Abstract
This paper presents the results on the presence and characterization of microplastics (MP) in the gastrointestinal tract of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.), a species of commercial interest from the Mar Menor coastal lagoon in Southeast Spain. This is the first time that microplastic ingestion is recorded in any species from this semi-enclosed bay. Stomach and intestine from a total of 17 specimens captured by local fishermen were processed, and microplastic particles and fibers found in all of them were displayed. Overall, 40.32% (279/692) of total isolated microparticles proved to be microplastics; i.e., <5 mm, as identified by FTIR spectroscopy. The average value by fish was 20.11 ± 2.94 MP kg−1, corresponding to average concentrations of 3912.06 ± 791.24 and 1562.17 ± 402.04 MP by kg stomach and intestine, respectively. Four MP forms were isolated: fiber (71.68%), fragment (21.15%), film (6.81%), and microbead (0.36%), with sizes ranging from 91 µm to 5 mm, an average of 0.83 ± 0.04 mm, and no statistically significant differences between mean sizes in stomach and intestine samples (F-test = 0.004; p = 0.936). Nine polymer types were detected, although most of fibers remained unidentified because of their small size, the presence of polymer additives, or closely adhered pollutants despite the oxidizing digestion carried out to eliminate organic matter. No significant correlation was found between main biological parameters and ingested microplastics, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene polypropylene (PEP), and polyvinyl (PV) were identified as the most abundant polymers. The average microplastic ingestion in this study area was higher than those reported in most studies within the Mediterranean Sea, and closely related to microplastic pollution in the surrounding area, although with a predominance of fiber form mainly due to fishery activities.
Highlights
The Mar Menor lagoon, located in the southeast of Spain, is a semi-enclosed hypersaline coastal system connected with the Mediterranean Sea through three shallow channels
This research studied the presence, abundance, morphology, and composition of microplastics collected in stomach and intestine of commercial gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) collected from the Mar Menor coastal lagoon
We can state that microplastics were detected in all analyzed individuals, with an average concentration of 20.11 ± 2.94 MP kg−1, similar to that reported in other semi-enclosed seas and lower than that reported for the same species in open seas
Summary
The Mar Menor lagoon, located in the southeast of Spain, is a semi-enclosed hypersaline coastal system connected with the Mediterranean Sea through three shallow channels. It represents one of the environments of greater biological and socio-economic value in this region [1] and, as in other semi-enclosed bays, pollutants get accumulated to a greater extent than in open oceans [2]. After a previous manuscript reporting the abundance and distribution of microplastics in sand and sediments from urban, semi-urban, and natural beaches located at the Mar. Menor [3], the aim of the present paper was to analyze the occurrence, type, amount, and characteristics of MP in the gastrointestinal tract of commercial gilthead seabream (CGS).
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