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Microplastics occurrence in gills and digestive tract tissues of blue crabs collected from the Persian Gulf coast
Summary
Researchers documented microplastics in the gills and digestive tracts of blue crabs from coastal waters, finding MP particles of diverse types and sizes in both tissues and assessing implications for human health from consuming these commercially important crustaceans.
Background: Increasing usage of plastics for various goals has led to the microplastics (MPs) enhancement in different environments, especially the marine environment. Crab is known as a seafood type, which is easily gained and often consumed by humans. Methods: Abundance of MPs and their features in the gills (G) and digestive tract (DT) tissues of 44 blue crabs (Portunus pelagicus) collected from the coast of the Persian Gulf in Bushehr port were investigated in this study. Physical features of MPs (including size, shape, and color) and their chemical combination were identified through a binocular microscope and Micro-Raman, respectively. Results: The mean abundance of MPs in the G and DT tissues was 0.89 and 0.38 items/g, respectively. The MPs levels were significantly different (P<0.01) among the G and DT tissues. The highest number of MPs in the G and DT tissues was related to the size range of 20-50 µm. The highest dominant color and shape of MPs in the G and DT were fiber and white/transparent, respectively. Nylon and polystyrene (PS) in tissues both tissues were the dominant polymer types of detected MPs. Conclusion: The results of the present study displayed that high levels of MPs in the seafood, such as crabs, may pose a negative effect on this species as well as a high exposure risk for humans.