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Anthropogenic debris in seafood: Plastic debris and fibers from textiles in fish and bivalves sold for human consumption
Summary
Researchers examined fish and shellfish sold for human consumption in markets in Indonesia and California and found anthropogenic debris, including microplastic fibers and fragments, in every species tested. Fish tended to contain debris in their gastrointestinal tracts, while shellfish, which are eaten whole, contained it in their edible tissues. The findings raise direct concerns about human exposure to microplastics and textile fibers through everyday seafood consumption.
The ubiquity of anthropogenic debris in hundreds of species of wildlife and the toxicity of chemicals associated with it has begun to raise concerns regarding the presence of anthropogenic debris in seafood. We assessed the presence of anthropogenic debris in fishes and shellfish on sale for human consumption. We sampled from markets in Makassar, Indonesia, and from California, USA. All fish and shellfish were identified to species where possible. Anthropogenic debris was extracted from the digestive tracts of fish and whole shellfish using a 10% KOH solution and quantified under a dissecting microscope. In Indonesia, anthropogenic debris was found in 28% of individual fish and in 55% of all species. Similarly, in the USA, anthropogenic debris was found in 25% of individual fish and in 67% of all species. Anthropogenic debris was also found in 33% of individual shellfish sampled. All of the anthropogenic debris recovered from fish in Indonesia was plastic, whereas anthropogenic debris recovered from fish in the USA was primarily fibers. Variations in debris types likely reflect different sources and waste management strategies between countries. We report some of the first findings of plastic debris in fishes directly sold for human consumption raising concerns regarding human health.