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Anthropogenic particles ingestion by fish larvae in important nursery areas of Iberia (South Europe)
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Researchers documented microplastic ingestion by wild fish larvae across two Portuguese nursery ecosystems — a coastal lagoon and a river estuary — finding encounter rates near 12% with rayon fibers predominating, highlighting textile industry effluent as an underappreciated source and nursery habitats as early-life exposure hotspots.
Microplastics (MPs) are now widespread in the marine environment, and their levels are expected to rise as larger plastic debris continues to break down and new plastic waste enters the ocean. Microplastics ingestion has been documented in fish larvae, which are already particularly vulnerable to predation, environmental stressors, and starvation. This study examines for the first time MPs ingestion by wild fish larvae in Southern Iberia, focusing on two key nursery ecosystems of Portugal: the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon and the Guadiana River estuary. Fish larvae collected monthly from surface water, between April 2023 and March 2024, exhibited encounter rates (ER - Total number of ingested particles/ Total number of organisms analysed *100) of 12.99% in Ria Formosa and 11.54% in the Guadiana estuary. No significant differences were observed in ER among taxa and locations. The ingested particles ranged in size from 20 μm to 2 mm and were predominantly made of rayon, transparent and in the form of fibres. No correlation was found between the size of the larvae and that of the ingested particles. Although larval size had a positive effect on MP ingestion, this effect was not significant. There were no differences in polymer type ingestion among taxa. Our results underline the role of nursery areas as exposure spots and the underestimated pressure of the textile industry on marine ecosystems. Further research is needed to assess the potential consequences of this exposure for larval survival, recruitment success, and the health of adult fish populations.
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