Microplastics in fish and a bivalve species sampled from freshwater environment and retail outlets, and the assessment of human exposure

Abstract

The issue of microplastic pollution has emerged as a significant environmental concern in recent times, exerting adverse effects on both aquatic ecosystems and human health. Multiple studies have indicated that the prevalence of microplastics was greater in fish and bivalves obtained from retail outlets (non-farmed) compared to those collected live from freshwater environments. In this study, black clams (Villorita cyprinoides) and fishes (Etroplus suratensis, Etroplus maculatus) were collected from the freshwaters of Periyar River and also from the local retail outlets to analyse the microplastic abundance. Microplastics were significantly higher in numbers from the fish and clams obtained from the retail outlets than the ones collected from the river. Fibres were the dominant morphotype. Polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene were majorly obtained. Humans are at risk of consuming approximately 936 microplastics annually from the consumption of two species of fish and 26 microplastics per 100g of clam meat consumed. The presence of microplastics in the species purchased from the retail outlets indicates that there is a possibility for human exposure and this finding raises serious concerns regarding food safety.