TY - JOUR
T1 - Microplastics in brown trout (Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758) from an Irish riverine system
AU - O'Connor, James D.
AU - Murphy, Sinéad
AU - Lally, Heather T.
AU - O'Connor, Ian
AU - Nash, Róisín
AU - O'Sullivan, John
AU - Bruen, Michael
AU - Heerey, Linda
AU - Koelmans, Albert A.
AU - Cullagh, Alan
AU - Cullagh, Declan
AU - Mahon, Anne Marie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Rivers play an important role in the overall transport of microplastic pollution (1 μm to 5 mm), with fluvial dynamics expected to influence biotic interactions, particularly for fish. So far, there have been few assessments of microplastics in freshwater salmonids. The prevalence (i.e. percentage occurrence) and burden (i.e. abundance per fish) of microplastics were assessed in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) and stomach contents (SCs) of 58 brown trout Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758 sampled at six sites along the River Slaney catchment in south-east Ireland. Sites were divided into two classifications (high and low exposure) based on proximity to microplastic pollution sources, comprising three sites each. Analysis of biological traits (e.g. fish length) and diet was performed on the same fish to determine possible factors explaining microplastic burden. Microplastics were found in 72% of fish having been recovered from 66% of GITs (1.88 ± 1.53 MPs fish⁻1) and 28% of SCs (1.31 ± 0.48 MPs fish⁻1). Fibres were the dominant particle type recovered from GITs (67%) and SCs (57%) followed by fragments. No difference in median microplastic burden was observed between fish collected in high and low exposure sites. Microplastic burden was unrelated to fish fork length, while microplastic size distribution (100 ≤ 350 μm, 350 μm to ≤ 5 mm) was unrelated to S. trutta age class estimates. Furthermore, microplastic burden was not explained by dietary intake. Though further research is necessary, this study showed the presence of microplastics in wild S. trutta collected from an Irish riverine system, which could have further implications for top-level consumers that feed on the species, including humans. Further analysis is required to determine possible trophic linkages for the species, with respect to microplastics, and to assess the suitability of S. trutta for monitoring microplastics in river systems. Microplastics were detected in riverine brown trout Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758, confirming the species are ingesting this widespread pollutant. Burdens were not explained by the level of microplastic exposure, biological traits or dietary intake.
AB - Rivers play an important role in the overall transport of microplastic pollution (1 μm to 5 mm), with fluvial dynamics expected to influence biotic interactions, particularly for fish. So far, there have been few assessments of microplastics in freshwater salmonids. The prevalence (i.e. percentage occurrence) and burden (i.e. abundance per fish) of microplastics were assessed in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) and stomach contents (SCs) of 58 brown trout Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758 sampled at six sites along the River Slaney catchment in south-east Ireland. Sites were divided into two classifications (high and low exposure) based on proximity to microplastic pollution sources, comprising three sites each. Analysis of biological traits (e.g. fish length) and diet was performed on the same fish to determine possible factors explaining microplastic burden. Microplastics were found in 72% of fish having been recovered from 66% of GITs (1.88 ± 1.53 MPs fish⁻1) and 28% of SCs (1.31 ± 0.48 MPs fish⁻1). Fibres were the dominant particle type recovered from GITs (67%) and SCs (57%) followed by fragments. No difference in median microplastic burden was observed between fish collected in high and low exposure sites. Microplastic burden was unrelated to fish fork length, while microplastic size distribution (100 ≤ 350 μm, 350 μm to ≤ 5 mm) was unrelated to S. trutta age class estimates. Furthermore, microplastic burden was not explained by dietary intake. Though further research is necessary, this study showed the presence of microplastics in wild S. trutta collected from an Irish riverine system, which could have further implications for top-level consumers that feed on the species, including humans. Further analysis is required to determine possible trophic linkages for the species, with respect to microplastics, and to assess the suitability of S. trutta for monitoring microplastics in river systems. Microplastics were detected in riverine brown trout Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758, confirming the species are ingesting this widespread pollutant. Burdens were not explained by the level of microplastic exposure, biological traits or dietary intake.
KW - Biomonitoring
KW - Dietary analysis
KW - Fish
KW - Food webs
KW - Freshwater ecology
KW - Plastic pollution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85090849409&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115572
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115572
M3 - Article
C2 - 33254617
AN - SCOPUS:85090849409
SN - 0269-7491
VL - 267
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
M1 - 115572
ER -