A study funded by the Department of Science and Technology’s National Research Council of the Philippines reported that 235 in 383 extracted particles from 30 milkfish, or bangus, from a selected site in Mindanao were confirmed to have microplastics, a manifestation of plastic pollution’s ubiquity in the state’s aquaculture.

Science researcher Mary Hope Banda explained that microplastics may not be inherently toxic, but noted that their chemical nature attracts and accumulates other toxic substances on their surfaces.

“When microplastics with attached toxic substances are ingested, they pose a potential threat to human health,” she said.

DoST studies show that microplastics prevent fish from having a sense of fullness that may reduce their appetite and block them from consuming sufficient nutrients for normal growth.

“Dietary exposure to microplastics cannot be estimated because particle toxicity data of microplastics are not yet available, an estimation of the potential risks of microplastic particles in food is not yet possible,” said the agency, adding that the impact of ingesting microplastics on humans has yet to be determined.

“Its toxicity depends on how much is consumed, though some particles are small enough to penetrate human tissue.”

“The Filipino people, living in an archipelagic country and relying on its fresh and marine water bodies, are at risk of ingesting microplastic-contaminated aquatic organisms,” NRCP lead researcher Dr. Rey Capangpangan expressed, saying that the recent study exhibits the extent of microplastic pollution and urges us to start its mitigation.

Based on Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 2020 data, bangus production contributed 17.9 percent to total fisheries production and P43.5 billion to the gross domestic product, citing that “an average Filipino household’s annual fish consumption is about 10 percent of the 36.8 kg is bangus.”

DoST noted that earlier studies showed that microplastics may damage fish intestine, liver, gills, and brain while affecting metabolic balance, behavior, and fertility.

“The degree of these harmful effects depends on the particle sizes and doses, as well as the exposure parameters.”