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Santonicola S, Volgare M, Schiano ME, Cocca M, Colavita G. A study on textile microfiber contamination in the gastrointestinal tracts of Merluccius merluccius samples from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ital J Food Saf 2024; 13:12216. [PMID: 38807742 PMCID: PMC11128977 DOI: 10.4081/ijfs.2024.12216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The increased demand and consumption of synthetic textiles have contributed to microplastic pollution in the form of microfibers. These particles are widely spread in the aquatic environment, leading to the exposure of marine biota, including edible species. The current study aimed to assess the extent of microfiber contamination in a commercially relevant fish species, Merluccius merluccius, which is considered a small-scale bioindicator for the monitoring of plastic ingestion in the Mediterranean coastal environment. The frequency of ingestion, abundance, and composition of textile microfibers isolated from the fish gut were characterized. Results showed the occurrence of microfibers in 75% of the samples, with a mean number of 10.6 microfibers/individual, of which 70% were classified as natural microfibers. The spectroscopic analyses confirmed both the visual identification of microfibers and the prevalence of cellulosic fibers. The obtained findings provided evidence of both natural/artificial and synthetic microfiber exposure in an important commercial fish species that, considering the consumption of small individuals without being eviscerated, may be a potential route of microfiber exposure in humans. Monitoring programs for fishery products from markets are needed to assess contamination levels and human health risks. In addition, measures to control microfiber pollution need to occur at multiple levels, from textile industries to international governments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Santonicola
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso
- Institute of Polymer, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli
| | - Michela Volgare
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials, and Industrial Production, University of Naples Federico II
| | - Marica Erminia Schiano
- Institute of Polymer, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
| | - Mariacristina Cocca
- Institute of Polymer, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli
| | - Giampaolo Colavita
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso
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Kim JA, Kim MJ, Park YS, Kang CK, Kim JH, Choi CY. Effects of microfiber and bead microplastic exposure in the goldfish Carassius auratus: Bioaccumulation, antioxidant responses, and cell damage. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 263:106684. [PMID: 37677861 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
We confirmed antioxidant-related gene expression, bioaccumulation, and cell damage following exposure to various microplastics in vivo and in vitro in the goldfish Carassius auratus. Exposure of C. auratus to a 500 µm fiber-type microplastic environment (MF; 10 and 100 fibers/L) and two sizes (0.2 and 1.0 µm) of beads (MB; 10 and 100 beads/L) for 120 h increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) mRNA expression in the liver until 24 h followed by a decrease. Whereas, catalase (CAT) mRNA expression increased from 12 h to the end of the in vivo experiment. In vitro experiments were conducted with diluted microfibers (1 and 5 fibers/L) and microbeads (1 and 5 beads/L) using cultured liver cells. The results of SOD and CAT mRNA expression analysis conducted in vitro showed a tendency similar to those of experiments conducted in vivo. The H2O2 level increased in the high-concentration experimental groups compared with that in the low-concentration groups of 0.2-µm beads. In addition, the H2O2 level increased in both MF and MB groups from 12 h of exposure. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in plasma were used as indicators of liver damage in fish. The ALT and AST levels increased up to 120 h after exposure. Caspase-3 (casp-3) mRNA expression was higher in the MB group than in the MF group. We visually confirmed liver casp-3 mRNA signals using in situ hybridization. The degree of DNA damage in the MF and MB high-concentration groups increased with the exposure time. The tail length and percent of DNA in the tail of the MB group were significantly higher than those of the MF group, confirming that DNA damage was greater in the MB group. Both fiber- and bead-type microplastics induced oxidative stress in C. auratus, but the bead-type induced greater stress than the fiber-type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin A Kim
- Department of Convergence Study on the Ocean Science and Technology, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 49112, Korea
| | - Min Ju Kim
- Department of Convergence Study on the Ocean Science and Technology, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 49112, Korea
| | - Young-Su Park
- Department of Nursing, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan 46252, Korea
| | - Chang-Keun Kang
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Korea
| | - Jun-Hwan Kim
- Department of Marine Life Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Korea.
| | - Cheol Young Choi
- Department of Convergence Study on the Ocean Science and Technology, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 49112, Korea; Division of Marine BioScience, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 49112, Korea.
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Zicarelli G, Romano C, Gallo S, Valentino C, Pepe Bellomo V, Leonetti FL, Giglio G, Neri A, Marsili L, Milazzo C, Faggio C, Mancusi C, Sperone E. Diet and Plastic Ingestion in the Blackmouth Catshark Galeus melastomus, Rafinesque 1810, in Italian Waters. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13061039. [PMID: 36978580 PMCID: PMC10044643 DOI: 10.3390/ani13061039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Galeus melastomus is the most common Pentanchidae in the Mediterranean Sea. A scavenger and opportunistic feeder, and despite the wide distribution, little is known about its feeding habits in Italian waters. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the diet of the blackmouth catshark by analysing the stomach contents. The specimens analysed were obtained from five populations of the Tyrrhenian and of the Ionian Seas, collected from a depth between 40 and 700 m. A total of 259 stomachs were analysed. The stomach contents were grouped into macro-categories and identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Crustaceans such as Parapenaeus longirostris, the Cephalopods Heteroteuthis dispar and Onychoteuthis banksii, and Osteichthyes, mostly Myctophidae, were identified. Plastic debris was also found among the stomach contents and classified according to its colour and shape. Osteichthyes represent the most abundant item (44%), above all the Myctophidae family, except for the catshark population from Tuscany, in which the most frequent species were Cephalopods, such as Abralia veranyi and Heteroteuthis dispar. Differences in the plastic debris contents were also observed between the Tuscany population and other populations. These could be explained as a probable consequence of the different depths at which the blackmouth catshark populations were sampled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Zicarelli
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Chiara Romano
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Samira Gallo
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Carmen Valentino
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Victor Pepe Bellomo
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Francesco Luigi Leonetti
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Gianni Giglio
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Alessandra Neri
- Consorzio per il Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina ed Ecologia Applicata “G. Bacci” (CIBM), Viale N. Sauro 4, 57128 Livorno, Italy
- Department of Environment, Earth and Physical Sciences, Siena University, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Letizia Marsili
- Department of Environment, Earth and Physical Sciences, Siena University, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Concetta Milazzo
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Caterina Faggio
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Cecilia Mancusi
- Department of Environment, Earth and Physical Sciences, Siena University, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Environmental Protection Agency of the Tuscany Region (ARPAT), Via Marradi 114, 57126 Livorno, Italy
| | - Emilio Sperone
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0984492972
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Gallitelli L, Battisti C, Scalici M. Dunal plants intercepting macrolitter: Implications for beach clean-ups. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 187:114585. [PMID: 36638716 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Coastal vegetation intercepts macroplastics and, consequently, it may represent a reservoir of anthropogenic litter and organic wrack. We aimed at investigating (i) the abundance variation of macrolitter from the beach to foredune and backdune (three cross-shore plots over 20 long-shore sectors) and (ii) the role of the halo-psammophilous plants and Phragmites australis reedbed in intercepting the macrolitter, respectively, in the foredunes and backdunes. The vegetation in the foredunes (mainly halo-psammophilous species) acted as a first interception belt for macrolitter, while the bigger litter reached the backdunes. Our results might be of great concern with implications for beach clean-ups - which must also be mainly focused in foredunes and backdunes, however warning operators in advance that they could damage the vegetation by trampling on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Gallitelli
- Department of Sciences, University of Rome Tre, Rome, Italy.
| | - Corrado Battisti
- "Torre Flavia" LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) Station, Protected Areas Service, Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Rome, Italy.
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Microplastics in the Deep: Comparing Dietary and Plastic Ingestion Data between Two Mediterranean Bathyal Opportunistic Feeder Species, Galeus melastomus, Rafinesque, 1810 and Coelorinchus caelorhincus (Risso, 1810), through Stomach Content Analysis. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10050624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Marine plastic pollution is currently an issue of mounting concern around the world. Stomach content of marine fish has been increasingly used as a valid proxy for detecting the presence of such a pollutant in marine biota, both for coastal and deep-water environments. Although ingestion of microplastics has been reported in an increasing number of species, the patterns of ingestion still remain unclear, depending closely on the interaction between the species and types of microplastics involved. In this context, we analysed and compared the stomach contents of two bathyal dwelling opportunistic feeder species namely Galeus melastomus and Coelorinchus caelorhincus. In particular, we analysed microplastic items according to their dimension, morphology and colour, and diet’s variation with size obtained through prey identification. Both species showed a higher frequency of occurrence of the blue filament-like middle-sized microplastics (1.01–4.75 mm) compared with the other categories, although this pattern was much more marked in C. caelorhincus than in G. melastomus. The latter conversely showed a larger array of ingested plastic items in terms of shape and colour. Matching plastic ingestion with dietary data suggested potential predator confusion occurring in C. caelorhincus through active mis-selection of a defined type of microplastic instead of some particular family of polychaetes, which resemble in shape, size, and color to that type. Otherwise, G. melastomus appeared more prone to a random ingestion of a larger array of microplastic items because of a more generalistic and less selective feeding strategy. Although further validation is needed, stomach contents of the two species showed evidence strong enough to be considered as potential bioindicator species of microplastic pollution, as required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive for monitoring this pollutant in the marine environment.
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