We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Characterization and implication of microplastics on riverine population of the River Ravi, Lahore, Pakistan
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in three commercially important freshwater fish species from the River Ravi in Pakistan, with Raman spectroscopy confirming multiple polymer types, indicating widespread contamination of riverine fish populations and potential implications for human dietary exposure in the region.
Microplastic (MP) pollution in the aquatic environment is an emerging subject worldwide. So far, very few investigations have been reported on the riverine fish population. This study investigated the implications of microplastics for three freshwater fish species (Labeo rohita, Cirrihinus mrigala, and Sperata seenghala) as bioindicators of this pollution. Raman spectroscopy was used to confirm MP polymer type and their distribution in water, sediments, and in different organs (gut, gills, liver, and muscles) of Labeo rohita, Cirrihinus mrigala, and Sperata seenghala collected from River Ravi at two sites (site I, Dhand Nano Dogar and site II, Jhamra). These selected sites were situated predominantly near agricultural lands and received polluted water from nearby sewerage and industries that represented potential sources of microplastic pollution. Histological analysis was combined with Raman spectroscopy to assess the effects of MPs on fish organs. MPs were identified in water and sediment samples with an average load (per 0.5 L or per 0.5 kg) of 33 items and 64 items for water and sediments at site I and 27 items and 19 items at site II, respectively. Of total MPs identified, 56.9% were found in bottom feeder C. mrigala, 37.91% in column feeder L. rohita, and 5.21% in S. seenghala at site I while at site II 60% were found in C. mrigala, 29% in L. rohita and 10.34% in S. seenghala. This was linked with more plastic accumulation in sediments from the nearby residential sewerage and industrial effluent flow. In this study, the identified MPs polymers were in the order of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) > polystyrene (PS) > propylene (PP) > polyethylene (PE). Among plastic shapes, fiber (58%) was the dominant plastic in water followed by fragment (21%), sheet (12%), and cube (9%). In sediment, the fragment was the common plastic shape with 51% followed by fiber (28%), sheet (19%), and cube (2%). Fragments (62.9%) in water and fibers (68.4%) in sediments were abundant at site 2. Microplastic mean occurrence in organs was in the order of gut > gills > muscles > liver at both sites. Significant histological alterations were observed in all three species including intestinal edema, hyperplasia, hepatocyte infiltration, accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver, lamellar fusion and breakage in gills, and muscle fiber necrosis. This study showed MP occurrence in the selected freshwater fishes, so further research is needed to assess plastic pollution in the riverine fish population of Pakistan. This study appeared to be the first in the selected area, as no significant information regarding plastic pollution in that riverine system was found when this study was conducted.
More Papers Like This
Evidence of microplastic contamination in the food chain: an assessment of their presence in the gastrointestinal tract of native fish
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics, mainly polyethylene and polypropylene, in the guts of fish from the Swat and Kabul rivers in Pakistan. These rivers are primary freshwater sources for the region, and the contaminated fish are regularly consumed by local communities. The findings confirm that freshwater fish from polluted rivers are a pathway for microplastic exposure in people's diets.
Risk assessment of microplastics in fish assemblage based on ecological preferences in an interconnected and polluted river system
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination across 15 fish species with different feeding habits in Pakistan's River Ravi, finding that bottom-dwelling and omnivorous fish accumulated more microplastics, with contamination levels posing ecological risk.
Microplastics contamination in the fishes of selected sites in Pasig River and Marikina River in the Philippines
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in three fish species from the Pasig and Marikina Rivers in the Philippines using Raman microspectroscopy. They found polypropylene and polyethylene fragments were the most common microplastics, reflecting the widespread use of these polymers in packaging. The study demonstrates that microplastics accumulate in freshwater fish in urban river systems, raising concerns about dietary exposure for communities that rely on these fish for food.
Exploration of microplastic pollution with particular focus on source identification and spatial patterns in riverine water, sediment and fish of the Swat River, Pakistan
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in water, sediment, and fish from Pakistan's Swat River, using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to characterize the polymers and principal component analysis to identify likely sources of the contamination.
Spatial Distribution, Characterization and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in Different Environmental Matrices of River Ravi, Pakistan
AI summary Read the abstract
Sampling across five sites along Pakistan's Ravi River found microplastics in water, air, and sediment at all locations, with textile-derived fibers (1–3 mm) dominating and highest concentrations near urban centers; ecological risk indices indicated moderate-to-high hazard. The Ravi River is a primary irrigation source for agricultural land in Punjab, meaning microplastic contamination directly threatens food safety and drinking water quality for millions of people downstream.
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.