Baseline data of the presence of meso and microplastics in digestive tract of a commercially important teleost fish from the Rio de la Plata Estuary System (Southwest Atlantic Ocean)

In this paper, we analyze the occurrence, abundance, and type of plastic debris (PD) present on the digestive tracts of 65 white croakers (Micropogonias furnieri) catches from Rio de la Plata Estuary System (RLPES). Eighty percent of individuals analyzed had ingested PD, of which 156 were thread-like plastics (FO = 83.9 %) and 30 were fragments (FO = 16.1%). The average number of pieces per digestive tract was 2.83 ± 3.14. Microplastic represented 85% of PD, the majority of these pieces were <2 mm, and the preeminent color was blue. The RLPES is the area of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean that concentrates most of the records of plastic debris on the environment, where the white croaker is the main commercial fish. In addition, M. furnieri constitutes a key prey of several predators in the area. Although preliminary, this is a relevant contribution to the knowledge of marine debris pollution and its impact on the Southwest Atlantic Ocean organisms, particularly at the RLPES.