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Microplastic (MP) occurrence in pelagic and demersal fishes of Gujarat, northwest coast of India
Summary
Researchers examined 400 fish from Gujarat, India and found microplastics in every single fish, with 68% having plastics in their edible tissue. Fibers were the only type found in edible parts, while inedible tissues also contained fragments and films, with low-density polyethylene being the most common polymer. This is the first study of its kind from this region and suggests that people eating fish from these waters are regularly consuming microplastics.
Microplastics (MPs) are globally observed in marine as well as freshwater habitats, and laboratory studies have shown that marine organisms can accidentally ingest them. Monitoring the MP ingestion by fish in the environment is very crucial for understanding the risk of consuming MP-contaminated fish for human health. In this study, we investigated MP ingestion in 400 fish individuals from the Veraval Coast, in the state of Gujarat, India. There was 100% MP occurrence in the inedible tissues of fish, and 68% of the analyzed fishes presented MPs in edible tissues. The most dominant MPs based on their size in fishes were 0.05-0.1 mm. One hundred percent presence of only fibres in edible tissue was observed, while in inedible tissue, it was 77%, 20.42% and 2.58% of fibre, fragment and film respectively. The most common MP colour was blue. The predominant polymers were low-density polyethylene (LDPE) followed by polypropylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene. This is the first study performed on MPs in marine fishes from this region. Our findings suggest that the abundance of MPs observed in this area is higher than in other states of the country.
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