We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics in the Indian Ocean: a review of the ingestion and trophic transfer in commercial pelagic fish
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined microplastic ingestion and trophic transfer in the Indian Ocean, synthesizing evidence that MPs accumulate across marine food webs from zooplankton to large fish and marine mammals, and estimating the dietary MP exposure of human consumers of Indian Ocean seafood.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in our environment. Their appearance in natural habitats causes them to be mistaken for food by marine organisms, and ingested MPs are ultimately transferred along the food chain. This review aimed to analyse the current knowledge on MPs ingestion and trophic transfer in commercial pelagic species of the Indian Ocean (IO) which has the second-largest plastic load in the world. A total of 37 evidently reliable studies were included. The main results showed that the percentage of incidence in 70 species of commercially important pelagic and semi-pelagic fish in the Indian Ocean is 60%. The maximum average abundance of MPs reported was 57.1 ± 3.3 items/individual in the Hilsa shad (Hilsa Ilisha). Blue particles and fibres were the prevalent colour and shape (in 52% and 73% of the studies respectively) while particles measuring less than 500 µm were predominant in the majority of the studies (54%). Polyethylene was reported as being the most abundant polymer in 56% of studies which have reported polymer abundance. Gaps were identified in the geographical coverage of the IO for the study of MPs ingestion by commercial pelagic species, and studies investigating the relationship between trophic level and MPs ingestion are very scarce in the region. The findings of the individual studies on trophic transfer were contradictory, while the Trophic Magnification Factor (TMF) calculated in this review indicated that lower trophic levels ingested more MPs. Factors influencing trophic interactions should therefore be given careful attention and focus in future research to better understand the risk for human health.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic accumulation in marine organisms across trophic levels along the west coast of India
AI summary Read the abstract
This study compared microplastic accumulation across trophic levels — including invertebrates, small fish, and large fish — at two locations along the west coast of a marine region. MP abundance decreased with increasing trophic level, suggesting dilution rather than biomagnification, but species at higher trophic positions still carried measurable contamination.
Trophic transfer of microplastics and mixed contaminants in the marine food web and implications for human health
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics and the chemicals they carry transfer through marine food webs from lower to higher trophic levels, and what this means for human health given that people consume marine fish and seafood. It identifies microplastics as a vector for bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in ways that ultimately reach humans.
Microplastic in the Marine Environment of the Indian Ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes research from 2015 to 2022 on microplastic contamination in commercially important fish species across the Indian Ocean. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in fish throughout the region, raising concerns about contamination entering the human food chain through seafood consumption. The study highlights that while significant plastic pollution is known to exist in parts of the Indian Ocean, systematic research on microplastic abundance is still relatively recent.
Microplastic pollution in wild commercial nekton from the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, and its implication to human health
AI summary Read the abstract
This study surveyed microplastic occurrence in 13 commercially important fish and cephalopod species from the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, finding higher detection rates and MP abundances in Indian Ocean samples and estimating human exposure risk from seafood consumption.
Trophic transfer of microplastics in zooplanktons towards its speculations on human health: A review
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics move through the ocean food chain, from tiny zooplankton at the base up through fish to humans, and what health effects may result. Trophic transfer means microplastics can concentrate as they move up the food web, increasing human dietary exposure.
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.