Microplastic in the gastrointestinal tract of fishes along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:131

Article

Baalkhuyur, Fadiyah M.^1,2  Bin Dohaish, El-Jawaher A.¹  Elhalwagy, Manal E. A.³  Alikunhi, Nabeel M.²  AlSuwailem, Abdulaziz M.⁴  Rostad, Anders²  Coker, Darren J.²  Berumen, Michael L.²  Duarte, Carlos M.² 

[1] King Abdulaziz Univ, Al Faisaliah Branch, Dept Zool, Jeddah 5145921453, Saudi Arabia

[2] KAUST, Red Sea Res Ctr, Div Biol & Environm Sci & Engn BESE, Thuwal 239556900, Saudi Arabia

[3] King Abdulaziz Univ, Al Faisaliah Branch, Dept Biochem, Jeddah 5145921453, Saudi Arabia

[4] KAUST, Beacon Dev Co, Thuwal 239556900, Saudi Arabia

关键词: Stomach content;    FT-IR;    Polymer;    Commercial fish;    Grouper;    Mesopelagic fish;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.04.040

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

This study assesses the presence of microplastic litter in the contents of the gastrointestinal tract of 26 commercial and non-commercial fish species from four difference habitats sampled along the Saudi Arabian coast of the Red Sea. A total of 178 individual were examined for microplastics. In total, 26 microplastic fragments were found. Of these, 16 being films (61.5%) and 10 being fishing thread (38.5%). FTIR analysis revealed that the most abundant polymers were polypropylene and polyethylene. The grouper (Epinephelus spp.) sampled at Jazan registered the highest number of ingested microplastics. This fish species is benthic and feeds on benthic invertebrates. Although differences in the abundance of microplastic ingestion among species were not statistically significant, a significant change was observed when the level of ingestion of microplastics particles was compared among the habitats. The higher abundance of microplastics particles may be related to the habitats of fish and the presence of microplastics debris near the seabed. The results of this study represent a first evidence that microplastic pollution represents an emerging threat to Red Sea fishes, their food web and human consumers.

【 授权许可】

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