We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Occurrence of microplastics in Fish from Mendoza River: First Insights into Plastic Pollution in the Central Andes, Argentina
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of all three fish species examined from Argentina's Mendoza River in the Central Andes, with fibers comprising 85% of particles, marking the first evidence of microplastic pollution in this high-altitude freshwater system.
The widespread use of plastic products in our modern life represents a serious threat to aquatic environments and wild animals that are exposed to plastic waste. Although microplastics (MPs) have been reported in fish from several freshwater environments around the world, mountain environments have been little studied so far. The occurrence of MPs was assessed in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of non-native (rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and brown trout Salmo trutta) and native (torrent catfish Hatcheria macraei) fish from the Mendoza River in the Central Andes, Argentina. Fibers (85%) were the main MPs type recovered from the fish here analyzed, followed by fragments (15%). Blue fibers were the main type of MPs in analyzed specimens: brown trout (50%), rainbow trout (71%), and torrent catfish (63%). Significant differences in the median total MPs’ abundance and median total fiber abundance were observed among fish species. The highest MPs’ abundance was found in the GITs of brown trout followed by rainbow trout, while the lowest was found in the GITs of torrent catfish. This study represents a baseline for the occurrence and characteristics in terms of shape and color of MPs in freshwater fish collected from a mountain river of the Central Andes.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic abundance and composition along an anthropogenic pressure gradient in an Andean river (Colombia)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance across an altitudinal gradient in a Colombian Andean river, finding highest concentrations in downstream urban and agricultural zones, with fibers and polypropylene dominating across water, sediment, and fish samples—the first report of microplastics in freshwater fish from the Tolima region.
Occurrence and distribution of microplastics along the Colorado River, Patagonia Argentina
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic contamination along the Colorado River in Argentine Patagonia, collecting samples from 12 sites spanning approximately 1000 km. The findings document microplastic pollution in a remote South American river affected by agriculture, hydrocarbon extraction, and urbanization, showing that even relatively pristine rivers carry plastic pollution.
Wild trout as potential biomonitoring tool of microplastic pollution in mountain freshwater systems: an interspecific comparative study conducted in an Andean Reservoir
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined microplastics in the stomachs/intestines and gills of brown and rainbow trout from an Andean reservoir in Argentina. Only plastic fibers were found, in similar amounts across both species and organs, including materials like polyester and nylon likely from textiles, establishing baseline data for monitoring mountain freshwater pollution.
First evidence of microplastic ingestion by fishes from the Amazon River estuary
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers documented the first evidence of microplastic ingestion by fish in the Amazon River estuary, finding plastic particles — predominantly polyamide and polyethylene pellets — in 30% of 189 specimens across 14 species, with larger fish containing more particles, indicating widespread contamination extending into one of the world's most biodiverse river systems.
Microplastic occurrence in fish species from the Iquitos region in Peru, western Amazonia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in 15 commercial fish species from markets in the Peruvian Amazon, detecting 2,337 particles across 61 specimens — among the first reports of microplastic contamination in fish from the Amazon basin.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.