Amini-Birami, Farideh, Keshavarzi, Behnam, Soltani, Naghmeh, Busquets, Rosa and Moore, Farid (2025) Microplastic in seafood from the Persian Gulf : occurrence, characteristics, risk assessment, and human exposure. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 142, p. 107561. ISSN (print) 0889-1575
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution is abundant and affects the aquatic environment. The ecotoxic effect and fate of MPs in exposed aquatic species is largely unknown. This study investigated MPs in commercially important fish, mollusks, lobsters, and crabs with varied biometry, trophic levels, feeding habits, and habitat characteristics from the Bushehr Port (Persian Gulf). Liver, gonad, and dorsal muscle samples were investigated from 150 specimens. Samples were chemically digested and the extracted MPs were counted and analyzed with optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and SEM-EDX. Microfibers (50–250 µm) were the only shape of MPs found in this study. No correlations were found between the concentrations of extracted MPs and the organisms’ biometric properties. MP fibers were more abundant (p < 0.05) in benthic than pelagic species. The highest mean number of MPs per organs was: liver samples (1 ± 0.71 MPs/10 g) from Brachirus orientalis, gonad samples (2 ± 1.58 MPs/10 g) from Acanthosepion pharaonis, and dorsal muscle samples (4 ± 4.53 MPs/10 g) from A. pharaonis. There were no significant variations in MPs abundance among various tissues, feeding habits and trophic levels (p < 0.05). The number of microfibers were estimated to pose minor risk, while their polymer compositions, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC), followed by polyurethane (PU) and polycarbonate (PC), were dangerous for the investigated biota. The maximum estimated daily intake (EDI) was found for A. pharaonis (1.37 MPs/kg bw/day for children and 0.40 MPs/kg bw/day for adults). Further investigations should address the sorption and leaching of toxicants from microfibers, including further fragmentation of microfibers, to know more about their derived health effects.
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