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Marine & Wildlife
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Microplastics in Commercially Important Small Pelagic Fish Species From South Africa
Frontiers in Marine Science2020
66 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 40
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Fiona Preston-Whyte,
Thomas Maes
Fiona Preston-Whyte,
Fiona Preston-Whyte,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Fiona Preston-Whyte,
Jon Barry,
Carl D. van der Lingen,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Denise Doran,
Carl D. van der Lingen,
Denise Doran,
Fiona Preston-Whyte,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Rogan Harmer,
Adil Bakir,
Fiona Preston-Whyte,
Thomas Maes
Carl D. van der Lingen,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Jon Barry,
Jon Barry,
Adil Bakir,
Rogan Harmer,
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Carl D. van der Lingen,
Thomas Maes
Ashok Bali,
Carl D. van der Lingen,
Ashok Bali,
Thomas Maes
Jon Barry,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Yonela Geja,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Jon Barry,
Yonela Geja,
Jon Barry,
Fiona Preston-Whyte,
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Adil Bakir,
Thomas Maes
Adil Bakir,
Jon Barry,
Adil Bakir,
Yandiswa Mdazuka,
Yandiswa Mdazuka,
Thomas Maes
Yandiswa Mdazuka,
Gcobani Mooi,
Thomas Maes
Yandiswa Mdazuka,
Gcobani Mooi,
Denise Doran,
Gcobani Mooi,
Gcobani Mooi,
Thomas Maes
Denise Doran,
Freya Tooley,
Rogan Harmer,
Freya Tooley,
Rogan Harmer,
Rogan Harmer,
Rogan Harmer,
Denise Doran,
Denise Doran,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Freya Tooley,
Thomas Maes
Freya Tooley,
Thomas Maes
Thomas Maes
Summary
Researchers found microplastics in three commercially important small pelagic fish species from South African waters, with South African sardines showing the highest mean concentration at 1.58 items per individual. Microfibres accounted for 80% of ingested microplastics across all three species, with polyethylene-propylene-diene copolymer among the dominant polymers detected.
This study documented the levels of microplastics in three commercially important small pelagic fish species in South African waters, namely European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), West Coast round herring (Etrumeus whiteheadi) and South African sardine (Sardinops sagax). Data suggested variation between species with a higher concentration of microplastics for S. sagax (mean of 1.58 items individual-1) compared to Et. whiteheadi (1.38 items individual-1) and En. encrasicolus (1.13 items individual-1). The occurrence of microplastics was also higher for S. sagax (72%) and Et. whiteheadi (72%) compared to En. encrasicolus (57%). Microfibres accounted for 80% of ingested microplastics (the remainder were plastic fragments) with the main ingested polymers being poly(ethylene:propylene:diene) (33% occurrence), polyethylene (20%), polyamide (20%), polyester (20%) and polypropylene (7%). The abundance of ingested items was not significantly correlated with fish caudal length or body weight, and spatial investigation indicated an increase in the abundance of ingested items from the West to the South coast. Etrumeus whiteheadi is proposed as a bio-indicator for microplastics for South Africa.