Occurrence of microplastics in commercial marine dried fish in Asian countries

The major risk of microplastics in marine environments is the bioaccumulation in marine organisms. Plastic ingestion by marine organisms has been investigated and recently more attention has been given to micmplastics in seafood. However, it is seldom reported the occurrence of micmplastics in marine commercial dried fish products available for human consumption. Here, we report the occurrence of microplastics in 14different marine dried fish products from seven Asian countries. Microplastics were observed in most dried fish, with fibers representing similar to 80% of the total-microplastics. The major plastic polymers, identified using Micro-Raman spectroscopy, included polyethylene (35%), polyethylene terephthalate (26%), polystyrene (18%), polyvinyl chloride (12%), and polypropylene (9%). The highest count, in either per individual (1.92 +/- 0.12) or per gram of dried fish (0.56 +/- 0.03), were found in Etrumeus micropus from Japan. Marine dried fish, which are typically eaten whole, may contribute to the ingestion of microplastics by humans, posing potential health risks especially in Asian countries. Further studies are needed to identify the occurrence of smaller sized microplastics and nanoplastics and their potential health impacts.

Automated summary

A study found a high presence of microplastics in 14 different marine dried fish products from seven Asian countries, with fibers making up around 80% of the total microplastics. The major plastic polymers identified included polyethylene, PET, polystyrene, PVC, and polypropylene. Consumption of whole marine dried fish products may contribute to human ingestion of microplastics, especially in Asian countries, potentially posing health risks. Further research is needed to identify smaller sized microplastics and nanoplastics and their potential health impacts.