First Report of Microplastic Ingestion in Edible Fish along Moroccan Mediterranean Coasts

Monitoring the ingestion of microplastics (MPs) by marine organisms in the environmentis essential for understanding the threats posed by these pollutants. In this study, we assessed, forthe first time, the presence of MPs in the digestive tracts of two fish species, Chelon auratus andSardina pilchardus, as well as a bivalve species, Callista chione, in the Moroccan Mediterranean Sea.Moreover, we calculated the polymeric hazard index (PHI) to verify the hazard level of isolatedpolymers. The results showed that all species ingested MPs, indicating a high level of MP pollutionin this area. The MPs ingested were predominantly small (0.5-1 mm) and had a fiber-like shape. Theresults showed that PP and PET were the most abundant polymers ingested. The highest occurrenceof MPs (100%) was found in C. chione and C. auratus, followed by S. pilchardus (72%). In C. chione,the average number of ingested MPs was 19.19 items per individual, while in C. auratus, the meanabundance of ingested MPs was 16.82 items per individual and 9.64 items per individual in S.pilchardus. Moreover, the polymer hazard index showed that PET was in hazard level IV, while PPwas in level III. Further studies are required in the Moroccan Mediterranean Sea to obtain a betterevaluation of the occurrence, distribution, and impacts associated with MP pollution.