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

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.