Study of feeding biology and diet-associated microplastic contamination in selected creek fishes of northeastern Arabian Sea: A multi-species approach.

This study investigated the diet composition and microplastic contamination in six fish species collected from the creek area of northeastern Arabian Sea. The results show that the diet of the fish is mainly composed of shrimps, algae, fish, and zooplankton, with microplastics constituting up to 4.83 % (Index of Preponderance) of their diet. The average abundance of microplastics ranges from 5.82 to 7.69 items per fish, and their ingestion is influenced by seasonal variation, gut fullness, and trophic level. Microplastic contamination has no significant effect on the condition factor and hepatosomatic index of the fish species. However, polymer hazard index indicates that microplastic pollution in fish is associated with a low to high risk factor, which might cause potential harm to aquatic lives and higher vertebrates via food chain. Therefore, this study highlights the need for immediate attention and effective regulations to reduce microplastic pollution to protect marine life. • The current study characterizes the diet composition of selected fish species using the vacuity index (VI), index of preponderance (%IOP), and trophic level (TrL). • The most preferred prey items of the studied fishes are shrimps followed by algae, fish, and zooplankton. • The mean abundance of microplastics (MPs) in the selected fishes ranges from 5.82 to 7.69 items/individual. • Microplastic contamination has no significant effect on condition factor (K) and hepatosomatic index (HSI). • The polymer hazard index reveals a low to high level of threat associated with microplastic contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]