Microplastics in the Edible and Inedible Tissues 1 of Pelagic Fishes 2 Sold for Human Consumption in Kerala, India
Microplastics in the Edible and Inedible Tissues 1 of Pelagic Fishes 2 Sold for Human Consumption in Kerala, India
Date
2020
Authors
Daniel, Damaris Benny
Ashraf, P. Muhamed
Thomas, Saly N
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Microplastics in commercially important seafood species is an emerging area of food safety
9 concern. While there have been reports of plastic particles in the gastrointestinal tract of
10 several species, presence of microplastics in edible fish tissues has not yet been reported from
11 India. This study examined the presence of microplastics in the edible (muscle and skin) and
12 inedible (gill and viscera) tissues of nine commercially important pelagic fish species from
13 Kerala, India. A total of 163 particles consisting mainly of fragments (58%) were isolated.
14 Out of 270 fishes analysed (n = 30 per species), 41.1% of the fishes had microplastics in their
nedible tissues while only 7% of fishes had microplastics in their edible tissues. The quantity
of microplastics in inedible tissue was significantly larger in filter feeders than, that in visual
17 predators (p< 0.05). The average abundance of microplastics in edible tissues was 0.07 ±
0.26 items/fish (i.e., 0.005 ± 0.02 items/g) and was 0.53 ± 0.77 items/fish (i.e., 0.054 ± 0.098
items/g) in inedible tissues. The results suggest the possibility of human intake of
microplastics by the consumption of pelagic fishes from this region, albeit in small quantities.
Description
Keywords
Plastic Debris, Seafood safety, Pollution,