We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics in the tissues of commercial semi-intensive shrimp pond-farmed Litopenaeus vannamei from the Gulf of California ecoregion
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted the first study of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract, gills, and exoskeleton of farmed whiteleg shrimp from commercial aquaculture facilities in northwestern Mexico. The study found an average of 18.5 microplastic items per shrimp across all tissues examined. The findings suggest that semi-intensive shrimp farming operations are a source of microplastic contamination in commercially harvested seafood.
The omnipresence of microplastics (MPs) in marine and coastal environments has attracted attention owing to their effects on various organisms, including humans. We present the first study of MPs in the gastrointestinal tract (GT), gills (GI), and exoskeleton (EX) of the farmed whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei from commercial aquaculture facilities in northwestern Mexico that have operated semi-intensively for the last two decades. We found that the number of MP items per tissue was 7.6 ± 0.6 in the GT, 6.3 ± 0.9 in the GI, and 4.3 ± 0.9 in the EX, with an average of 18.5 ± 1.2 MP items per shrimp (1.06 items/g, wet weight [ww]). MP concentrations were 261.7 ± 84.5, 13.1 ± 1.8, and 2.6 ± 0.6 items/g (ww) in the GT, GI, and EX, respectively. Microplastics ranged from 30 to 2800 μm in size (360 ± 39 μm) with fibers (∼90.8%), filament-shape (∼93.4%), and transparent (∼47.7%) being the most common ones. Polyethylene (∼54.5%) and polyamide (∼24.2%) were the most commonly identified polymers, although polyesters (∼12.1%), polystyrene (∼6.1%), and nylon (∼3.0%) were also found. The abundance of MPs in farmed L. vannamei may be related to their feeding habits and the availability of MP sources in aquaculture facilities.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic contamination in wild shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei from the Huizache-Caimanero Coastal lagoon, SE Gulf of California
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics — predominantly fibers and fragments — in the gastrointestinal tracts, gills, and exoskeletons of wild shrimp from a Gulf of California coastal lagoon, with the gut containing far higher concentrations than other tissues, raising food safety concerns for human consumers.
Detection of Microplastics by Various Types of Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in the Korean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected microplastics in whiteleg shrimp from Korean seas, finding 1.73 to 3.8 particles per 10 grams across different shrimp sizes, with fibers and fragments of various polymer types predominantly concentrated in the heads and intestines.
Microplastics in surface water and tissue of white leg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, in a cultured pond in Nakhon Pathom Province, Central Thailand
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected microplastics in the surface water and edible tissues of white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farmed in Thailand, raising food safety concerns about microplastic contamination in a commercially important aquaculture species consumed widely across Asia.
Characterization of Microplastic Contamination of Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Cultivation in North Lombok, Indonesia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in farmed whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), measuring particle abundance, size distribution, polymer types, and potential human dietary exposure through shrimp consumption. Microplastics were found throughout shrimp tissues, with implications for seafood safety.
Occurrence and Characteristics of Microplastics in Wild and Farmed Shrimps Collected from Cau Hai Lagoon, Central Vietnam
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic occurrence in the gastrointestinal tracts and tissues of four shrimp species (two wild, two farmed) from a Vietnamese lagoon, finding microplastics in all species and providing baseline data on seafood plastic contamination for this region.
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.