Cited by 2,075Microplastics and Plastic PollutionMarine Ecology and Invasive SpeciesEnvironmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology

Occurrence of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Pelagic and Demersal Fish from the English Channel

Lusher, A.L., McHugh, M., Thompson, R.C.·2013·Marine Pollution Bulletin

Abstract

Microplastics are present in marine habitats worldwide and laboratory studies show this material can be ingested, yet data on abundance in natural populations is limited. This study documents microplastics in 10 species of fish from the English Channel. 504 Fish were examined and plastics found in the gastrointestinal tracts of 36.5%. All five pelagic species and all five demersal species had ingested plastic. Of the 184 fish that had ingested plastic the average number of pieces per fish was 1.90±0.10. A total of 351 pieces of plastic were identified using FT-IR Spectroscopy; polyamide (35.6%) and the semi-synthetic cellulosic material, rayon (57.8%) were most common. There was no significant difference between the abundance of plastic ingested by pelagic and demersal fish. Hence, microplastic ingestion appears to be common, in relatively small quantities, across a range of fish species irrespective of feeding habitat. Further work is needed to establish the potential consequences.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.11.028

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41 of 41 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Lusher, A. L., McHugh, M., & Thompson, R. C.
Affiliations
  • University of Plymouth (GB)
  • Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom (GB)
Corresponding author
Thompson, R.C.
Venue
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-02
Volume
67
Issue
1-2
Pages
94-99
ISSN
0025-326X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2085309721
Cited by
2,075
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 120 · 2025: 171 · 2024: 218 · 2023: 210 · 2022: 245 · 2021: 248 · 2020: 234 · 2019: 170 · 2018: 144 · 2017: 99 · 2016: 98 · 2015: 62 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 1
FWCI
30.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Marine Pollution Bulletin (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Fisheries Society of the British Isles
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
Keywords
microplastics, plastic ingestion, gastrointestinal tract, pelagic fish, demersal fish, English Channel, polyamide, rayon, FTIR spectroscopy, marine plastic pollution
MeSH terms
Animals, England, Environmental Monitoring, Fishes, Plastics, Seawater, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Water Pollution, Chemical, Gastrointestinal Tract

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