We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Characterization of microplastics in commercially valued Gangetic fishes and its exposure assessment on humans
Summary
Researchers characterized microplastics in commercially sold fish from the Ganges River in India, finding plastic contamination across multiple species and providing an initial exposure assessment for human consumers who rely on freshwater fish as a primary protein source.
Microplastics (MPs) are tiny pieces of plastic that measure less than 5 millimetres in length and are becoming increasingly prevalent in our environment, including in our food.Studies have found microplastics in a variety of food items, including fishes, seafood, salt, honey, sugar, and bottled water etc (Tang et al., 2021).Freshwater and pond fishes are widely consumed as major source of animal protein in India, however, there is scarcity of research on the presence of MPs in these fishes in India (Pandey et al., 2023).The Ganges river, one of the largest rivers in India as well as globally, is a home to diverse range of fish species and significant amount of MPs has been reported in Ganges river water and sediments (Sarkar et al., 2019).In this study, we studied the presence of MPs in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of 42 fish specimen of four different types of fish species in Ganges river at Varanasi.The average concentration of MPs in the GIT of all fish specimens was found to be 1 MPs per individual.The highest abundance of MPs was observed in Seroi tengra and Labeo bata, both of which had 2 MPs per individual, followed by Johnius coitor and Cyprinus carpio, both with 1 MPs per individual.The majority of the MPs (approximately 90%) were fibres and around 34% were blue in colour.Raman analysis indicates that polytrimethylene terephthalate was the most abundant type of polymer present and accounted for ~32% of the MPs detected in these fishes.It is known that microplastics act as a vector for organic pollutants and heavy metals.Therefore, the exposure of microplastics to humans through the fish needs a detailed investigation as suggested by Gabriel et al (2020) using World Health Organization (WHO), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and Indian dietary recommendations of fish.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Occurrence of plastics and their characterization in wild caught fish species (Labeo rohita, Wallago attu and Mystus tengara) of River Ganga (India) compared to a commercially cultured species (L. rohita)
Researchers analyzed nine wild-caught fish species from two sites along the River Ganga in Patna, India, detecting plastics in gastrointestinal tracts, liver, gills, and muscles, providing rare data on plastic contamination in one of the world's most polluted rivers.
Microplastics in Commercial Fishes in the River Ganga and Their Human Health Risk Assessment
Researchers analyzed gastrointestinal tracts and muscle tissue of four fish species from the Ganga River in India, finding microplastics in two-thirds of GI tracts and 15% of muscle samples, with Johnius coitor showing the highest contamination at 19 particles per gram.
Prevalence of microplastics in commonly consumed fish species of the river Old Brahmaputra, Bangladesh
Researchers found microplastics in nearly 59% of edible fish from Bangladesh's Old Brahmaputra river, with polyethylene fibers and pellets dominating, and ingestion rates linked to fish size, feeding behavior, and downstream location.
Abundance, characteristics, and risk assessment of microplastics in indigenous freshwater fishes of India
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in five widely consumed freshwater fish species from India and found plastic particles in all specimens, with fibers being the most dominant type. Evidence of microplastics in edible fish tissue indicates translocation from the gut, suggesting a pathway for human exposure through consumption. Risk assessment showed that while microplastic abundance posed a low quantitative risk, the polymer types identified indicated a high hazard potential for the fish species studied.
Microplastics in the River Ganga and its fishes: Study of a Himalayan River
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.