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Monitoring of anthropogenic microplastic pollution in antarctic fish (emerald rockcod) from the Terranova Bay after a quarter of century
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Scientists analyzed 78 emerald rockcod fish caught in Antarctica's Ross Sea and compared their microplastic contamination to fish from the same area sampled 25 years earlier. They found a shift toward more synthetic fibers and different polymer types, reflecting increased human activity in the region over the past two decades. The study shows that even Antarctica's wildlife is accumulating more microplastics over time, underlining the global reach of plastic pollution.
Monitoring the occurrence of microplastic contamination in the Antarctic area is the key to implement policy measures for waste regulations in the research stations. Antarctic fish Trematomus bernachii is a suitable species for establishing microplastic contamination and for investigating changes over time in the concentration and type of microplastics in the Antarctic region. In this paper a total of 78 fish, caught during the 37 Italian Antarctic expedition (2021-2022) in the Ross Sea (Antarctica) were analysed. Different microfibers and dyes were identified by Raman spectroscopy and the results were compared with those obtained for fish sampled in 1998. Differences in polymer type emerged with a predominance of synthetic fibers with respect to natural ones. These changes appear to be related to the increased human activities in the Antarctica over the last twenty years and highlights the need to improve the environmental sustainability of the numerous research stations operating throughout that area.
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Enrichment characteristics of microplastics in Antarctic benthic and pelagic fish and krill near the Antarctic Peninsula
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in 15 species of Antarctic fish and Antarctic krill collected near the Antarctic Peninsula. They found microplastics in all species studied, with fish accumulating significantly more particles than krill, and fibers being the most common type. The study demonstrates that microplastic pollution has reached even the most remote marine ecosystems on Earth.
First Evidence of Microplastic Contamination in Antarctic Fish (Actinopterygii, Perciformes)
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This study provides the first evidence of microplastic contamination in Antarctic fish, finding moderate levels of microplastics in species from the Amundsen and Ross Seas with differences in polymer type and size linked to regional human activities.
Microplastics in two fish species from Prydz Bay and King George Island: Occurrence, characteristics and risk assessment
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Researchers collected two species of fish from Antarctic coastal waters and found microplastics in 75–88% of individuals, with fibers dominating and rayon being the most common polymer type — a synthetic material used in clothing. Microplastics were more abundant in gill tissue than in the digestive tract, suggesting inhalation-like uptake through the gills is a significant exposure pathway, and fish near King George Island showed higher contamination and higher polymer hazard scores than those from Prydz Bay. The findings demonstrate that plastic pollution has reached even the remote Antarctic marine food web.
Anthropogenic microparticles in the emerald rockcod Trematomus bernacchii (Nototheniidae): a 1998 snapshot from the Antarctica
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Researchers found anthropogenic microparticles — including synthetic polymer fibers — in specimens of Antarctic rockcod fish collected in 1998 and stored in a specimen bank, providing historical evidence that microplastic contamination had already reached Antarctic marine food webs by the late 1990s. The study demonstrates the value of archived biological samples for establishing long-term contamination baselines.
Investigating the effects of microplastics on the metabolism of Trematomus bernacchii from the ross sea (Antarctica)
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Scientists examined Antarctic fish (Trematomus bernacchii) from the Ross Sea and found microplastic fibers in 70% of specimens, showing that even the most remote ecosystems are contaminated. While the microplastics did not dramatically change the overall fat composition of the fish, the study documented that plastic pollution has reached wildlife in pristine Antarctic waters. This is concerning because it demonstrates the truly global scale of microplastic contamination throughout the food web.
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