We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Estimation of Microplastic Pollution in Commercial Pelagic Finfish, Sardinella longiceps (Valenciennes 1847) Collected from Thoothukudi District, Gulf of Mannar, Southeast India
Summary
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in seawater from fish landing sites and in the guts of Indian oil sardines from the Gulf of Mannar, finding 17.1 particles per gram of fish gut from the more contaminated site and 13.7 from the less contaminated site.
The revolutionary product of the 20th century is severely impacting global health. While macroplastics can be easily collected when visible, their transformation into microplastics (MPs) poses a significant challenge. MPs have been detected in various human organs, but their ability to bypass stomach acid and reach these organs remains unclear. Our study found that water samples from landing sites, such as Mullakadu (6.64 particles L–1) and Punnakayal (8.44 particles L–1), were contaminated with MPs. Furthermore, the fish species Sardinella longiceps (Indian oil sardine) from these sites showed MPs accumulation, with 17.1 particles per gram of fish gut from Mullakadu and 13.7 particles per gram of fish gut from Punnakayal. Various colors of MPs and shapes were identified in both water and fish gut samples, with fragments dominating. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of polymers like polyamide, polyethylene, and polystyrene. The contamination of commercially significant fish species with MPs poses a serious threat to both environmental and human health, necessitating urgent measures to prevent plastic waste disposal into marine ecosystems.