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Impact of Fibrous Microplastic Pollution on Commercial Seafood and Consumer Health: A Review
Summary
This review examines how microfibers, the most common type of microplastic in the ocean, contaminate commercial seafood species. Fish and shellfish ingest microfibers that accumulate primarily in their digestive tracts but can also reach muscle tissue that humans eat. The authors highlight gaps in understanding the food safety implications and call for more research on how microfiber consumption through seafood affects human health.
The omnipresence of microfibers in marine environments has raised concerns about their availability to aquatic biota, including commercial fish species. Due to their tiny size and wide distribution, microfibers may be ingested by wild-captured pelagic or benthic fish and farmed species. Humans are exposed via seafood consumption. Despite the fact that research on the impact of microfibers on marine biota is increasing, knowledge on their role in food security and safety is limited. The present review aims to examine the current knowledge about microfiber contamination in commercially relevant fish species, their impact on the marine food chain, and their probable threat to consumer health. The available information suggests that among the marine biota, edible species are also contaminated, but there is an urgent need to standardize data collection methods to assess the extent of microfiber occurrence in seafood. In this context, natural microfibers should also be investigated. A multidisciplinary approach to the microfiber issue that recognizes the interrelationship and connection of environmental health with that of animals and humans should be used, leading to the application of strategies to reduce microfiber pollution through the control of the sources and the development of remediation technologies.