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Plastic Occurrence in Commercial Fish Species of the Black Sea
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Researchers examined plastic ingestion in seven commercial fish species from the Black Sea and found plastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of 29% of all individuals tested. Fibres were the most common type of plastic found, accounting for nearly 69% of all particles, with 93% being microplastics smaller than 5 mm. The study identified polypropylene, polyester, and acrylic as the most prevalent polymer types, indicating widespread microplastic contamination in Black Sea commercial fisheries.
The occurrence of micro- (<5 mm), meso- (5–25 mm) and macroplastics (>25mm) was investigated in seven commercial fish species of the Black Sea. Plastics were found in gastrointestinal track of all species analysed: Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus mediterraneus, Sarda sarda, Belone belone, Pomatus saltatrix, Merlangius merlangus and Mullus barbatus. A total of 352 plastic particles were removed from 190 individuals (29% of all individuals examined). The mean number of plastic particles per fish was 0.81±1.42 par.ind-1 (considering all fish analysed, n=650) and 2.06±1.09 par.ind-1 (considering only the fish that ingested plastic, n=190). The most common types of plastics were fibres (68.5%), followed by films (19%), fragments (11.9%), foams (0.3 %) and microbeads (0.3%). The most common plastic colour was black (39.3%) followed by blue (19.5%) and transparent (18.1%). The length of plastics ranged from 0.05 to 26.5 mm with an average of 1.84±2.80 mm. 93.2% of plastics were microplastics, 6.5 % as mesoplastics and 0.3% macroplastics. Plastic occurrence was higher in S. sarda (plastic in 70% of the analysed individuals) and lower in M. merlangus (plastic in 9% of the analysed individuals). The main synthetic polymers identified by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were polypropylene (29.8%), polyester (17.5%), acrylic (15.8%), polyethylene (14%) and polystyrene (1.8%) and 21.1% of polymers were cellulosic. Results show that commercial fish of the Black Sea is contaminated by plastics. This might affect vital functions of fish and pose a risk to ecosystem and human health. The study contributes to a better understanding of the status of plastic pollution in the fish from different habitats of the Black Sea and provides baseline data to implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in the basin.
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Microplastics in commercial fish and their habitats in the important fishing ground of the Black Sea: Characteristic, concentration, and risk assessment
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Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in six commercial fish species from the Black Sea and found microplastics in all environmental areas studied, including surface water, the water column, sediments, and fish. Fibers were the most common type of microplastic found, and bottom-dwelling fish had higher contamination levels than fish living closer to the surface. Since these are commonly eaten fish species, the findings are relevant to human dietary exposure to microplastics.
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Three commercial fish species from the Turkish Black Sea coast -- European anchovy, whiting, and red mullet -- were examined for microplastic ingestion, with plastics found in all three species and fibers being the dominant type. The study adds to regional evidence that microplastic contamination is widespread in commercially harvested Black Sea fish.
The Assessment of the Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Key Fish Species from the Bulgarian Aquatory of the Black Sea
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Researchers found microplastics in the soft tissues of five commercially important Black Sea fish species collected off the Bulgarian coast, with polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate as the dominant polymer types. Pellets were the most common particle shape, found across all specimens regardless of species. The results indicate significant microplastic contamination in a major regional seafood source, raising concerns about the potential for plastics to move up the food chain and reach people who consume these fish.
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Scientists found microplastic particles, mostly common plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, in the stomachs, intestines, and gills of five popular fish species from the Black Sea, including anchovy and red mullet. Since these are fish people regularly eat, the findings raise concerns about how much plastic pollution may be making its way into our food and bodies.
The assessment of the bioaccumulation of microplastics in key fish species from the Bulgarian aquatory of the Black Sea
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Researchers examined five commercially important fish species from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast and found microplastics in all tissue types studied. The most common particles were polyethylene and PET pellets, with sizes ranging down to 25 micrometers, indicating widespread plastic pollution in this region that could affect both fish populations and the humans who eat them.
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