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Quantification of microplastic ingestion by the decapod crustacean Nephrops norvegicus from Irish waters
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Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in 150 Norway lobsters collected from five Irish fishing grounds. About 69% of the animals had ingested microplastics, averaging 1.75 items per individual, with fibers accounting for 98% of particles found. The study estimates that human exposure to microplastics through Irish seafood consumption could range from 15 to 4,471 particles per year.
Microplastics are widespread pollutants in the marine environment, yet few studies have assessed the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in commercial species. This study evaluates the presence of ingested microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of Nephrops norvegicus (n = 150), collected from five Irish prawn grounds. The efficiency of three digesting solutions was assessed. The most efficient digestion was the KOH (10%) solution incubated at 40 °C for a 48 h period. An average of 1.75 ± 2.01 items per individual was ingested by c. 69% of N. norvegicus examined. A total of 262 microplastic, predominantly fibres (98%), between 1 and 2 mm were recorded. Although, no spatial pattern was identified, samples from the North Irish Sea recorded highest occurrence of microplastics (~83%). A positive correlation was found between microplastic abundance and prawn carapace condition. Results indicate microplastic exposure in seafood for human consumption, in Ireland, is estimated to range from 15 to 4471 particles per year.
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Researchers examined Norway lobsters from the northwest Mediterranean and found plastic fibers in 85% of their stomachs, with higher counts near Barcelona, though the levels did not appear to cause measurable health damage — suggesting lobsters are ingesting microplastics from surrounding water but that tissue metal levels remain safe for human consumption.
Microplastic pollution in the Clyde sea area: a study using the indicator species Nephrops norvegicus
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Researchers used Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) as an indicator species to assess microplastic pollution in the Clyde Sea, finding particles in a significant proportion of individuals examined. The results establish a pollution baseline for this important Scottish fishery and raise concerns about how microplastic ingestion may affect the health of commercially harvested shellfish.
Plastics, prawns, and patterns: Microplastic loadings in Nephrops norvegicus and surrounding habitat in the North East Atlantic.
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Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) and surrounding habitat in the North East Atlantic were sampled for microplastics, and both the organisms and their environment contained plastic contamination. Microplastic presence in Norway lobster, a commercially important seafood species, raises concerns about human dietary exposure. The species' burrowing behavior and position in the food chain make it a useful bioindicator of seafloor plastic pollution.
Confirmation of microplastic contamination in muscle tissue of Nephrops norvegicus from the Adriatic Sea
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Researchers confirmed the presence of microplastics in the muscle tissue (tail and claw meat) of Norway lobsters harvested from the Adriatic Sea, following up on an earlier study that found contamination in the gut and hepatopancreas. Finding microplastics in the edible portions of commercially harvested lobster has direct implications for human dietary exposure to plastic particles.
Preliminary results on the occurrence and anatomical distribution of microplastics in wild populations of Nephrops norvegicus from the Adriatic Sea
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Researchers examined microplastics in three tissue compartments of Norway lobster from the Adriatic Sea, finding an average of 17 MPs per individual, with fragments predominating and the hepatopancreas accumulating the highest concentration of fragment-type particles.
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