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May Mesopelagic Fishes Play an Important Role as Vector of Microplastics Across the Mediterranean Trophic Web? A Case of Study in the Strait of Messina
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Researchers examine whether mesopelagic fish in the Strait of Messina act as vectors transferring ingested microplastics up the Mediterranean food web, finding that plastic ingestion by these deep-water species could play a significant role in contaminating higher trophic levels.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous worldwide in marine environment, from the sea surface to deep waters, and also highly bioavailable to marine fauna by direct or secondary ingestion. To date, plastic ingestion is a concern for the health of marine organisms, but few...
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Microplastics in the Mediterranean Biota
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This review synthesized evidence on microplastic ingestion, accumulation, and biological effects across Mediterranean marine biota — including fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals — assessing the ecological consequences of widespread contamination. Because Mediterranean seafood is a dietary staple for hundreds of millions of people, plastic accumulation throughout its food web represents a significant and poorly quantified source of human microplastic intake.
Preliminary Assessment of Microplastic Accumulation in Wild Mediterranean Species
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Wild Mediterranean marine species show measurable microplastic accumulation, reflecting the basin's disproportionately high contamination relative to global averages. These findings highlight the ecological risk microplastics pose to Mediterranean biodiversity and the seafood consumed by millions of people.
Microplastic in fish – A global synthesis
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A global synthesis of microplastic ingestion data from marine, freshwater, and estuarine fish found that 49% of sampled fish worldwide had ingested plastic, averaging 3.5 pieces per fish, with freshwater fish and those from aquaculture sources showing higher ingestion rates than wild marine fish. This comprehensive analysis reveals that microplastic contamination of fish — a primary human protein source globally — is now the rule rather than the exception, underscoring urgent risks to food safety.
Dynamics in Microplastic Ingestion During the Past Six Decades in Herbivorous Fish on the Mediterranean Israeli Coast
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Researchers examined the digestive tracts of two rabbitfish species collected from the Mediterranean coast of Israel in 2016 and found that 92% had consumed microplastics, with some individuals containing more than 500 particles. Comparing these findings to historical specimens suggests that microplastic ingestion by Mediterranean fish has increased substantially over the past six decades.
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