Investigação da ingestão de resíduos plásticos por peixes em ambiente de praia da Reserva Municipal de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Tupé, Manaus, Amazonas

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to identify food items and contamination by plastic waste in two amazonian fish species: Lonchogenys ilisha and Plagioscion squamosissimus, in a beach environment area in a Sustainable Development Reserve (SDR), the Tupé SDR. The work was carried out at Tupé SDR, localized on the left bank of the Negro River. Fish were collected with trawl net and transferred to the Laboratory of Fishery Ecology at the Federal University of Amazon (UFAM). In general, 80 specimens of L. ilisha and 30 of P. squamosissimus were collected at the sample area. From this, 50 stomachs units of L. ilisha and 15 of P. squamosissimus were selected to analysis of stomach contents. Standard length (SL) of L. ilisha ranged 3.5 to 5.8 centimeters (cm), and P. squamosissimus obtained a ranged 3.4 to 7.0 cm SL. Insects and Plant Material were the most recurrent food items for L. Ilisha, while Insects were the most recurrent food item for P. squamosissimus, and both this two fish species were classified as carnivorous and insectivorous. After the gastrointestinal tracts chemical digestion procedure of 30 L. ilisha and 15 P. squamosissimus units, 2 particles were identified as microplastics (< 5 mm), both L. Ilisha material, classified respectively as “fragment” and “filament”. Polymers Composition Analysis showed characteristics of polyester (Polyethylene Terephthalate type - PET), the plastic bottles material originated from factories. This is one of the first studies characterizing fish hydrocarbons by microplastics in the Amazon region, and it will serve as a basis for future characterization studies regarding the contamination of other fishing resources by plastic waste.