Occurrence of Microplastics in Economically Important Fish in Cateel, Davao Oriental, Philippines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v5i6.150Keywords:
ingestions of microplastics, fish contamination, action research, Marine Environmental PoluttionAbstract
This study evaluates the effects of microplastics on marine ecosystems and identifies possible pathways of microplastic transmission to humans through fish consumption. Conducted in Cateel, Davao Oriental, the study used a descriptive-quantitative research design to analyze the occurrence of microplastics in economically important fish and assess community awareness regarding microplastic pollution. Findings revealed that microplastic contamination was present in all three fish species examined. The Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) survey also showed that the community has a high level of awareness and concern about microplastics. Overall, the study highlights the need for continuous environmental education, proper waste management, and stronger environmental protection efforts to reduce microplastic pollution and protect marine ecosystems and public health.
References
Abascal, F. J., Mejuto, J., Quintans, M., & Ramos-Cartelle, A. (2010). Horizontal and vertical movements of swordfish in the Southeast Pacific. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67(3), 466–474.
Acot, F. T., Sajorne, R. E., Omar, N.-A. K., Suson, P. D., Rallos, L. E. E., & Bacosa, H. P. (2022). Unraveling macroplastic pollution in rural and urban beaches in Sarangani Bay protected seascape, Mindanao, Philippines. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10, 1532. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10101532
Andrady, A. L. (2011). Microplastics in the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62(8), 1596–1605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.030
Avio, C. G., Gorbi, S., & Regoli, F. (2015). Plastics and microplastics in the oceans: From emerging pollutants to emerged threat. Marine Environmental Research, 111, 27–33.
Baittinger, C., et al. (2020). Microplastic ingestion by marine fish in the subtropical Pacific Ocean. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(19), 12185–12194.
Barboza, L. G. A., Vethaak, A. D., Lavorante, B. R. B., Lundebye, A.-K., & Guilhermino, L. (2018). Marine microplastic debris: An emerging issue for food security, food safety, and human health. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 133, 336–348.
Biginagwa, F. J., Mayoma, B. S., Shashoua, Y., Syberg, K., & Khan, F. R. (2016). First evidence of microplastics in the African Great Lakes: Recovery from Lake Victoria Nile perch and Nile tilapia. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 42(1), 146–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2015.10.012
Block, B. A., Booth, D. T., & Carey, F. G. (1993). Depth and temperature of the blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, observed by acoustic telemetry. Marine Biology, 114(2), 175–183.
Bone, Q., & Moore, R. H. (2008). Biology of fishes. Taylor & Francis.
Bouwmeester, H., et al. (2018). Microplastics and nanoplastics in the aquatic environment. Environmental Sciences Europe, 30(1), 1–13.
Brill, R. W., Block, B. A., Boggs, C. H., Bigelow, K. A., Freund, E. V., & Marcinek, D. J. (1999). Horizontal movements and depth distribution of large adult yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) near the Hawaiian Islands recorded using ultrasonic telemetry: Implications for the physiological ecology of pelagic fishes. Marine Biology, 133(3), 395–408.
Browne, M. A., Crump, P., Niven, S. J., Teuten, E., Tonkin, A., Galloway, T., et al. (2011). Accumulation of microplastic on shorelines worldwide: Sources and sinks. Environmental Science & Technology, 45(21), 9175–9179. https://doi.org/10.1021/es201811s
Browne, M. A., Dissanayake, A., Galloway, T. S., Lowe, D. M., & Thompson, R. C. (2013). Ingested microscopic plastic translocates to the circulatory system of the mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.). Environmental Science & Technology, 42(13), 5026–5031.
Browne, M. A., Galloway, T. S., & Thompson, R. C. (2010). Spatial patterns of plastic debris along estuarine shorelines. Environmental Science & Technology, 44, 3404–3409. https://doi.org/10.1021/es903784e
Carey, F. G. (1982). A brain heater in the swordfish. Science, 216(4552), 1327–1329.
Carey, F. G., & Robison, B. H. (1981). Daily patterns in the activities of swordfish, Xiphias gladius, observed by acoustic telemetry. Fishery Bulletin, 79(2), 277–292.
Carpenter, E. J., Anderson, S. J., Harvey, G. R., Miklas, H. P., & Peck, B. B. (1972). Polystyrene spherules in coastal waters. Science, 178, 749–750. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.178.4062.749
Caruso, G. (2019). Microplastics as vectors of contaminants. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 146, 921–924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.07.052
Collette, B. B. (2003). Tylosurus crocodilus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Collette, B. B., & Nauen, C. E. (1983). FAO species catalogue, volume 2: Scombrids of the world (FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125). FAO.
Collette, B. B., et al. (2011). Xiphias gladius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Da Costa, J. P., Avellan, A., Mouneyrac, C., Duarte, A., & Rocha-Santos, T. (2023). Plastic additives and microplastics as emerging contaminants: Mechanisms and analytical assessment. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 158, 116898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2022.116898
Dagorn, L., Bach, P., & Josse, E. (2000). Movement patterns of large bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) in the open ocean determined using ultrasonic telemetry. Marine Biology, 136(2), 361–371.
Dagorn, L., Holland, K. N., & Itano, D. G. (2006). Behavior of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) around fish aggregating devices in the western Pacific Ocean. Aquatic Living Resources, 19(1), 1–12.
De Falco, F., et al. (2019). Synthetic fibers as microplastics in the marine environment. Science of the Total Environment.
Escañan, A., & Bacosa, H. (2022). Assessment of riverine plastic flux in Pulot River and its tributary in Sofronio Española, Palawan, Philippines. Journal of Marine and Island Cultures, 11, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.21463/jmic.2022.11.2.01
Fritsches, K. A., Brill, R. W., & Warrant, E. J. (2005). Warm eyes provide superior vision in swordfishes. Current Biology, 15(1), 55–58.
Froese, R., & Pauly, D. (2022). Euthynnus affinis. FishBase.
Gaboy, S. M. M., Guihawan, J. Q., Leopardas, V. E., & Bacosa, H. P. (2022). Unravelling macroplastic pollution in seagrass beds of Iligan City, Mindanao, Philippines. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 185, 114233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114233
Galarpe, V. R. K. R., Jaraula, C. M. B., & Paler, M. K. O. (2021). The nexus of macroplastic and microplastic research and plastic regulation policies in the Philippines marine coastal environments. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 167, 112343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112343
Gallo, F., Fossi, C., Weber, R., Santillo, D., Sousa, J., Ingram, I., Nadal, A., & Romano, D. (2018). Marine litter plastics and microplastics and their toxic chemical components: The need for urgent preventive measures. Environmental Sciences Europe, 30, 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-018-0139-z
Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP). (2016). Sources, fate and effects of microplastics in the marine environment: Part two of a global assessment (Rep. Stud. GESAMP No. 93). IMO/FAO/UNESCO-IOC/UNIDO/WMO/IAEA/UN/UNEP/UNDP.
Hermabessiere, L., Dehaut, A., Paul-Pont, I., Lacroix, C., Jezequel, R., Soudant, P., & Duflos, G. (2017). Occurrence and effects of plastic additives on marine environments and organisms: A review. Chemosphere, 182, 781–793. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.05.096
Inocente, S. A., & Bacosa, H. (2022). Assessment of macroplastic pollution on selected tourism beaches of Barobo, Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Journal of Marine and Island Cultures, 11, 203–214. https://doi.org/10.21463/jmic.2022.11.1.14
Kim, J., et al. (2018). Microplastic ingestion and toxic effects in marine organisms. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(11), 5706–5714.
Kristanti, R. A., Wong, W. L., Darmayati, Y., Hatmanti, A., Wulandari, N. F., Sibero, M. T., Afianti, N. F., Hernandes, E., & Lopez-Martinez, F. (2022). Characteristics of microplastic in commercial aquatic organisms. Tropical Aquatic and Soil Pollution, 2, 134–158. https://doi.org/10.53623/tasp.v2i2.134
Laist, D. W. (1987). Overview of the biological effects of lost and discarded plastic debris in the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 18(6), 319–326.
Li, L., Geng, S., Wu, C., Song, K., Sun, F., Visvanathan, C., Xie, F., & Wang, Q. (2019). Microplastics contamination in different trophic state lakes along the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River Basin. Environmental Pollution, 254, 112951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.07.119
Luo, H., Liu, C., He, D., Sun, J., Li, J., & Pan, X. (2022). Effects of aging on environmental behavior of plastic additives: Migration, leaching, and ecotoxicity. Science of the Total Environment, 849, 157951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157951
Lusher, A. L., McHugh, M., & Thompson, R. C. (2013). Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English Channel. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 67(1–2), 94–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.11.028
Matsumoto, T., & Miyabe, N. (2002). Reproductive biology of swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in the Indian Ocean. IOTC Proceedings, 5, 255–259.
McCormick, A. R., Hoellein, T. J., London, M. G., Hittie, J., Scott, J. W., & Kelly, J. J. (2016). Microplastic in surface waters of urban rivers: Concentration, sources, and associated bacterial assemblages. Ecosphere, 7, e01556. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1556
Meijer, L. J. J., van Emmerik, T., van der Ent, R., Schmidt, C., & Lebreton, L. (2021). More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean. Science Advances, 7, eaaz5803. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaz5803
Mendoza, L., et al. (2018). Sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) onto microplastics. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(11), 6326–6334.
Smith, M. (2018). Microplastics in seafood and the implications of human health.
Morales, I. D. G., Macusi, E. D., Jondonero, M. A. P., Guihawan, J. Q., Bacosa, H. P., & Amparado, R. F. (2023). Facemask: Protection or threat? Marine Pollution Bulletin, 188, 114681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114681
Nakamura, I. (1985). Billfishes of the world (FAO Species Catalogue, Vol. 1). FAO.
Pacilan, C. J., & Bacosa, H. (2022). Assessment of macroplastic litter on the coastal seabeds of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte, Philippines. Journal of Marine and Island Cultures, 11, 13–25. https://doi.org/10.21463/jmic.2022.11.2.02
Palko, B. J., Beardsley, G. L., & Richards, W. J. (1981). Synopsis of the biology of the swordfish, Xiphias gladius (NOAA Technical Report NMFS 441).
Pedà, C., Camedda, A., Serena, F., et al. (2016). Interaction between loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and marine litter in Sardinia (Western Mediterranean Sea). Marine Environmental Research, 118, 28–39.
Perveen, S., Pablos, C., Reynolds, K., Stanley, S., & Marugán, J. (2022). Microplastics in fresh- and wastewater are potential contributors to antibiotic resistance—A mini review. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 6, 100071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2022.100071
PlasticsEurope. (2017). Plastics – The facts 2017. https://www.plasticseurope.org
Requiron, J. C., & Bacosa, H. (2022). Macroplastic transport and deposition in the environs of Pulauan River, Dapitan City, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science, 151, 1211–1220. https://doi.org/10.56899/151.03.33
Restrepo, V. R., Diaz, G. A., & Walter, J. F. (2003). Status of swordfish stocks in the Atlantic. ICCAT Collective Volume of Scientific Papers, 55(4), 1339–1347.
Rochman, C. M., Hoh, E., Kurobe, T., & Teh, S. J. (2013). Ingested plastic transfers hazardous chemicals to fish and induces hepatic stress. Scientific Reports, 3(3263), 1–7.
Rochman, C. M., Tahir, A., Williams, S. L., et al. (2015). Anthropogenic debris in seafood: Plastic debris and fibers from textiles in fish and bivalves. Scientific Reports, 5, 14340.
Sajorne, R. E., Cayabo, G. D. B., Gajardo, L. J. A., Mabuhay-Omar, J. A., Creencia, L. A., & Bacosa, H. P. (2022). Disentangling microplastic pollution on beach sand of Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island, Philippines: Abundance and characteristics. Sustainability, 14, 15303. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215303
Sepulveda, C. A., Knight, A., Nasby-Lucas, N., & Domeier, M. L. (2010). Fine-scale movements of the swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in the Southern California Bight. Fisheries Oceanography, 19(4), 279–289.
Sewwandi, M., Wijesekara, H., Rajapaksha, A. U., Soysa, S., & Vithanage, M. (2023). Microplastics and plastics-associated contaminants in food and beverages: Global trends, concentrations, and human exposure. Environmental Pollution, 317, 120747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120747
Sharma, S., & Chatterjee, S. (2017). Microplastic pollution: A threat to human health? Environmental Science & Technology, 51(15), 7754–7765.
Sridhar, A., Kannan, D., Kapoor, A., & Prabhakar, S. (2022). Extraction and detection methods of microplastics in food and marine systems: A critical review. Chemosphere, 286, 131653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131653
Stillwell, C. E., & Kohler, N. E. (1985). Food and feeding ecology of the swordfish Xiphias gladius in the western North Atlantic Ocean, with estimates of daily ration. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 22(3), 239–247.
United Nations Environment Programme. (2016). Marine plastic debris and microplastics: Global lessons and research to inspire action and guide policy change. UNEP.
Vitali, C., Peters, R. J. B., Janssen, H.-G., & Nielen, M. W. F. (2023). Microplastics and nanoplastics in food, water, and beverages: Part I. Occurrence. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 159, 116670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2022.116670
Ward, P., Porter, J. M., & Elscot, S. (2000). Broadbill swordfish: Status of established fisheries and lessons for developing fisheries. Fish and Fisheries, 1(4), 317–336.
Zarfl, C., & Matthies, M. (2010). Are marine plastic particles transport vectors for organic pollutants to the Arctic? Marine Pollution Bulletin, 60(10), 1810–1814. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rosemie Siarot, Eleanor Vilela

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.





























