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Microplastics in shrimps: a study from the trawling grounds of north eastern part of Arabian Sea

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Abstract

Accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in marine organisms poses an imminent environmental threat and health risk due to the possibility of trophic transfer of accumulated MPs in ecologically important food chains. In this context, a field-level study was conducted on the fishing grounds of the north eastern part of the Arabian Sea through experimental fishing, and the gastrointestinal tracts (GT) of three different species of shrimps (n=180) were examined for the incidence of microplastics. The results showed that all shrimp caught from the fishing grounds had significant levels of MPs in the gastrointestinal tracts. A total number of 1220 microplastic items were recorded from the pooled samples, with an average of 6.78 ± 2.80 items per individual. The gastrointestinal tract showed an average number of 70.32 ± 34.67 MPs per gram of the gut material. The MPs with the size range of 100–250 μm were the most abundant form found in the shrimp species analyzed. Among the colored MP particles, black color was the most dominant (30.16%) form of MP. Fibers, fragments, pellets, beads, and films were the common morphotypes; however, fibers showed an occurrence of 39.40%, 47.39%, and 41.89% in the GTs of Metapenaeus monoceros, Parapeneopsis stylifera, and Penaeus indicus, respectively. In the present study, six types of plastic polymers were identified from the GTs of the studied samples. The findings confirm the presence of microplastics in the natural habitats of shrimps beyond the coast and indicate that shrimps caught from these coastal fishing grounds contain MPs in their gut. The findings underline the immediate scientific intervention for the microplastic reduction in the marine environment.

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Data were available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are beholden to the Director of ICAR-CIFE, Mumbai, for the facilities provided during the entire research work. The authors are also grateful to the crew members of the vessel (MFV Narmada, ICAR-CIFE) for their help and support in sampling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fisheries Resource Harvest and Post-Harvest Management Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400061, India

    Udai Ram Gurjar, Martin Xavier, Binaya Bhusan Nayak, Karankumar Ramteke, Geetanjali Deshmukhe & Ashok Kumar Jaiswar

  2. Aquatic Environmental Management Department, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400061, India

    Satya Prakash Shukla

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  1. Udai Ram Gurjar
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  2. Martin Xavier
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  3. Binaya Bhusan Nayak
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  4. Karankumar Ramteke
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  5. Geetanjali Deshmukhe
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Contributions

URG: Data investigation and writing the initial draft preparation. MX: Conceptualization supervision, and reviewing and editing. KKR and SPS: Microscopy facility and guidance and monitoring. GD: Review and supervision of microscopic analysis. AKJ: Gut analysis. BBN: Project administration supervision.

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Correspondence to Martin Xavier.

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Highlights

• Ocean microplastics are considered a health hazard in seafood items.

• Relative incidence of MPs in shrimps from north eastern Arabian Sea was studied.

• A range of 6–10 MPs per individual shrimp was observed with higher dominance of fiber.

• MPs ingestion in penaeid shrimps shows 35–100 particles per gram of the intestine.

• Strict processing interventions can reduce this chemical hazard to certain levels.

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Gurjar, U.R., Xavier, M., Nayak, B.B. et al. Microplastics in shrimps: a study from the trawling grounds of north eastern part of Arabian Sea. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 48494–48504 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14121-z

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