Ingestion of microplastics by some commercial fishes in the lower Gulf of Thailand: a preliminary approach to ocean conservation
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Abstract
Microplastics have been acknowledged as evolving marine contaminants of noteworthy apprehension, due to their ubiquity, persistence and toxic potentiality. It is very urgent and important to study about microplastic pollution not only in Thailand but also for the world because of its harmful effects on marine biota as well as for human health. The study focused on the presence of plastic debris in the stomach contents of some economically important fish caught in the lower Gulf of Thailand between January to April 2018. Size and weight range of the samples were 7.6 to 21.9 cm and 4 to 99 gm. Results highlighted the ingestion of plastics in the 54.29% samples. The ingested plastics were microplastics (27.27%; <5 mm), mesoplastics (69.88%; 5-25 mm) and macroplastic, (2.85%; >25 mm). Fibres were the major forms of plastics found during this study. These preliminary findings underlined the ubiquitous presence of microplastics in the lower Gulf of Thailand marine biota, as well as the water column where pelagic fish live, and feed and it also representd an urgency to reduce the use of plastics or to ensure the proper recycling it.
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