A review on source, occurrence, and impacts of microplastics in freshwater aquaculture systems in China

Abstract

Microplastic pollution has become an increasingly important environmental issue worldwide in recent years because of its ubiquitous presence in different environmental media and its potential to affect the health of organisms and ecosystems. Aquaculture contributes significantly to the world's food production and nutritional supply, especially in developing countries. Widespread occurrence of microplastics in aquaculture systems has raised great concern regarding aquaculture production and food safety issues of aquaculture products. China is a world leader in aquaculture production, with freshwater aquaculture accounting for 59.1% of total aquaculture production of the world in 2020. Therefore, this review mainly focuses on recent research progress related to microplastic pollution in freshwater aquaculture systems in China. Results from the literature show that microplastics are present in freshwater aquaculture systems at abundances comparable to natural waterbodies in China. Microplastics can be ingested and remain in the body of aquaculture products. Exposure to microplastics can adversely affect the health of aquatic organisms and aquatic ecosystem functions. However, risks of microplastics in real world environment remain uncertain. Consumption of freshwater aquaculture products is not a major pathway for human exposure to microplastics. To provide scientific guidance for governmental decision-making and pollution control, future work should focus on progress in toxicological methodology and understanding the impacts of microplastics at community and ecosystem levels.