A study shows that most seafood analyzed contains microplastics, including fish and shrimp, writes Science Alert, which cites Frontiers in Toxicology.
A study conducted off the coast of the US state of Oregon found that almost all seafood samples analyzed contained anthropogenic particles, including microplastics, cotton fibers and paper fragments.
The research analyzed 182 specimens of fish and shrimp caught or sold in markets.
Shrimp had the highest concentrations of microplastics
Shrimp had the highest concentrations of microplastics, likely due to their positioning in the water column, where plastic debris and zooplankton float.
“It’s concerning that microfibers seem to pass from the stomach into other tissues, such as muscle,” said Susanne Brander, an ecotoxicologist at Oregon State University. It warns that the effects on human health are still unknown and require urgent research.
The study shows that plastic in packaging contributes to the contamination of marketed seafood, while larger species, such as salmon, showed the lowest particle concentrations.
Source: www.descopera.ro
