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Occurrence of micro- nanoplastics in a commercial recirculated aquaculture system and their translocation to cultured fish organs: A baseline study
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Researchers found microplastics and nanoplastics inside the muscle, brain, and gut of Nile tilapia raised in a commercial fish farm that uses recirculated water, identifying multiple plastic polymer types in fish tissue — a finding that suggests farmed fish are a direct route for microplastic exposure in people who eat them.
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs;<5 mm and 1 µm, respectively), are contaminants of emerging concern representing a major part of global plastic pollution, due to their ubiquity both in natural and urbanised environments. Although environmental concentrations of these pollutants have been measured in a variety of matrices, information on the occurrence of MNPs in recirculated aquaculture system (RAS) farms, is scarce. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of MNPs in a commercial European RAS farm, by identifying the occurring polymers in both the system water and in a variety of fish tissues and quantifying their concentration. To this end, adult Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) were sampled for brain, liver, gut, stomach, muscle and gonads, and water was collected from both the influent and the effluent of the system. Size exclusion chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry equipped with an atmospheric photoionization source was employed to identify five distinct polymers, namely polyethylene (PE), polyisoprene (PI), polysiloxane, perhydropolysilazane (PHPS), and poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Two polymers were present in the system water, with PI being found at considerably greater concentrations in the effluent than in the influent. By order, the tissues that retained the greater number of polymers were: muscle > gut = brain > stomach > liver = gonads. The analyses indicated that liver and gonads did not contain any MNPs particles, whereas muscular tissue contained up to 3 distinct compounds. The results may reflect different uptake pathways of MPNs depending on the polymer type and its respective properties. The presence of these emergent contaminants in the muscle represents an additional exposure pathway for humans, through the ingestion of contaminated RAS-farmed fish, adding to the long list of confirmed exposure routes. Investigating the input of MNPs in RAS facilities through the weathering of its plastic components and assessing non-plastic alternatives to these components (e.g. natural biofilters), as well as MNPs removal techniques from the system, is of utmost importance to minimise the presence of these contaminants in RAS, and their impact on global food security.
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Researchers fed Nile tilapia a diet containing a mixture of four common microplastics and found that the particles triggered inflammatory responses in both adult and juvenile fish. The microplastics activated immune pathways and caused tissue changes in the gut and other organs, with juveniles being more sensitive. Since tilapia is one of the most widely farmed fish in the world, these findings raise concerns about the safety of farm-raised fish exposed to microplastic-contaminated water.
Microplastics in aquaculture fish - investigating microplastic exposure in Nile Tilapia
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Researchers investigated whether microplastics ingested by Nile tilapia translocate from the gut to internal organs and edible tissues, examining liver, gonads, and fillet in adult fish. Microplastics were detected in all three tissue types beyond the gut, confirming translocation and raising food safety concerns for aquaculture tilapia consumers.
How do fish consume microplastics? An experimental study on accumulation pattern using Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
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Researchers fed Nile tilapia in controlled lab conditions to study how microplastics accumulate in fish organs. They found that most microplastics came from the fish feed rather than from particles floating in the water, and that the digestive tract accumulated the most particles while muscles, the part humans typically eat, contained the smallest sizes. Twelve different polymer types were identified across the fish tissues.
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This study found microplastics in all parts of fish farming systems in China, including the feed, water, and the fish themselves. Systems that had been running longer accumulated more microplastics, and the plastic types found in fish closely matched those in their feed and water. The findings suggest that farmed fish -- a major protein source -- can be a route of microplastic exposure for people who eat seafood.
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This study found microplastics in the tissues of Nile tilapia cultured in freshwater, with particles identified in gills, intestines, and muscle tissue. The results highlight the potential for microplastic transfer from farmed fish to human consumers.
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