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Ingestion of Microplastics in the Juvenile Black Rockfish (Sebastes melanops) from Oregon Coastal Sampling Sites

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/defaults/x633f724b

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  • Microplastics (<5mm) are a ubiquitous environmental pollutant that have the potential to cause significant harm in many fish species. Therefore, understanding the quantities at which they are being consumed by living organisms is crucial for characterizing risk. There are currently gaps in the microplastic literature regarding microplastic data from finfish species from the Pacific Northwest. To account for this missing knowledge, juvenile Black Rockfish (Sebastes melanops) samples were collected from the Oregon coastal sites of Otter Rock Marine Reserve and its comparison site Cape Foulweather, to identify the rate at which microplastics were being consumed. To identify this rate, the entirety of the juvenile gastrointestinal tract was removed, digested, vacuumed and analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Overall, it was determined that microplastics were being consumed in relatively low rates, comprising only 14% of all ingested fibers. The most prevalent microplastic was polyester (67%) followed by polyamide (17%), polyethylene (8%), and lastly, polypropylene (8%). Most fibers consumed were determined to be cellulose of anthropogenic origin (81%). Additionally, upon comparing microparticle consumption between the two sites, there was found to be no statistical significant difference between the Otter Rock Marine Reserve and Cape Foulweather comparison site (p value: 0.066). This first assessment of microplastic consumption in juvenile Black Rockfish from Oregon coastal sampling sites, is important in characterizing risk assessment of microplastics in juvenile fish species of the Pacific Northwest and, in determining the impact marine reserves have on microplastic ingestion rates.
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  • 2021-08-31 to 2022-09-28

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