Microplastic ingestion effects on feeding activity in an estuarine fish widespread in South America: Ramnogaster arcuata

LUISINA CAROZZA RENAUD; RONDA ANA CAROLINA; GABRIELA BLASINA; ARIAS, ANDRÉS H.

Congreso; MICRO 2022, Online Atlas Edition: Plastic Pollution from MACRO to nano; 2022

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Microplastics (MPs) ingestion studies by shes have received increased attention overthe last few years. While the number of studies documenting the presence of MPs in thegastrointestinal tract has increased, fewer studies have addressed if this ingestion is activelyor passively, or if it has an eect in the feeding and general health. In the present study weevaluate the levels and types of MPs in the stomach content of Ramnogaster arcuata (Jenyns1842), a small zooplanktivorous pelagic sh, in three sites with dierent anthropogenic pres-sure from the Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina. For that, the feeding activity was analyzedusing the vacuity index (VI) and the stomach fullness index (SFI) in relation to number ofMPs consumed. Results show that 100% of the specimens had MPs in their stomach andthat their levels and characteristics were dierent between sites. Stomach contents in sitesrelated to harbor activities presented the less MPs concentrations. Most of them were paintfragments and presented the smallest sizes and a low diversity of colors (being green andred the most abundant colors). The highest MPs concentrations in the stomach contentswere found in the site near the principal sewage discharge, being mostly microbers, followedby pellets, and with a major colors variety. The lowest SFI and the highest VI in relationto the MPs number were observed in the specimens captured near the sewage discharge.These results suggest a negative eect of MPs on R. arcuata feeding activity and help toelucidate part of mechanisms by which these particles enter in a bioindicator sh used inSouth America.