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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
Published on: December 16, 2016
Does the microplastics ingestion patterns and polymer composition vary across the oceanic zones? A case study from
Suvarna S Devi1, Nasila Saifudeen1, Krishnannair Satheesh Kumar2
1Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 69551, Kerala, India.
Abstract:
This study explores microplastic (MP) presence in the gastrointestinal tracts of deep-sea fish from the Central Indian Ocean, off the Indian coast. Among the 27 species examined, 19 showed MP contamination, averaging 2.68 ± 0.30 (±SE) MPs per individual. Polymer analysis via FTIR and micro-Raman identified several types, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polypropelene (PP), polyvinyl acetate (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyaniline (PANI), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polyethersulfone (PES), with PET being the most prevalent (33.33 %). MP ingestion was higher in benthopelagic fish and those at higher trophic levels, as indicated by comparisons across oceanic zones. Niche partitioning analysis suggests feeding behaviour as a primary influencer of MP ingestion in deep-sea fish rather than habitat or trophic level. The study proposes the potential use of deep-sea fish as indicators for assessing microplastic pollution across oceanic zones and deep-sea regions through bycatch monitoring.
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