Microplastic pollution in water, sediment, and specific tissues of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) within two different breeding modes in Jianli, Hubei province, China. (1st March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Dongdong; Fraser, Maria A.; Huang, Wei; Ge, Chengjun; Wang, Yi; Zhang, Chunfang; Guo, Peng
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 272(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-03-01
• Subjects: Microplastics -- Crayfish -- Tissues -- Breeding mode -- Cleansing treatment; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115939
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in water, sediment, and crayfish samples within pond and rice-crayfish co-culture breeding modes in Jianli prefecture, China. Microplastics in environmental and biological samples were systematically extracted by CaCl2 solution, digested by H2 O2 and KOH, and identified by μ-FTIR. A cleansing treatment for crayfish was performed in pure water before dissection and microplastic accumulation in different tissues (gill, stomach, gut, and flesh) of non-cleansed and cleansed crayfish were compared. The average microplastic abundances were 1.3 ± 0.1–2.5 ± 0.1 particles/L, 0.03 ± 0.01–0.04 ± 0.02 particles/g, and 0.17 ± 0.07–0.92 ± 0.19 particles/individual in water, sediment, and crayfish samples, respectively. Microplastics were detected in all studied crayfish tissues, except the flesh. There were no significant differences in microplastic abundances in water ( P = 0.82), sediment ( P = 0.90), and crayfish ( P = 0.47 for non-cleansed samples; P = 0.30 for cleansed samples) between two breeding modes despite the detection of relatively higher microplastic abundances in the samples from the pond breeding mode. Microplastic accumulation in non-cleansed crayfish stomachs and guts (0.71 ± 0.18 particles/individual) was higher ( P < 0.01) than that recorded in their gills (0.13 ± 0.06 particles/individual). Moreover, microplastics present in the stomachs and guts of cleansed crayfish were significantly less abundant ( P < 0.01) than in non-cleansed crayfish, although this was not observed in the gills ( P = 0.99). The majority of microplastic particles in this study had fiber-like shapes, blue and transparent colors, a size smaller than 1 mm, and polymer types of PP:PE and PE. The results demonstrate that microplastics in the environment can accumulate in the internal tissues of crayfish, which may pose a potential risk to humans through food consumption without the removal of the gills, stomach, and guts. This study provides valuable information for understanding microplastic accumulation in the different tissues of crayfish and the potential risk of human exposure to microplastics from crayfish as a food supplement. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Microplastic pollution was studied in two different crayfish breeding modes. Microplastics were detected in water, sediment, and tissues of crayfish. Microplastic abundance differences between two breeding modes were not significant. Microplastic accumulation in digestive tissues of crayfish was higher than gills. More microplastics were found in non-cleansed crayfish than in cleansed specimens. Abstract : Microplastics accumulated mainly in the stomachs and guts of non-cleansed crayfish and were more abundant than in cleansed crayfish.