What’s Hiding in Your Seafood?
By Kate Cimino
Image of a fish and microplastics, representing what plastic debris can be contained in one single fish. Source: Forbes
Introduction
In the United States, seafood is the fourth largest quantity of meat consumed (Our World in Data, 2017). In 2018, the most popular form of seafood was shrimp, with the average American eating 4.6 pounds (NOAA, 2020b). Seafood can provide a range of health benefits. For instance, many fish contain Omega-3 fatty acids- which can help the heart- protein, various types of vitamins, as well as lower amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol compared to red meat (Rabin, 2016; American Heart Association Editorial Staff, 2017). In fact, eating fish can help lower one’s risk of a heart attack, improve brain development, and even improve one’s mood (Steber, 2019). These benefits contribute to why the USDA guidelines state that each adult should have about two servings of seafood a week (Kearns, 2020). Additionally, seafood can be linked to less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to other types of meat, such as poultry, pork, and beef (Sustainable Fisheries, 2021). One reason seafood has less GHG emissions is due to the fact that it does not have the land requirements or feed requirements of livestock (McDermott, 2018). This is not to say that seafood is perfect for the environment. For instance, overfishing can lead to the decline in fish populations; bycatch harms unintended sea animals; and the water can become polluted by boat vessel exhaust, potential boat oil leaks, and lost fishing gear (Ho, 2021). While there are pros and cons to seafood, there is one problem that all humans need to become more aware of, and that is microplastics.
What are Microplastics?
Microplastics are “extremely small pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste” (Oxford Languages, 2021). Microplastics are no more than five millimeters in length, about the size of a sesame seed (NOAA, 2021; Scarr, 2019).
A size reference for typical particle of microplastic. Microplastic piecess are about the same size as a sesame seed. Source: RiceBowlAsia
Microplastics can be found virtually anywhere, including clothing, health products, the air, and of course, our waterways (Lim, 2021). Humans are the main reason garbage, including microplastics, end up in the oceans (NOAA, 2020a). Approximately 17.6 billion pounds of plastic ends up in the oceans each year, contributing to five large garbage patches around the world (Conservation International, 2021). The largest of these patches is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which holds 1.8 trillion pieces of garbage and is double the size of Texas (Conservation International, 2021). Looking specifically at microplastics, it is estimated by the United Nations that there are as many as 51 trillion tons of these pieces in the ocean (Simke, 2020). Microplastics come from a variety of sources including microbeads- traditionally found in health products, but have been the subject of recent bans-, microfibers found in clothing, or from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic (Conservation International, 2021; TAPP Water, 2019; Reuters, 2020). Since plastic cannot biodegrade, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces over time through wave action and photodegradation (Conservation International, 2021; Reuters, 2020). While these pieces may be tiny, the harm they can cause is certainly far from it.
Effects of Microplastics
Due to the small nature of microplastics, they are easily consumed by ocean animals. Fish of all sizes, plankton, and filter feeders can all ingest microplastics (Thompson, 2018; Simke, 2020). One problem that results from the ingestion of microplastics is that it can bioaccumulate. Bioaccumulation is “the accumulation over time of a substance and especially a contaminant (such as a pesticide or heavy metal) in a living organism” (Merriam-Webster, 2021).
The orange dots in this diagram show how bioaccumulation works. As you move further up the food chain, the number of orange dots, which in this case can represent the chemicals and plasticizers from microplastics increase. Source: My Tap Score
Simply what this means is that once an animal eats the microplastics, the amount of plasticizers and chemicals found in the microplastics is going to increase. This can then affect every animal in the food chain. For instance, if plankton, which are at the bottom of the food chain, ingest microplastics, then the fish that eats the plankton will also be ingesting microplastics. Then, when that fish is eaten it will also pass along the microplastics, until eventually every animal in the food chain is affected, including humans (Thompson, 2018).
While the research into the effects of microplastics is ongoing, researchers have pointed out some troubling trends they are seeing. One study found that when fish face exposure to microplastics, they are less likely to reproduce (Thompson, 2018). These effects can also impact the reproductive rates of the next generation of fish (Thompson, 2018). Additionally, the microplastics can move out of the fish’s stomach and digestive tract into the bloodstream and other organs, where it can result in inflammation, damage to the immune system, and harm organ walls (Thompson, 2018). Furthermore, the microplastics can damage the gills of filter feeders and get in the way of certain algae’s ability to undergo photosynthesis (Simke, 2020). It is important to understand that there are other components to the plastic that can also have a negative impact. Plastic contains various chemicals which can leach into the bloodstream, organs, and the lymphatic system (Reuters, 2020). While research is still being conducted to find out the exact impacts microplastics can have on humans, scientists warn that there are negative effects on human health (Loria, 2020).
Microplastics can have numerous effects on the human body, some of which are shown in the diagram above. Source: Science Magazine
Solutions
Right now, it is estimated that humans consume about one lego brick a month in microplastics and in a lifetime that could accumulate up to 44 pounds (Reuters, 2020).
Image showing visually the amount of plastic comsumed in a lifetime. Source: Graduate Reuters
While the presence of microplastics in seafood is real, to stop eating seafood is not needed and does not solve the problem (Thompson, 2018). What is needed, however, is for everyone to recognize the power they have to enact change to help combat the issue of microplastics. (Thompson, 2018; Reuters, 2020). Whenever you are out, make sure you are disposing of your waste properly (Loria, 2020; TAPP Water, 2019; Motivans, 2019; Madel 2017). This is especially important when you are at the beach or near a body of water, as it will be even easier for the waste to end up in the water (Loria, 2020; TAPP Water, 2019; Motivans, 2019; Madel 2017). Additionally, limit your use of single use plastics (Loria, 2020; TAPP Water, 2019; Motivans, 2019; Madel 2017). There are numerous easy steps you can take to accomplish this. For example, you can use reusable shopping bags, a reusable water bottle, and reusable food storage containers (Loria, 2020; TAPP Water, 2019; Motivans, 2019; Madel 2017). One common form of microplastics are microfibers, which can come off of clothing during laundry. In fact, as many as 700,000 microfibers can be released each time you clean your clothes (Conservation International, 2021). One way to limit their release is with a microfiber ball, like the one seen below, which can catch these microfibers and prevent them from being released into the environment.
Image of microfiber-catching ball for use in laundry. Many different products like this can be used to limit the pollution of plastic fibers. Source: Earth Hero Products
Other solutions to limiting microplastics are to avoid buying products with microbeads or glitter; use clothing bags when washing clothes to catch microfibers; and recycle as much as possible (Loria, 2020; TAPP Water, 2019; Motivans, 2019; Madel 2017). The more we learn about microplastics and the more steps we take to try and limit their creation, the more chances we have in changing the tides against this new threat.
Works Cited
American Heart Association Editorial Staff. (2017, March 26). Meat, Poultry, and Fish: Picking
Healthy Proteins. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/meat-poultry-and-fish-picking-healthy-proteins
Conservation International. (2021). Ocean Pollution: 11 Facts You Need to Know.
https://www.conservation.org/stories/ocean-pollution-11-facts-you-need-to-know
Ho, S. (2021, July 19). Food Footprint Explainer Series: Is Eating Seafood More
Carbon-Friendly Than Meat? Green Queen. https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/food-footprint-explainer-series-is-eating-seafood-more-carbon-friendly-than-meat-beef/
Kearns, M. (2020, February 21). US Seafood Consumption Rises to Highest Level Since 2007,
But Falls Short of USDA Recommendations. SeafoodSource. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/us-seafood-consumption-rises-to-the-highest-level-seen-since-2007-but-falls-short-of-usda-recommendations
Lim, X. (2021, May 4). Microplastics Are Everywhere-But Are They Harmful? Nature.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01143-3
Loria, K. (2020, April 30). How to Eat Less Plastic. Consumer Reports.
Madel, R. (2017, June 6). Plastic In The Ocean. Microplastic In Your Fish. FoodPrint.
https://foodprint.org/blog/plastic-in-the-ocean-microplastic-in-your-fish/
McDermott, A. (2018, February 1). Eating Seafood Can Reduce Your Carbon Footprint, But
Some Fish Are Better Than Others. Oceana. https://oceana.org/blog/eating-seafood-can-reduce-your-carbon-footprint-some-fish-are-better-others
Merriam Webster. (2021). Bioaccumulation.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bioaccumulation
Motivans, E. (2019, February 15). Microfibers From Clothes Are Killing Fish And Ending Up On
Our Plates. ZME Science. https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/environmental-issues/microfibers-clothes-killing-fish-ending-plates/
NOAA. (2020a, April 1). Ocean Pollution. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-pollution
NOAA. (2020b, September 30). Behind the Scenes of the Most Consumed Seafood. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/behind-scenes-most-consumed-seafood
NOAA. (2021, February 26). What are Microplastics? National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Our World in Data. (2017). Per Capita Meat Consumption By Type, 2017.
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/per-capita-meat-type?country=CHN~USA~IND~ARG~PRT~ETH~JPN~GBR~BRA
Oxford Languages. (2021). Dictionary: Microplastic.
https://www.google.com/search?q=microplastics+definition
Rabin, R. C. (2016, October 7). Why Is Fish Good For You? Because It Replaces Meat? The
New York Times. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/10/07/why-is-fish-good-for-you-because-it-replaces-meat/
Reuters. (2020, December 8). How Much Plastic Are You Eating? Thomson Reuters
Foundation. https://news.trust.org/item/20201208090301-obmrm
Scarr, S. (2019, December 31). A Plateful of Plastic. Reuters Graphics.
https://graphics.reuters.com/ENVIRONMENT-PLASTIC/0100B4TF2MQ/index.html
Simke, A. (2020, January 21). There Is Plastic In Your Fish. Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariellasimke/2020/01/21/there-is-plastic-in-your-fish/
Steber, C. (2019, April 17). 7 Ways Eating Red Meat Vs. Fish Affects Your Body. Bustle.
https://www.bustle.com/p/7-ways-eating-red-meat-vs-fish-affects-your-body-17037716
Sustainable Fisheries. (2021). The Environmental Impact of Food.
https://sustainablefisheries-uw.org/seafood-101/cost-of-food/
TAPP Water. (2019, March 7). What Are Microplastics? And 6 Tips on How To Reduce Them.
https://tappwater.co/us/what-are-microplastics-and-5-tips-to-reduce-them/
Thompson, A. (2018, September 4). From Fish to Humans, A Microplastic Invasion May Be
Taking a Toll. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/from-fish-to-humans-a-microplastic-invasion-may-be-taking-a-toll/