microplastics was detected in the stomach and gut of Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax. Overall, even though the presence of microplastics needs to be investigated by further studies, the results confirmed that the environmental conditions of the three bays investigated by the ADRINET project partners (Italy, Albania, Montenegro) are positive and not affected by intensive anthropogenic activity.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics in fillets of Mediterranean seafood. A risk assessment study
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed fillets of several common Mediterranean seafood species for microplastic contamination and estimated the associated human dietary exposure. They detected microplastics in the edible tissue of all species tested, including sardines, sea bream, and mussels. The study provides risk estimates suggesting that regular seafood consumption represents a notable pathway for human microplastic ingestion.
Microplastic in Gastrointestinal Tracts of European Sea Bass
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined microplastics found in the gastrointestinal tracts of European sea bass caught in the Mediterranean. The detection of microplastics in commercially important food fish raises concerns about human dietary exposure through seafood consumption.
Fish as a Bioindicator of Microplastic Contamination in the Mediterranean Sea: State of Knowledge
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines the use of fish species as bioindicators of microplastic contamination in the Mediterranean Sea. The analysis found that increasing microplastic pollution would further threaten already-stressed fishery stocks in the region. Researchers recommend prioritizing studies on the most consumed Mediterranean fish species, such as sardine, anchovy, and bluefin tuna, which have been reported to be highly contaminated by microplastics.
Microplastics occurrence in the Tyrrhenian waters and in the gastrointestinal tract of two congener species of seabreams
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were found in both seawater and the gastrointestinal tracts of two commercially important Mediterranean fish species, Pagellus erythrinus and P. bogaraveo, collected from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The study highlights the prevalence of microplastic contamination in edible fish and raises concerns about human dietary exposure through seafood consumption.
Abundance and ecological risk of microplastics in commercial fish species from northeastern Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined nine commercially important fish species from the northeastern Mediterranean Sea and found microplastics in both their digestive tracts and gills. The most common particles were small polyethylene and polypropylene fibers, and bottom-dwelling fish species had higher contamination levels. While the ecological risk was rated low to medium, the presence of microplastics in widely consumed fish species highlights a potential pathway for human exposure through seafood.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.