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Assessment of microplastic contamination in commercially available fishes
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Researchers found microplastics in every one of 32 commercially sold fish from markets in Vellore, India, recovering a total of 875 particles from their gills and digestive tracts. Fibers made up 91% of the microplastics, with polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene being the most common types. Since these are fish commonly eaten by local populations, the findings raise direct concerns about human microplastic exposure through seafood consumption.
Plastics have widespread applications for human use, but their disposal poses a significant threat to living organisms and these plastics end up in the marine environment. They will be fragmented into small pieces as a result of ultraviolet exposure, climatic changes, and temperature changes; Microplastics (MPs) are plastics that are less than 5 mm in size. The level of MP (Microplastic) pollution in commercially harvested fish from different habitant in Vellore, India is currently unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the presence and characteristics of ingested or inhaled MPs in marine and freshwater fishes highly consumed by the local population. Fish gills and gastrointestinal tracts were aseptically dissected and digested (30% hydrogen peroxide), then filtered and examined under a microscope for the presence of MPs. Further analysis was performed on the samples using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDAX). Of the samples analysed, a total of 875 MPs were recovered from 32 fishes, with 478 from marine fishes and 397 from freshwater fishes. The most common colours of the MPs were blue and black, while stereo microscopy analysis revealed that the majority of MPs were fibers (91%), followed by fragments (8%) and a small number of films. The ATR-FTIR analysis identified polyvinyl alcohol (39.76%), polyethylene (16.51%), methylcellulose (12.84%) and styrene (9.07%), as the predominant types of MPs in the fish samples. This study highlights the significant impact of MP pollution on marine ecosystems. The research provides insight into the nature and extent of MPs in fish from both marine and freshwater habitats, with an aim for policies and interventions aimed to reduce plastic pollution in the locality.
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Researchers examined 220 commercial fish from the southern coast of India over six months and found microplastic contamination in all samples, with an average of 3.2 to 7.6 particles per fish. The most common types were fibers and fragments, primarily composed of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyamide. The findings indicate that microplastic contamination in commercially valuable fish species is widespread along the Indian coast, raising concerns about food safety.
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Occurrence of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tracts of Edible Fishes from South Indian Rivers
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Researchers isolated and characterized microplastics from the gastrointestinal tracts of five edible fish species collected from the Kollidam and Vellar rivers in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. They found 315 microplastic particles across 23 fish, dominated by fibers (85.7%) in Kollidam river fish and fragments (14.3%) in Vellar river fish, with particle sizes ranging from 109 to 284 µm, indicating widespread dietary exposure to microplastics in commercially harvested freshwater fish.
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