The present study investigates the occurrence of plastic pollution in two commercially important marine teleosts (Zeus faber and Lepidopus caudatus) from the northern coasts of Sicily (Tyrrhenian Sea). Plastics occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract was higher in Lepidopus caudatus (78.1%) than Zeus faber (51.4%). Debris characterization, carried out by micro-Raman spectroscopy, allowed identified the main types of found polymers as: polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), nylon and, to a lesser extent, polyethylene (PE). Of the two fish species studied, the silver scabbardfish appeared to be the more vulnerable to plastic ingestion. Our study represents a starting point that may pave the way for future investigation of the fate, accumulation and transfer of plastic debris to upper trophic levels, to verify their potential toxicity and to better understand strategies to mitigate this phenomenon.

Plastics occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract of Zeus faber and Lepidopus caudatus from the Tyrrhenian Sea

Bottari T.
Primo
;
Savoca S.
Secondo
;
Mancuso M.;Capillo G.;Crupi R.;Sanfilippo M.;Neri F.;Spano N.
Penultimo
;
Fazio E.
Ultimo
2019-01-01

Abstract

The present study investigates the occurrence of plastic pollution in two commercially important marine teleosts (Zeus faber and Lepidopus caudatus) from the northern coasts of Sicily (Tyrrhenian Sea). Plastics occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract was higher in Lepidopus caudatus (78.1%) than Zeus faber (51.4%). Debris characterization, carried out by micro-Raman spectroscopy, allowed identified the main types of found polymers as: polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), nylon and, to a lesser extent, polyethylene (PE). Of the two fish species studied, the silver scabbardfish appeared to be the more vulnerable to plastic ingestion. Our study represents a starting point that may pave the way for future investigation of the fate, accumulation and transfer of plastic debris to upper trophic levels, to verify their potential toxicity and to better understand strategies to mitigate this phenomenon.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2019_Marine Pollution Bulletin 146,408–416.pdf

solo gestori archivio

Tipologia: Versione Editoriale (PDF)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 2.65 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
2.65 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11570/3142863
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 7
  • Scopus 36
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 32
social impact