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Ingestion of microplastics by commercial fish off the Portuguese coast
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Researchers examined the digestive tracts of commercial fish caught off the Portuguese coast and found microplastics — mainly fibers — in a substantial proportion of individuals across multiple species.
The digestive tract contents of 263 individuals from 26 species of commercial fish were examined for microplastics. These were found in 17 species, corresponding to 19.8% of the fish of which 32.7% had ingested more than one microplastic. Of all the fish that ingested microplastics, 63.5% was benthic and 36.5% pelagic species. A total of 73 microplastics were recorded, 48 (65.8%) being fibres and 25 (34.2%) being fragments. Polymers were polypropylene, polyethylene, alkyd resin, rayon, polyester, nylon and acrylic. The mean of ingested microplastics was 0.27 ± 0.63 per fish, (n=263). Pelagic fish ingested more particles and benthic fish ingested more fibres, but no significant differences were found. Fish with the highest number of microplastics were from the mouth of the Tagus river. Scomber japonicus registered the highest mean of ingested microplastics, suggesting its potential as indicator species to monitor and investigate trends in ingested litter, in the MSFD marine regions.
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Ingestion of microplastics by demersal fish from the Spanish Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts
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Researchers examined the gastrointestinal contents of demersal fish caught from Spanish Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts and found microplastics in a notable proportion, with fiber and fragment types most common, suggesting widespread exposure for bottom-dwelling fish.
Microplastic ingestion by pelagic and benthic fish and diet composition: A case study in the NW Iberian shelf
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Researchers found microplastics in 78% of fish examined across four pelagic and benthic species from the NW Iberian shelf, with ingestion rates varying by feeding ecology and habitat depth, and identified predominantly fibers and fragments in gastrointestinal contents following alkaline tissue digestion.
Occurrence of microplastics in commercial fish from a natural estuarine environment
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Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of commercial fish caught from a natural estuarine environment and found microplastics in a significant proportion of individuals, documenting both occurrence rates and particle characteristics.
Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English Channel
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Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of both pelagic and demersal fish species and found microplastics in individuals from both groups, suggesting that microplastic ingestion occurs across fish species regardless of their position in the water column.
Occurrence of microplastics in gastrointestinal tract of fish from the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana
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Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of commercially important fish species from the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana, for microplastic contamination. The study found that 68% of the fish contained microplastics, with fibers being the most common type, raising concerns about potential human exposure through seafood consumption in the region.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.