Environmental Science

CLC number: X835

Microplastics in Freshwater Aquaculture Fishpond System in Yichang, China: The Occurrence, Characteristics and Potential Risks

宜昌淡水养殖鱼塘系统中微塑料的丰度、特征及潜在风险

¹ College of Biological & Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
² Hubei Kings Security Technology Co, LTD, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
³ Hubei Three Gorges Laboratory, Yichang 443007, Hubei, China

^† Corresponding author. E-mail: ctguhb@ctgu.edu.cn

Received: 6 October 2023

Abstract

At present, microplastics have attracted much concern worldwide, but still few researches have focused especially on aquaculture fishponds. In this study, investigations were conducted in Zhijiang (ZJ) and Yidu (YD) areas of Hubei, China, typical freshwater aquaculture bases of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, on the occurrence and distribution characteristics of microplastics in fishpond system. It was found that microplastics presented in all samples from water, sediment, fish, and fish feed. Most microplastics detected had a diameter of <1.0 mm, blue and black were the most common colors, and fiber shape was the dominant type. The most common polymer types were polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Microplastic abundance in fish was correlated with that in sediment and water. The potential ecological risk index values indicated that water, sediment, and fish samples were under moderate pollution risk. The results of this study illustrated the microplastics pollution situation in freshwater cultured fishpond systems, and the findings presented here will serve as a reference for future investigations of the environmental risks of microplastics in aquaculture environment.

摘要

目前, 微塑料在世界范围内引起了广泛的关注, 但专门针对水产养殖鱼塘的研究却很少。本研究对长江中下游典型的淡水养殖基地湖北枝江(ZJ)和宜都(YD)地区的鱼塘系统中微塑料的丰度和分布特征进行了调查。研究发现: 水、沉积物、鱼类和鱼饲料的所有样品中都存在微塑料。检测到的微塑料直径大部分小于1.0 mm, 蓝色和黑色是最常见的颜色, 纤维形状是主要类型。最常见的聚合物类型是聚乙烯(PE)和聚丙烯(PP)。鱼体内的微塑料丰度与沉积物和水中的微塑料丰度相关。潜在生态风险指数值表明, 水体、沉积物和鱼类样本处于中等污染风险。本研究结果说明了淡水养殖鱼塘系统中微塑料的污染状况, 为未来研究微塑料在水产养殖环境中的环境风险提供参考。