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Evaluation of Microplastic in Caged Fish from Turkish and Iranian Waters with Health Risk Assessment for Human Consumers
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Fish farmed in sea cages often bite the nylon netting used to contain them, and this study found that this behaviour leads to measurable microplastic accumulation in fish digestive systems in both Turkish and Iranian aquaculture sites. Comparing caged fish to wild populations revealed that cage netting is a significant additional source of microplastic exposure. Since these fish are eaten by people, the findings raise questions about the food safety of farmed seafood and highlight the need for microplastic-safe materials in aquaculture.
The biting behavior of farmed fish on nylon netting raises concerns for microplastic accumulation in caged fish with potential influences on human health via consumption. Indeed, the reason for net biting is due to biofouling on the mesh being a tasty food that attracts fish. Hence, it is highly possible that a certain amount of microplastics from the mesh is ingested by fish, which can eventually enter the digestive system of humans through consumption. Caged fish may further receive microplastics from terrestrial flows or marine currents or through the food chain in the oceans. Therefore, the level of microplastic contamination in caged fish has been investigated by drawing a comparison with natural populations of Turkish and Iranian waters, in order to reveal the risks of microplastic transmission from fish to humans. Analyses of water samples, sediments, diets, zooplankton and fish tissues have been conducted and the amounts of microplastics in diets were evaluated. The identification of polymeric materials in collected microplastics was performed by FT-IR spectrometer, and Raman spectrometry was employed to determine the shape, size and polymer type of microplastics. Based on the preliminary results, the impact of cage nets on microplastic accumulation in fish digestive system and the interaction with human health risks upon consumption of contaminated fish have been assessed. The findings in this study may help to establish safe food strategies for future generations, with a healthy material selection approach in sustainable cage aquaculture management.
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