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Microplastics in freshwater fish from Central European lowland river (Widawa R., SW Poland)
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More than half of gudgeon and roach fish collected from a small Polish river had ingested microplastic-like particles, with no significant difference by sex, feeding behavior, or location relative to a dam. The findings suggest microplastic ingestion by freshwater fish is widespread and not driven by a single local source.
In contrast to marine organisms, the presence of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater animals remains insufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to identify the occurrence of MPs in the digestive tracts of two fish species from a small lowland river (Widawa R., SW Poland). In total, 202 gudgeons and 187 roaches were collected, of which 54.5% and 53.9% had ingested MP-like particles, respectively. Feeding type and behaviour, sex and capture site (above or below the dam reservoir) did not affect the number of fish with MP-like particles.
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Microplastics in gudgeon (Gobio gobio) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) from a Central European small river
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Microplastics were investigated in gudgeon and roach fish species collected from a small Central European river, contributing data on freshwater fish exposure in inland waterways. The study adds to the growing evidence that microplastic ingestion by freshwater fish is widespread across European river systems.
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Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tracts of wild gudgeons caught from multiple French rivers, with 12% of individuals contaminated. This field study confirms that freshwater fish in European rivers are exposed to real-world microplastic contamination through their natural foraging behavior.
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Researchers found 891 microplastic particles across 281 fish from three species in the Upper Mississippi River, with fibers being the most common type and smaller fish containing proportionally more microplastics than larger ones. This confirms microplastic ingestion is widespread in freshwater fish — not just marine species — and the presence of styrene-isoprene, polyester, and ABS polymers highlights the diverse plastic sources contaminating major river systems.
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