A West Virginia University student sampling fish in Appalachian streams made an unwanted discovery: Every one had microplastics. It's the first such study out of Appalachia to confirm that fish in the region are ingesting microplastics, according to a news release at Phys.org.
- WVU student Isabella Tuzzio analyzed dozens of juvenile northern hogsucker fish from seven streams across three major watersheds in central Appalachia for the study published in the journal Sustainability.
- She discovered that each fish contained, on average, 40 pieces of microplastic—particles smaller than 5 millimeters. It's not the first time microplastics have been discovered in fish, but Tuzzio says the study highlights the need for more monitoring of freshwater sources in particular.
- The highest concentrations of microplastics were found in streams near agricultural areas, suggesting wastewater runoff as a likely source.
- "These plastics are small, but their impact is massive," says Tuzzio. "They carry pollutants, heavy metals, and antibiotics. And while the microplastics are spread out in smaller fish, the bigger fish eat those smaller fish. As you work your way up the food chain, there are heavily concentrated levels of these plastics. It's a problem for them and for us, too."
- Researchers are only beginning to understand the health risks associated with microplastics in humans, but early research raises troubling questions. (Our brains may be particularly susceptible to accumulating microplastics.)
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