Microplastics profile in fishes from selected burrow pits: a case of plastic pollution in Kano metropolis, Nigeria

Plastic pollution is one of today’s most serious global issues in the aquatic environment and organisms, including entanglements, ingestion, and possible toxicity. The study was carried out to screen and identify the microplastics in some tissues of fish species from Sallari and Hauren Shanu burrow pits in Kano metropolis. A total of 60 fish samples comprising two species; Oreochromis niloticus (n = 30) and Tilapia zilli (n = 30), were collected from sampling sites (Sallari and Hauren Shanu). The fishes’ gastrointestinal tract, gills and muscle tissues were collected, screenedand examined using a dissecting microscope for the presence of microplastics. Microplastics were found in all the examined fish tissue samples from both sites. In the samples from Hauren Shanu, 63% of the fish had microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract, 46% in muscle and 36% in the gills. In samples from Sallari, 33% of the fish had microplastics in theirgastrointestinal tract, 16% in muscle and 23% in the gills. Microplastics which include fibers, fragments, microbeads and tyre-dusts were observed in all the examined tissues of Oreochromis niloticus and Tilapia zilli although not significantly different (p > 0.05) between the fish species. The study demonstrates microplastics presence in the fish species and portrays to a large extent some degree of plastic contamination in Hauren shanu and Sallari burrow pits. Further assessments should be done on human food contamination by microplastics and their effects on human health.