BFAR urges researchers to conduct in-depth studies on microplastics in fish

Following a recent study by the Department of Science and Technology’s National Research Council of the Philippines that showed the presence of microplastics in extracted particles from 30 milkfish (bangus) in Mindanao, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources urged researchers to conduct a study on microplastics in fish.

“Our current situation on microplastics, even if we check the literature online, there is no in-depth study yet,” said BFAR spokesperson Nazer Briguera in an interview with Balitanghali on Friday when asked what would be the agency’s next steps after the discovery of microplastics in bangus harvested in Mindanao.

“We at BFAR, we really urge our research institutions, even international partners, to conduct extensive studies on microplastics,” he further expressed, after noting that even the World Health Organization has not yet issued standards on microplastic toxicity and its impact on human health.

Briguera said microplastics are not visible to the naked eye and urged fish consumers to buy fresh fish and thoroughly wash them before cooking.

“Microplastics come from pollution, so there really needs to be a comprehensive promotion to prevent the dumping of waste in our nature,” he said. “Let's keep our environment clean because, once again, microplastics are in the environment.”

A DoST-NRCP-funded study reported that 235 of the 383 extracted particles from 30 bangus from a selected site in Mindanao were confirmed to have microplastics, a manifestation of plastic pollution’s presence in the country’s aquaculture.

“When microplastics with attached toxic substances are ingested, they pose a potential threat to human health,” science researcher Mary Hope Banda said, stressing that microplastics may not be inherently toxic, but their chemical nature attracts and accumulates other toxic substances on their surfaces.

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