MICROPLASTICS INGESTION BY FRESHWATER FISH IN THE CHI RIVER, THAILAND
Keywords:
Microplastics Pollution, Freshwater fish, Stomach content, Aquatic EnvironmentAbstract
Microplastic pollution mainly emanates from terrestrial sources but studies of plastic
contamination in freshwater ecosystems remain limited. Consumption of freshwater fish is widespread
throughout all regions of Southeast Asia. Contamination of microplastics in fish is an important issue which
leads to human health risk. Common freshwater fish in the Chi River, Thailand were caught by local fishermen
and investigated for abundance, size, color and shape of microplastics. Eight fish species were investigated.
Results showed that 72.9% of the collected fish were polluted with microplastics at mean abundance of
1.760.97 particles per fish and was no significant difference of abundance between species. Percentage
occurrence of microplastics was highest in omnivorous fish Puntioplites proctozysron (86.7%) with the most
common size of microplastics ingested by fish at over 0.5 mm (47.5%), of which 56.9% were blue color and
86.9% were fiber shaped. Results revealed that fishing nets and fish cages were major sources of microplastic
contaminants in the Chi River.