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Microplastic in Fishes: the First Report From a Himalayan River –alaknanda
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This study documented microplastic ingestion for the first time in five fish species from the Himalayan river Alaknanda, a headwater of the Ganges. Even remote mountain rivers are now contaminated with microplastics, indicating these particles have reached freshwater ecosystems far from their primary sources.
Abstract In the present study, we tried to understand MPs ingestion by five fish species of different feeding habits namely, Schizothorax richardsonii and Crossocheilus latius (herbivore), Cyprinus carpio, Tor chelenoid (omnivore), and Botia horii (carnivore). The fishes were sampled from the patch of the Himalayan river, Alaknanda (one of the headwaters of river Ganges) at Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand. The fish gut samples were digested, filtered and the number of MPs was then counted microscopically. The results revealed that all the species were contaminated with MPs and the rate of MP ingestion varied with feeding habits. Fish Tor chelenoid , the omnivore, was observed to have maximum MPs. Among the analyzed particles, fibers (66%) were the most dominant type chemically characterized as HDPE, PP, and polyester. This study will contribute as a reference for forthcoming research as it explains the ingestion of MPs by fishes of a Himalayan River.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic in fishes: the first report from a Himalayan River — Alaknanda
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in the gut contents of all five fish species sampled from the Alaknanda River — a headwater of the Ganges — making this the first microplastic study in a Himalayan river. Fibers (66%) dominated, chemically identified as polyester, HDPE, and polypropylene, and the herbi-omnivore species Tor chelenoid had the highest ingestion rates. This finding extends the known geographic reach of freshwater microplastic contamination into remote high-altitude river systems.
Microplastics in the River Ganga and its fishes: Study of a Himalayan River
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This study investigated microplastic contamination in water, sediment, and fish in the upper stretch of the River Ganga in Uttarakhand, India, providing baseline data on microplastic distribution in a Himalayan river reach previously unstudied.
Occurrence, Characterization, and Potential Ecological Risks of Microplastics in the Himalayan Riverine Systems
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in Himalayan rivers that feed into the Ganges and Yamuna, with pollution levels rising as the water flows through more populated downstream areas — meaning even remote mountain water sources aren't safe from plastic contamination. Worse, these plastic bits act like tiny magnets for heavy metals, detergent chemicals, and microbes, potentially carrying harmful substances into the water systems that communities rely on for drinking and irrigation.
Characterization of weathered microplastics in freshwater and fish from the Central Himalayas
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Even remote, high-altitude lakes and rivers in the Himalayas aren't safe from plastic pollution—researchers found tiny plastic fibers (mostly from things like clothing and packaging) in both the water and the fish living there, with fish from one lake showing especially high levels. Since these fish are commonly eaten, this suggests microplastics can make their way from far-flung freshwater sources into our food, and the worn, cracked surfaces of these plastic bits may make it easier for them to absorb other harmful substances before reaching our plates.
First incidence of microplastic in commercially important food fishes and waters: A case study in the dal Lake ecosystem of North-Western Himalaya (India)
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Researchers found microplastics for the first time in commercially important fish and water from Dal Lake in India's Himalayas, with water containing about 197 particles per liter and fish harboring up to 22 particles each. Polyethylene was the most common plastic type found, and the presence of microplastics in food fish indicates these particles are moving up the food chain toward human consumers.
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