Microplastics and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Occurrence in a Demersal Fish (Solea solea) in the Adriatic Sea

Abstract

In recent years, microplastics (MPs), normally defined as plastic particles with a diameter less than 5 mm, are emerging contaminants ubiquitously present in all the compartments of the aquatic ecosystem from surface water to benthic sediment, including aquatic biota [1, 2]. In the marine environment, MPs can be originated from two sources: manufactured products that contain microplastics, e.g. cosmetic products, and fragments released form larger plastic debris through photooxidation, mechanical action and biodegradation [3].