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Microplastics in the stomach content of the commercial fish species Scomber colias in the Gulf of Cadiz, SW Europe
Summary
Scientists examined the stomachs of 104 Atlantic chub mackerel from the Gulf of Cadiz and found that over 90% contained microplastics, with an average of about 5 particles per fish. Fibers made up 91% of the microplastics found, and the most common polymer was polyamide (nylon). Since this mackerel species is widely consumed by people, the consistent presence of microplastics in their stomachs raises questions about how much plastic is transferred to humans through seafood.
Concerning microplastics (MPs) contamination is increasing due their negative impacts on marine food webs and their potential toxicity to wildlife and humans. In this study, we analyze the presence of MPs in the stomachs of the commercial fish species Scomber colias (Atlantic chub mackerel) in the Gulf of Cadiz (GoC). Out of the 104 analyzed stomachs, 90.4 % contained some type of MPs, with an average of 5.4 MPs per individual. Of the 1152 MPs analyzed, 91.1 % were fibers, and 8.9 % fragments type. Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectrometry analysis was performed on 152 items, revealing that 73.6 % were MPs. The most common synthetic polymers found were polyamide (64 %), polypropylene (15 %), polystyrene (12 %), polyvinyl chloride (5 %), and polyethylene (4 %). The consistent ingestion of synthetic polymers by the individuals of Atlantic chub mackerel across different zones might suggest an even distribution of MP contamination throughout the GoC.
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