Overviewing the Ground Reality of Microplastic Effects on Seafoods, Including Fish, Shrimps and Crabs: Future Research Directions

Abstract

While plastics are already notorious for their accumulation in the environment, which poses environmental challenges, invisible microplastics (MPS) are an even greater challenge. This review focuses on consolidating the reports available on MP accumulation in edible marine and freshwater fishes, shrimps, and crabs. The reality as to whether MPs in these edible aquatic organisms are really a cause of high concern is questioned and discussed. While the entrails of aquatic organisms are reported to contain high levels of MPs, because these products are consumed after the removal of the entrails and gut area in the majority of cases, the MP threat is questionable. The existence of MPs in these aquatic sources is validated but their potency in harming humans, aquatic organisms, and other interlinked species is unassessed. To overcome the difficulty in tracing the movement of MPs in a bigger ecosystem, this review proposes laboratory-based pilot studies mimicking real-world conditions, which will help us to understand the kinetics of MPs in the food chain. The effects of MPs on human welfare and health are yet to be assessed, and this is another gap that needs attention.