Every fish tested in Yamuna carried microplastics. What it means for your dinner plate
Researchers at the University of Delhi have discovered microplastic contamination in all freshwater fish species sampled from the Yamuna River. The study found particles not only in digestive tracts but also in muscle tissue, raising concerns about human food safety.
Why it matters
This finding underscores the pervasive nature of plastic pollution and its potential to enter the human food chain, posing significant public health risks in urban areas.
NEW DELHI: For years, the Yamuna has come to symbolise sewage, industrial waste and toxic foam, but now scientists have discovered yet another invisible threat lurking beneath the surface.A new study by researchers at the University of Delhi found microplastics in every species of freshwater fish sampled from the river, with fish collected from Delhi’s stretch carrying much higher contamination than those from upstream Haryana.The findings add to a growing body of evidence that plastic pollution is not only in rivers and oceans, but is working its way into aquatic food chains and could eventually reach people via the fish they consume.Researchers studied 220 freshwater fish of 12 species collected from Yamuna Nagar and Karnal in Haryana and Sur Ghat and Sonia Vihar in Delhi.
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