Ouheddou Maryam, Abelouah Mohamed Rida, Ben-Haddad Mohamed, Hajji Sara, Laaraj Nour Eddine, Akhouchal Ihya, Barra Issam, Rangel-Buitrago Nelson, Agnaou Mustapha, Alla Aicha Ait
Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir 80000, Morocco.
Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir 80000, Morocco.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2025 Jan;210:117334. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.117334. Epub 2024 Nov 29.
The pervasive presence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment is well established, yet many critical questions remain about their distribution and potential impacts on both ecological and human health. To assess the risks that MPs pose, especially through marine ecosystems and human consumption, monitoring their ingestion by fish in natural environments is essential. This study investigated the contamination of 12 fish species, the most commonly consumed in Morocco, collected from the Atlantic Ocean off the Moroccan coast. Analysis of 240 fish (20 individuals per species) revealed that 100 % of the samples contained microplastics. MPs were detected in the gills, gonads, and gastrointestinal tracts of all 12 species. The average abundance of microplastics per fish ranged from 20.6 to 133.2 MPs, with the forms identified as fragments (60 %), fibers (30 %), films (8 %), and pellets and foams (1 %). Additionally, omnivorous and demersal species presented the highest levels of MP contamination. Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis identified seven polymers, with high-density polyethylene (34 %), polyethylene terephthalate (30 %), and polypropylene (17.5 %) being the most prevalent. The microplastics were predominantly dark or light in color, with a notable presence of red and blue particles. Fish ingest various sizes of microplastics, primarily particles smaller than 1 mm. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) revealed that most MPs exhibited visible signs of weathering and contained inorganic components on their surfaces. The potential risk of MPs to fish, as assessed by the polymer hazard index (PHI), was categorized as level V, indicating that MPs may pose significant risks to human health. The highest estimated daily intake (EDI) of microplastics was found in children (1620 MPs/year), whereas the lowest intake was estimated in women (350 MPs/year) and men (337 MPs/year). Given the widespread presence of microplastics in commonly consumed fish species in Morocco, there is an urgent need for regulatory measures to ensure the safety of fisheries, both for domestic consumption and export. Policymakers should consider the development of guidelines for acceptable levels of microplastic contamination in fish to safeguard public health.
微塑料（MPs）在环境中的普遍存在已得到充分证实，但关于它们的分布以及对生态和人类健康的潜在影响仍存在许多关键问题。为了评估微塑料带来的风险，特别是通过海洋生态系统和人类消费途径造成的风险，监测鱼类在自然环境中对其的摄取情况至关重要。本研究调查了从摩洛哥海岸附近大西洋采集的12种摩洛哥最常食用的鱼类的污染情况。对240条鱼（每个物种20条个体）的分析表明，100%的样本都含有微塑料。在所有12个物种的鳃、性腺和胃肠道中都检测到了微塑料。每条鱼体内微塑料的平均丰度在20.6至133.2个微塑料之间，其形态被确定为碎片（60%）、纤维（30%）、薄膜（8%）以及颗粒和泡沫（1%）。此外，杂食性和底栖物种的微塑料污染水平最高。红外光谱（ATR - FTIR）分析确定了七种聚合物，其中高密度聚乙烯（34%）、聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯（30%）和聚丙烯（17.5%）最为普遍。微塑料的颜色主要为深色或浅色，红色和蓝色颗粒也较为显著。鱼类摄取各种尺寸的微塑料，主要是小于1毫米的颗粒。扫描电子显微镜结合能量色散X射线分析（SEM/EDX）显示，大多数微塑料都有明显的风化迹象，并且其表面含有无机成分。通过聚合物危害指数（PHI）评估，微塑料对鱼类的潜在风险被归类为V级，这表明微塑料可能对人类健康构成重大风险。儿童的微塑料估计每日摄入量（EDI）最高（每年1620个微塑料），而女性（每年350个微塑料）和男性（每年337个微塑料）的摄入量估计最低。鉴于微塑料在摩洛哥常见食用鱼类中的广泛存在，迫切需要采取监管措施，以确保国内消费和出口渔业的安全。政策制定者应考虑制定鱼类中微塑料污染可接受水平的指导方针，以保障公众健康。
