Microplastics - a potential risk for seafood safety

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) are recognized as a multifaceted stressor based on their physical effects due to particle size, shape, and concentration, and chemical effects ensuing from the use of hazardous chemicals. Evidence of the presence of MPs in food are increasing, and the number of publications on MPs in seafood has increased at an exponential rate in recent years. However analytical detection methods of MPs in seafood are limited even despite the available techniques that enable MP separation and size determination. The analytical detection of MPs requires obtaining information on both the chemical composition and the morphological structure of particles. No single technique is able to chemically and morphologically identify MPs, though a broad range of complementary analytical methodologies have been applied in the detection and identification of MPs. MPs can cause biological, chemical and physical health effects. In order to assess whether the uptake of MPs via seafood can pose a risk to human health, exposure must first be quantified and then it can be determined whether this exposure is high enough to have a detrimental effect. Human exposure to MP contained in food has become a significant concern owing to the increasing accumulation of microplastics in the environment. This paper provides an overview of the existing research on MP presence in seafood, including analytical methods for microplastic separation, and instrumental determination of concentration, shapes, and material types in complex biological material. Regulatory requirements and challenges to support fit-for-purpose research activities on this contaminant are summarized, and information provided for possible regulation on MPs in food.