We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Integrated approach for marine litter pollution assessment in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea: Information from bottom-trawl fishing and plastic ingestion in deep-sea fish.
AI summary Read the abstract
This study combined bottom-trawl fishing data with analysis of plastic ingestion in deep-sea fish from the southern Tyrrhenian Sea to assess seafloor litter pollution. Plastic was the most abundant litter type on the seafloor, and plastic fragments were found in fish digestive tracts, demonstrating that microplastic contamination extends to deep-sea ecosystems and enters the food web.
Marine litter pollution threatens marine ecosystems and biodiversity conservation, particularly on seafloors where all anthropogenic waste naturally sinks. In this study, we provide new information on the composition, density and origin of seafloor macrolitter as well as on plastic ingestion in deep-sea fish from bottom-trawling by-catch in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Plastic constituted the highest fraction of litter in terms of density (64 %) and weight (32 %) and was also retrieved in the gastrointestinal traits of Chlorophthalmus agassizi, Coelorhynchus coelorhynchus and Hoplosthethus mediterraneus. FT-IR spectroscopy analysis on the seafloor macrolitter and the ingested plastics revealed the presence of artificial polymers including PE, PET/polyester, PA widely used for food packaging, plastic bags and several common products, especially Single Use Plastic (SUP). These results underline how poor waste management schemes or their incorrect application strongly contribute to marine litter accumulation on seafloors and plastic ingestion in deep-sea fish.
More Papers Like This
Does the microplastics ingestion patterns and polymer composition vary across the oceanic zones? A case study from the Indian coast
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in 27 species of deep-sea fish from the Central Indian Ocean and found contamination in 19 of them, with PET being the most common polymer. The study suggests that feeding behavior, rather than habitat depth or trophic level, is the primary factor influencing how much microplastic deep-sea fish ingest, and proposes these fish could serve as indicators for monitoring deep-sea plastic pollution.
Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of benthic by–catches from an eastern Mediterranean deep–sea environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of eight deep-sea fish species collected as bycatch from the eastern Mediterranean near Sardinia, including all three shark species sampled, demonstrating microplastic contamination in deep-sea ecosystems at depths down to several hundred meters.
Quali-quantitative analysis of plastics and synthetic microfibers found in demersal species from Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Central Mediterranean)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined plastic ingestion in five demersal fish species from the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, finding that 14.4% of 125 fish had ingested plastics at an average of 0.24 items per specimen, with fibers comprising the majority and the blackmouth catshark showing the highest contamination. Infrared and Raman spectroscopy identified the plastic debris as polypropylene, nylon, Teflon, polyethylene, and a triblock copolymer, with 94% classified as microplastics.
Anthropogenic particles ingestion in fish species from two areas of the western Mediterranean Sea.
AI summary Read the abstract
Anthropogenic particles including microplastics were found in the digestive tracts of fish from two aquatic environments, with ingestion rates and particle types varying by species and location. The study documents widespread microplastic ingestion across fish species in different habitat types.
Microplastic in the stomachs of open-ocean and deep-sea fishes of the North-East Atlantic
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated microplastic occurrence in the stomachs of 390 fish from three pelagic and two deep-sea species in the North-East Atlantic, comparing plastic ingestion between fish occupying contrasting ocean compartments. The study documented microplastic presence across species at different depths, highlighting how plastic contamination extends throughout the oceanic water column.
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.