Microplastics and seafood: lower trophic organisms at highest risk of contamination

Microplastic debris is a prevalent global pollutant that poses a risk to marine organisms and ecological processes. It is also suspected to pose a risk to marine food security; however, these risks are currently poorly understood. In this review, we seek to understand the current knowledge pertaining to the contamination of commercially important fished and farmed marine organisms with microplastics, with the aim of answering the question "Does microplastic pollution pose a risk to marine food security?". A semi-systematic review of studies investigating the number of microplastics found in commercially important organisms of different trophic levels suggests that microplastics do not biomagnify, and that…

• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Award: NE/L003988/1
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Awards: NE/L002582/1, NE/L002582, NE/L003988/1