TROPLAS

Context

Plastic pollution, identified as a growing threat to marine ecosystems, has generated concern worldwide, positioning marine litter as a priority in European and local policies. This scenario demands the development and implementation of preventive and mitigation measures to minimize its impact.

Among the multiple effects of plastic pollution, the accidental ingestion of microplastics by marine fauna stands out, especially due to food confusion. This can trigger pollution through serious physical effects, such as death by starvation or suffocation. However, the chemical effects of this exposure on biota are still poorly understood, as pointed out by Gago et al. (2020). In this context, in-depth research is needed to address this issue from a scientific perspective.

Objectives

The main objective of the project is to determine the incidence of accidental ingestion of microplastics in demersal species of commercial interest in the Basque Country, as well as their possible relationship with diet and their potential effects on biological condition.

The specific objectives of the project are as follows:

1. The quantification and classification of plastics ingested by commercial fish species, the characterization of their diet and the study of the possible relationship between both. To this end, a significant number of stomachs of hake and 2-3 other species to be determined, depending on the catches obtained from bottom trawls, will be analyzed. The stomachs will be obtained from the samples collected in the SUMIDEROS project, whose objective is to study the waste at the bottom of the Basque coast.

2.The characterization of the plastic found in the stomachs, polymer types by analytical methods (FTIR, HPLC-MS…) and classification by size, shape and color.

3. The identification of possible biological variables that may be affected by the ingestion of plastics in the species studied (e.g. condition factor, disease index, incidence of parasites in internal organs, etc.).

Expected impact

This project will provide valuable knowledge on the interaction between plastic debris and marine species of commercial interest, an area still little explored. The integration of the results obtained will allow us to evaluate the environmental impact of plastics from a biological perspective. Furthermore, the findings will contribute to the fulfillment of the objectives established by the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, particularly in Descriptor 10 related to marine litter.