Preliminary assessment of microplastic contamination of fish from a Metro Manila wet market

• Main Author: Garcia, Dennis Paolo M.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: Microplastics > Philippines > Metro Manila; Fishes; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdb_bio/52; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdb_bio/article/1046/viewcontent/2023_Garcia_Preliminary_assessment_of_microplastic_contamination_of_fish_Full_text.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Microplastics pose a significant and urgent risk to ecosystems worldwide, as they not only contribute to the decline of both marine and terrestrial populations, extinction, and environmental degradation but also extend their impact to the food and consumer sector. Wet markets or palengkes in the Philippines are a key trading center for fresh and affordable seafood nationwide. This study aims to contribute to the body of knowledge regarding microplastics in fish from wet markets, as these findings can help involved parties to make informed decisions, minimizing risk for humans and preventing further ecological damage. This study aims to lay a foundation for monitoring and assessing microplastic contamination inside fish bought fresh at wet markets. A total of 99 samples across 11 species were purchased and used as the samples for this experiment. After dissection of the gastrointestinal tract, these samples are then incubated in a KOH solution to dissolve organic matter, leaving only microplastics and hard debris in the solution. This method is currently considered the most efficient and cost-effective way to monitor microplastics inside fish. An average of 2-3 pieces of plastic were found in each fish that was contaminated, with recent averages showing a 3-piece average as well. Results also showed a heavy prevalence of Fiber-type microplastics with 93% of the identified plastics categorized as such, with 5% as Film type, and 2% as Fragment type. Varying levels of contamination were found across all the species ranging from clean to high with no pattern or notable consistency within contamination as some species turned out clean, and some highly contaminated. Predominant contamination was observed for these wet market fish with only 18% of the replicates being clean and the other 82% as contaminated, regardless of severity. The results from this study could prove beneficial for involved parties to better understand the situation of the problem and tackle the issue at its weak points. By tracing back the microplastics found in these fish, insight is gained for a better-targeted goal and implementation of measures. From the data gathered in this study, fiber-type microplastics were significantly more prevalent than the other types which could suggest that further investigation is urgently needed to trace these microplastics back to their source, and this may open new avenues for research which include finding alternatives, banning/allowing certain aquaculture tools & materials, and even creating cleanup drives where fiber-type microplastics sources are prevalent such as plastic sacks, fishing lines/nets, and synthetic textiles. For further studies, the researcher recommends considering a more detail-oriented study with regard to the variables present in microplastic assessment such as the province of origin, fish size/abundance, feeding patterns, etc.