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Microplastics in two fish species from Prydz Bay and King George Island: Occurrence, characteristics and risk assessment
Summary
Researchers collected two species of fish from Antarctic coastal waters and found microplastics in 75–88% of individuals, with fibers dominating and rayon being the most common polymer type — a synthetic material used in clothing. Microplastics were more abundant in gill tissue than in the digestive tract, suggesting inhalation-like uptake through the gills is a significant exposure pathway, and fish near King George Island showed higher contamination and higher polymer hazard scores than those from Prydz Bay. The findings demonstrate that plastic pollution has reached even the remote Antarctic marine food web.
Microplastics (MPs) are detected in various environmental media in Antarctica; however, studies on MPs in Antarctic fish remain limited. This study investigated the occurrence and characteristics of MPs in two Antarctic fish species, Pagothenia borchgrevinki and Trematomus bernacchii, collected from the coastal waters of Prydz Bay and King George Island. The detection rates of MPs were 87.5% for P. borchgrevinki and 75% for T. bernacchii. The average abundance of MPs was significantly higher in P. borchgrevinki from King George Island (15.0 ± 6.11 items/individual) than in Prydz Bay (3.9 ± 1.79 items/individual), whereas no significant geographic difference was found for T. bernacchii. MPs were more abundant in gill tissues than in the gastrointestinal tracts across all samples. The majority of MPs were fibers (>80%), with black and blue being the dominant colors. Rayon was the predominant polymer type, accounting for 63-80% of the identified MPs. Risk assessment using the Pollution Load Index (PLI) indicated low contamination levels (Level I), whereas the Polymer Hazard Index (PHI) revealed a high hazard level (Level IV) in P. borchgrevinki from King George Island, attributed to the presence of high-risk polymers such as PVC. This study provides critical baseline data on MP pollution in Antarctic fish and underscores the urgent need for enhanced waste management and environmental protection in the region.