Microplastics FTIR characterisation and distribution in the water column and digestive tracts of small pelagic fish in the Gulf of Lions

This study aims at quantifying and characterising microplastics (MP) distribution in the water column of the NW Mediterranean Sea as well as MP ingestion by the 2 main planktivorous fish of the area, sardine and anchovy. Debris of similar sizes were found in all water column samples and in all but 2...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2019-05, Vol.142, p.510-519
Main Authors: Lefebvre, Charlotte, Saraux, Claire, Heitz, Olivier, Nowaczyk, Antoine, Bonnet, Delphine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anchovies
Animals
Biodiversity and Ecology
Dietary Exposure
Distribution
Ecology, environment
Ecosystems
Ecotoxicology - methods
Engraulis encrasicolus
Environmental Sciences
Fibers
Fish
Fish Products - analysis
Fishes
FTIR
Gastrointestinal Contents - chemistry
Ingestion
Isotopes
Life Sciences
Marine fishes
Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
Microplastics
Pelagic fish
Plastics - analysis
Polyethylene
Polyethylene terephthalate
Polymers
Sardina pilchardus
Sardines
Seawater - analysis
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared - methods
Water circulation
Water column
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
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Summary:This study aims at quantifying and characterising microplastics (MP) distribution in the water column of the NW Mediterranean Sea as well as MP ingestion by the 2 main planktivorous fish of the area, sardine and anchovy. Debris of similar sizes were found in all water column samples and in all but 2 fish guts (out of 169). MP were found in 93% of water column samples with an average concentration of 0.23 ± 0.20 MP·m−3, but in only 12% of sardines (0.20 ± 0.69 MP·ind−1) and 11% of anchovies (0.11 ± 0.31 MP·ind−1). Fibres were the only shape of MP encountered and polyethylene terephthalate was the main polymer identified in water columns (61%), sardines (71%) and anchovies (89%). This study confirms the ubiquity of MP in the Mediterranean Sea and imparts low occurrence in fish digestive tracts. •Microplastics were studied in the NW Mediterranean Sea using 17 stations in 2015.•Microplastic concentration averaged 0.23 ± 0.20 MP·m−3 in the water column.•Microplastic ingestion occurred in only 11–12% of anchovies and sardines.•The main polymer type recovered in each sample was polyethylene terephtalate.•Fibres were the only microplastic shape encountered.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.03.025