Students discover generalized microplastic pollution in rivers and fishing fish

When the undergraduate student in biology at the University of Virginia-Western Isabella Tuzzio tested the rivers of the central Appalachians, her research revealed microplastics in each fish she sampered.

Tuzzio said that its study results, which was the first of its kind in the Appalachia, suggest significant environmental risks, as well as potential risks to human health. The study is published in the journal Sustainability.

Microplastics can disrupt hormones and transport harmful chemicals such as heavy metals and antibiotics. In addition, there is evidence that they accumulate when they cross the food chain, potentially reaching humans at high concentrations.

Junior of Shepherdstown at the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, Tuzzio found microplastics – plasical particles of less than 5 millimeters – in the north of Pishusucker from the northern cheat, Monongahela and Ohio. Each fish contained on average 40 pieces of microplastics.

Tuzzio has published its conclusions with the WVU Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the members of the faculty Caroline Chaves Arantes, assistant professor of fauna and fishing, and Brent Murry, assistant professor of aquatic ecology. It found microplastics in 100% of fish and almost 2,200 particles were documented in 55 samples.

“Microplastics come from daily sources such as synthetic fibers from linen and plastic pearls in exfoliating face washes,” she said. “They are now everywhere, from our rivers to the distant deserts and even the human body.”

Big Sandy Creek, in Preston County, had the highest concentration of microplastics. Tuzzio said the most contamination sites also had higher levels of E. Coli in water and were associated with the use of agricultural land, which suggests that the runoff of the wastewater of farms can play a role in the implementation of microplastics in rivers.

“These plastics are weak, but their impact is massive,” said Tuzzio. “They carry pollutants, heavy metals and antibiotics. And while microplastics are distributed in smaller fish, the biggest fish eat these small fish. As you go up in the food chain, there are highly concentrated levels of these plastics. It is a problem for them and for us too.”

In humans, microplastic concentrations interfere with biological systems and can be linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes and even congenital conditions that affect development fetuses. Studies have found microplastics in the placentas, the brain and other human organs.

The tuzzio particles team extracted from fish included fibers, fragments, leaves and foams. The fibers represented 96% of all particles.

Although studies of past microplastic contamination were carried out in salt water environments, it is not only an oceanic problem.

“Microplastics have been identified in animals around the world,” said Murry. “And we have always really mastered how extensive the problem is. Most of the work has been carried out on the marine species that we eat, and much less work has been done in freshwater systems and even less in the appearances.”

Then, the researchers plan to include species of additional fish in the study and to examine the potential role of precipitation or other deposits of the atmosphere in the propagation of microplastics through ecosystems.

Tuzzio said that public awareness will be the key to any solution to combat microplastic pollution. The lasting solutions to reduce microplastics in the watershed include recycling, the choice of environmentally friendly detergents and the installation of filters on washing machines. Improving waste management and water treatment infrastructure can also help.

“I think he is definitely an emerging contaminant,” she said. “People don’t know much about it, and we hope our research is causing conversations about sustainability and inspire action to protect the flows and communities of the Appalachians.”

Arantes accepted. “Isabella’s work not only fills a large gap in our understanding of microplastics in fresh water systems, but also sheds light on the links between land use, atmospheric deposit and exposure to pollutants.”