Cited by 189Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyPharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts

Microplastics in the edible and inedible tissues of pelagic fishes sold for human consumption in Kerala, India

Daniel, Damaris Benny, Ashraf, P. Muhamed, Thomas, Saly N.·2020·Environmental Pollution

Abstract

Microplastics in commercially important seafood species is an emerging area of food safety concern. While there have been reports of plastic particles in the gastrointestinal tract of several species, presence of microplastics in edible fish tissues has not yet been reported from India. This study examined the presence of microplastics in the edible (muscle and skin) and inedible (gill and viscera) tissues of nine commercially important pelagic fish species from Kerala, India. A total of 163 particles consisting mainly of fragments (58%) were isolated. Out of 270 fishes analysed (n = 30 per species), 41.1% of the fishes had microplastics in their inedible 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 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.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115365

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Authors
Daniel, D. B., Ashraf, P. M., & Thomas, S. N.
Affiliations
  • Cochin University of Science and Technology (IN)
  • Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (IN)
Corresponding author
Daniel, Damaris Benny
Venue
Environmental Pollution
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-11
Volume
266
Issue
Pt 2
Pages
115365
ISSN
0269-7491 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3048536008
Cited by
189
References
87
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 2
FWCI
5.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Environmental Pollution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
Keywords
microplastics, pelagic fish, seafood safety, filter feeders, visual predators, human dietary intake, Kerala
MeSH terms
Microplastics, Animals, Environmental Monitoring, Fishes, Humans, India, Plastics, Water Pollutants, Chemical

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