Research Article: Microplastic ingestion by Psettodes erumei in the northern Oman Sea

Recently, the contamination of microplastics (MPs) has emerged as a globally significant issue, raising concerns across all environmental matrices, particularly in marine environments. This study investigates the ingestion of MPs by Psettodes eromei, a commercially important demersal fish in the northern Oman Sea, Iran, with the aim of assessing the presence and characteristics of MPs in gills, guts, and skin. A total of ۱۵۴ microplastic particles were identified across all tissues examined. These MPs were characterized based on their physical (size, shape, and color) and chemical (polymer types) attributes using a stereomicroscope and Raman spectroscopy respectively. The results showed that fibers were the most prevalent shape and blue and black being the dominant colors. MPs predominantly ranged in size from ۵۰-۲۰۰ µm. Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) were the most common polymers detected. These findings highlight the pervasive nature of MP contamination in marine environments and raise concerns about potential health risks to humans consuming contaminated seafood. Hence, it can provide crucial baseline data on MP pollution in the Oman Sea. Moreover, contributes to our understanding of the environmental impacts of plastic waste on marine ecosystems and food webs.

کلیدواژه ها:

Microplastic ، Marine ، Raman ، Oman Sea ، Commercial fish