Microplastics detected in seafood sampled along Vizag coast, says study

A recent international study led by researchers from Andhra University’s Department of Marine Living Resources (MLR) has revealed alarming levels of microplastics contamination in seafood sourced from the Visakhapatnam coast. As part of the European Commission’s EcoMarine project, scientists studied 100 marine specimens across 15 species including fish, crabs, shrimp, and squid, all of which are regularly consumed by humans. The results were clear: every single specimen showed the presence of microplastic particles, particularly those smaller than 120 micrometres (µm).

Microplastics were found embedded in nearly all tissues of the marine life studied, from the muscle and liver to the digestive tract, gonads, and kidneys. The most commonly identified plastic types included polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene. Other synthetic materials such as latex and polycarbonate were also detected.

This multi-country project, which includes research institutions from India, Germany, Spain, Greece, and Malaysia, aims to understand the broader ecological consequences of marine plastic pollution. From India, both Andhra University and the University of Kerala contributed to the EcoMarine initiative. The findings from all partner labs have now been compiled and made available online.

Leading the Visakhapatnam study were Prof P Janakiram, Dr K Umadevi, S Geetha, and D Chandrasekhar. Their research highlights how organisms off the Visakhapatnam coast at lower trophic levels often mistake microplastics for food, allowing these particles to travel up the marine seafood web. Starting with algae and zooplankton, microplastics make their way into fish and, eventually, onto human plates.

This growing presence of microplastic in seafood is raising health concerns. Once ingested, microplastics can accumulate in the human body, lodging in tissues and potentially interfering with immune responses. Some plastic additives are known to leach chemicals that may disrupt hormones or even trigger cancerous changes.

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