ABTRACT

Microplastics (MP) pollution in fish species has been a growing source of concern because they can bioaccumulate in tissues and pose detrimental risk to humans health that consumed this microplastic contaminated fish species. In this study the microplastic content was analyzed from the gastrointestinal tract of the commonly consumed fish species; Tilapia (Coptodon guineesis), from Ikpoba river Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. The samples were analyzed using the fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR)Shimadzu model. From the analysed fish, all had microplastics in their gastrointestinal tract. The microplastics were in the ranking order of abundance PP>PS>PET>PC>PE, with a total mean (± SD) of 24.45 ± 5.59 MP items/g. Based on this mean and on EFSA recommendation for fish consumption by adults or the general population, human consumers of Coptodon guineensis may intake 954 MP items/year from fish consumption only which is below the recommended limit set by EFSA (2016). Considering that fish consumption is only one of the routes of human exposure to microplastics, this study emphasize the need for more research, risk assessment and adoption of measures to minimize human exposure to these particles (microplastics).