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Peer Review #2 of "Occurrence of microplastics in edible aquatic insect Pantala sp. (Odonata: Libellulidae) from rice fields (v0.2)"
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Researchers examined dragonfly larvae (Pantala sp.) from rice fields, an insect sometimes eaten by people, for microplastic contamination. Microplastics, mostly fragments, fibers and rods made of three plastic types, were found in the whole body, gut, and body tissue of the insects, suggesting this food source is one possible route for microplastics to enter the human diet.
Background.Microplastic (MP) contamination has been discovered in aquatic systems throughout the world.They are well-known as contaminants in aquatic species, but there is a gap in understanding about pathways of MP contamination into humans (i.e., through aquatic animals).The goal of this study is to assess MP contamination in an edible aquatic insect (Pantala sp.) living in rice fields. Methods.A dragonfly larva, Pantala sp.(Odonata: Libellulidae), was tested for MPs.The study concentrated on three distinct anatomical compartments (whole body, gastrointestinal tract, and body without gastrointestinal tract), each of which was examined separately.For the physical identification and chemical analysis of MPs, a stereomicroscope and a Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscope (FT-IR) were used, respectively. Results and Discussion.The microplastics content was 121 in the whole body, 95 in the gastrointestinal tract, and 66 in the body without the gastrointestinal tract, with an average of 1.34 ± 1.11, 1.06 ± 0.77, and 0.73 ± 0.51 abundance/ individual, respectively.The most common MPs discovered during this study were fragments, followed by fibers and rods.The chemical analysis by FT-IR confirmed three different polymers, including polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polypropylene (PP).There was no significant difference in MP abundances among the sample types (Kruskal-Wallis chi-squared = 2.774, df = 2, p = 0.250).The findings suggest that eating an edible aquatic insect (Odonata: Pantala sp.) could be one way for humans to consume MPs.This is concerning as the potential risks of MPs can cause neurotoxicity and an increased cancer risk in humans.
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