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Microplastics in a pelagic dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) from the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the implications for fish health

The Science of The Total Environment 2021 55 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Lijun Wu, Weiwen Li, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Lijun Wu, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Jing Xu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Hui Lin Jing Xu, Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Jing Xu, Weiwen Li, Weiwen Li, Hui Lin Qingping Zou, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qingping Zou, Hui Lin Weiwen Li, Zhong Pan, Weiwen Li, Qingping Zou, Qingping Zou, Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Qingping Zou, Qingping Zou, Qingping Zou, Weiwen Li, Lijun Wu, Jing Xu, Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Hui Lin Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Hui Lin Lijun Wu, Hui Lin Hui Lin Qingping Zou, Weiwen Li, Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Lijun Wu, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Lijun Wu, Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Hao Huang, Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Hui Lin Qingping Zou, Hao Huang, Hui Lin Weiwen Li, Zhong Pan, Hui Lin

Summary

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in 15 wild-caught dolphinfish from the Eastern Pacific Ocean and found microplastics in 100% of the fish studied, averaging 9.3 particles per individual. Particles were detected across gills, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and muscle tissue, with polyester and PET being the most common polymer types. Molecular docking analysis suggested that dominant microplastic polymers could interact with key cellular proteins, indicating potential health implications for both the fish and humans who consume them.

Polymers

PE PES PET PP PS

Body Systems

Digestive Musculoskeletal Reproductive

Study Type Environmental

Microplastic pollution in fish is a growing concern worldwide due to its implication for human health. Microplastic contaminations and impacts were investigated in 15 wild-caught commercially important dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus L.) from the Eastern Pacific Ocean waters. 1741 suspected particles were extracted from gills, esophagus, stomachs, intestinal tracts, and muscle of C. hippurus. Only 139 of them were identified as microplastics by microscopic inspections and micro-Raman spectroscopic analysis. 10, 34, 51, 35, and 9 out of these 139 microplastic particles were extracted from the gill, esophagus, stomach, intestinal tract, and muscle respectively. Overall, microplastics were detected in 15 out of 15 fish (100%), with ~9.3 pieces per individual on average. The prevalence and high incidence of occurrence of microplastics in the C. hippurus suggest that this pelagic species are at high risk of exposure to microplastic pollutions. The chemical composition of microplastics was made of polyester (PES, 46.8%), polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 38.1%), polypropylene (PP, 7.9%), polystyrene (PS, 5.0%), polyethylene-polypropylene copolymer (PE-PP, 1.4%), and polyethylene (PE, 0.7%). 36.7% and 13.7% of microplastics in the fish were 1-2.5 mm and 2.5-5 mm, respectively. Microplastics of 0.1-0.5 mm and 0.5-1 mm roughly shared equally the remaining 50%. Molecular docking results implied that interaction of the four dominant microplastic polymers (PES, PET, PP, and PS) with cytochrome P450 17A1 would lead to impairment of the reproductive function of C. hippurus. The findings provide insights on the harms from microplastic exposure, along with quantitative information of occurrence, abundance, and distribution of microplastics in the fish tissues, which will ultimately improve understanding of bioavailability and hazards of microplastics to the organisms and beyond to human via food chain transfer.

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