Abstract
This study documented the levels of microplastics in three commercially important small pelagic fish species in South African waters, namely European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), West Coast round herring (Etrumeus whiteheadi) and South African sardine (Sardinops sagax). Data suggested variation between species with a higher concentration of microplastics for S. sagax (mean of 1.58 items individual-1) compared to Et. whiteheadi (1.38 items individual-1) and En. encrasicolus (1.13 items individual-1). The occurrence of microplastics was also higher for S. sagax (72%) and Et. whiteheadi (72%) compared to En. encrasicolus (57%). Microfibres accounted for 80% of ingested microplastics (the remainder were plastic fragments) with the main ingested polymers being poly(ethylene:propylene:diene) (33% occurrence), polyethylene (20%), polyamide (20%), polyester (20%) and polypropylene (7%). The abundance of ingested items was not significantly correlated with fish caudal length or body weight, and spatial investigation indicated an increase in the abundance of ingested items from the West to the South coast. Etrumeus whiteheadi is proposed as a bio-indicator for microplastics for South Africa.
Highlights
Plastics are valuable resources with numerous societal benefits
This study confirmed the presence of microplastics in Gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of commercially important small pelagic fish species in South African waters, En. encrasicolus (n = 178), Et. whiteheadi (n = 188), and S. sagax (n = 227)
The data presented in this study confirmed the occurrence of microplastics, principally microfibers, in the commercially important small pelagic fishes En. encrasicolus, Et. whiteheadi, and S. sagax in South Africa, with an overall occurrence of 68%
Summary
Plastics are valuable resources with numerous societal benefits. Global plastics production was almost 360 million tonnes in 2018, of which 7% was attributed to the Middle East and Africa (PlasticsEurope, 2019). In South Africa in 2015, most plastic consumption was attributed to product packaging (53%), followed by building and construction (13%), and agriculture (9%) (Plastics SA, 2019). Impacts of marine plastic litter are varied and include ingestion by biota (macro, meso, and microplastics including microfibers) or entanglement/collision [e.g., ghost fishing caused by Abandoned Lost or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG)]. There is evidence that microplastics can act as carriers for harmful sorbed co-contaminants (i.e., hydrophobic organic compounds, additives, pathogens) with the potential for transfer to biota following ingestion (Rochman et al, 2013; Tanaka et al, 2013; Bakir et al, 2014). The transfer of sorbed co-contaminants from microplastics to biota may be negligible compared to other routes of exposure (Bakir et al, 2016; Herzke et al, 2016; Koelmans et al, 2016; Lohmann, 2017)
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