Distinguishing microplastics from microplastic-like particles in the marine fish from Qatar.

Samah Dib, Arafa Mohamed, Fatima A Al-Khayat, S Veerasingam, V M Aboobacker, Jassim A Al-Khayat, P Vethamony

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Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Samah DibUNESCO Chair in Marine Sciences, Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar.

Arafa MohamedDepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar.

Fatima A Al-KhayatDepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar.

S VeerasingamUNESCO Chair in Marine Sciences, Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar.

V M AboobackerUNESCO Chair in Marine Sciences, Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar.

Jassim A Al-KhayatUNESCO Chair in Marine Sciences, Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar.

P VethamonyUNESCO Chair in Marine Sciences, Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar. pvethamony@qu.edu.qa.

Funding

Qatar University QUCG-ESC-23/24-252

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems. This study assessed MP accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of 170 individuals from four commercially important fish species in Qatar along with their level of risk. MP-like particles were extracted via chemical digestion and density separation, and analysed using stereomicroscopy. Fibers were the dominant MP shape, with blue being the most common colour. The polymer composition of MP-like particles was further analysed using µ-Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed only 7 particles (4.12% of the total 170 fish samples) as MPs (> 70% match with polymer library databases). Polymer analysis confirmed the presence of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) in the fish digestive tracts. The mean abundance was 0.070 ± 0.090 MPs/g of fish gut, a level relatively low compared to other regions of the Gulf and globally. The herbivorous Siganus canaliculatus ingested more MPs than the three carnivorous species, but this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).

Indexed as

Arabian gulfFish gastrointestinal tractsMicroplasticsRaman spectroscopyRisk assessment

Identifiers

PMID41565980

DOI10.1038/s41598-026-36935-y

PMCPMC12901314

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.