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Trophic transfer of microplastics enhances plastic additive accumulation in fish
Summary
This study found that fish accumulate more plastic-associated chemical additives when they ingest microplastics from contaminated prey than from direct environmental exposure, showing that trophic transfer amplifies chemical exposure through the food chain. This has important implications for predators—including humans—who eat fish that have been feeding in plastic-contaminated environments.
Abstract Organisms ingest microplastics directly from environments and indirectly from food sources. Ingesting microplastics can lead to an organism accumulating plastic-derived chemicals. However, the relative contributions of the two exposure routes (direct ingestion vs. indirect ingestion) to plastic-derived chemical accumulation in an organism are unknown. Using microplastics containing different types of plastic additives, we performed exposure experiments to compare chemical accumulation patterns in fish ( Myoxocephalus brandti ) between the exposure from the water and prey ( Neomysis spp.). We found significantly higher brominated flame retardant concentrations in fish fed microplastic-contaminated prey than fish exposed to microplastics suspended in the water. The results indicate that prey-mediated ingestion of microplastics can be a more significant route for organisms accumulating plastic-derived chemicals, suggesting that organisms at higher trophic levels are more exposed to microplastics and associated chemicals than organisms at lower trophic levels.