Occurrence of microplastics in fish gastrointestinal tracts belongs to different feeding habits from the Bangladesh coast of the Bay of Bengal

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2024-04, Vol.31 (16), p.24329-24343
• Main Authors: Fatema, Kaniz, Islam, Md. Jakiul, Sarker, Md. Ashraful Islam, Elahi, Kazi Shahrukh, Alam, Md. Jahangir, Hasan, Shanur Jahedul, Rashid, Harunur
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bangladesh; Bay of Bengal; carnivores; Coastal zone; coasts; color; digestion; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental perception; Escualosa; Escualosa thoracata; Fish; Fisheries; Flotation; Foams; Food contamination; Food habits; Food preferences; gastrointestinal system; Hydrogen peroxide; Johnius belangerii; Marine environment; Marine fish; microbeads; Microplastics; Microspheres; Mystus; omnivores; planktivores; Plastic debris; Plastic pollution; Polyamide resins; Polyamides; Polyethylene; Polyethylene terephthalate; polyethylene terephthalates; Polymers; Polystyrene; Polystyrene resins; polystyrenes; Research Article; Saline solutions; sodium chloride; species; Tenualosa ilisha; Trichiurus lepturus; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32681-8

The Bay of Bengal (BoB) is home to a range of commercially important species with different food habits and feeding features. Microplastic (MP) contamination in the fish of BoB, like in many other marine environments, is a significant environmental concern. The study aimed to investigate the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of selected commercial marine fishes from the Bangladesh coast of the BoB. Six fish species ( Escualosa thoracata , Tenualosa ilisha , Johnius belangerii , Trichiurus lepturus , Planiliza parsia , and Mystus gulio ) were investigated ( n  = 120) following hydrogen peroxide digestion, and floatation (saline solution) protocols. After analyses, a total number of 696 MPs (dimension 0.3 to 5 mm) were identified. Moreover, the highest occurrence of MPs in fish GITs was found in planktivorous fish (average of 7.7 items/individual), followed by omnivorous (average of 5.2 items/individual), and carnivorous fish (average of 4.6 items/individual) ( p