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A fish tale: a century of museum specimens reveal increasing microplastic concentrations in freshwater fish
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Researchers analyzed preserved museum fish specimens spanning over a century (1900-2017) and found that microplastic concentrations in freshwater fish digestive tissues have increased significantly over time, correlating with rising global plastic production. The increase was most pronounced after the 1950s when plastic manufacturing expanded dramatically. The study provides the first historical timeline of microplastic ingestion in freshwater fish, confirming that contamination has escalated alongside industrial plastic use.
Plastic is pervasive in modern economies and ecosystems. Freshwater fish ingest microplastics (i.e., particles <5 mm), but no studies have examined historical patterns of their microplastic consumption. Measuring the patterns of microplastic pollution in the past is critical for predicting future trends and for understanding the relationship between plastics in fish and the environment. We measured microplastics in digestive tissues of specimens collected from the years 1900-2017 and preserved in museum collections. We collected new fish specimens in 2018, along with water and sediment samples. We selected four species: Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass), Notropis stramineus (sand shiner), Ictalurus punctatus (channel catfish), and Neogobius melanostomus (round goby) because each was well represented in museum collections, are locally abundant, and collected from urban habitats. For each individual, we dissected the digestive tissue from esophagus to anus, subjected tissue to peroxide oxidation, examined particles under a dissecting microscope, and used Raman spectroscopy to characterize the particles' chemical composition. No microplastics were detected in any fish prior to 1950. From mid-century to 2018, microplastic concentrations showed a significant increase when data from all fish were considered together. All detected particles were fibers, and represented plastic polymers (e.g., polyester) along with mixtures of natural and synthetic textiles. For the specimens collected in 2018, microplastics in fish and sediment showed similar patterns across study sites, while water column microplastics showed no differences among locations. Overall, plastic pollution in common freshwater fish species is increasing and pervasive across individuals and species, and is likely related to changes in environmental concentrations. Museum specimens are an overlooked source for assessing historical patterns of microplastic pollution, and for predicting future trends in freshwater fish, thereby helping to sustain the health of commercial and recreational fisheries worldwide.
More Papers Like This
Dataset. Hou et al. A fish tale A century of museum specimens reveal increasing microplastic concentrations in freshwater fish.
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This is a data repository entry accompanying a century-scale museum specimen study that tracked increasing microplastic concentrations in freshwater fish over time. The dataset supports a published research article examining fish collected over 100 years of natural history collections. The data itself enables analysis of how plastic contamination of freshwater fish has changed since plastic production began.
Using historical fish collections to track microplastic contamination in Costa Rican freshwater ecosystems
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Scientists studied 180 fish specimens collected over 65 years to see how microplastic pollution in Costa Rica's rivers has changed over time. Every single fish had plastic fibers in its gut, and the amount has grown significantly, especially in rivers near heavily developed areas, showing that freshwater fish (a food source for many communities) are absorbing more plastic pollution as human activity increases. This matters because when we eat fish, we may also be consuming these accumulated microplastics, and the study highlights that reducing plastic waste and improving wastewater treatment could help curb this growing contamination.
26-6769-T Archived Freshwater Fishes Reveal Historical Microplastic Pollution
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Scientists tested decades-old preserved fish from a Delaware River museum collection and found microplastics in every single specimen, showing that plastic pollution in fish has been building up for a long time, even fish collected back in 1985 already had it. This matters because these fish are a similar food source to the fish humans eat, and the study shows we can use old museum specimens to track how microplastic contamination has changed over time, especially near polluted sites like landfills.
Long-term investigation of microplastic abundance in Squalius species in Turkish inland waters
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By examining museum fish specimens collected from 22 Turkish river basins between 2004 and 2018, researchers found microplastics in 21% of Squalius fish gastrointestinal tracts, with fibers (79%) and polyethylene the dominant types. Using historical collections to track contamination over time is a novel approach, and the results suggest microplastic ingestion by freshwater fish has been an ongoing problem for at least two decades, pre-dating most monitoring efforts.
Museum-archived myctophids reveal decadal trends in microplastic and microfiber ingestion
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Researchers measured microplastic and microfiber ingestion in museum-archived deep-sea fish (myctophids) collected from 1962 to 2016 to determine whether contamination has increased in parallel with rising plastic production. Fish near the U.S. west coast showed a significant trend toward increasing microplastic ingestion over the 54-year period, though no significant trend was found across the broader North Pacific dataset.
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