‘‘It’s a real worry, especially for countries that rely on fish as a primary source of protein,’’ project leader Dr Bridie Allan, of the University of Otago marine science department, said of the pollution yesterday.
Otago researchers, including in the food science department, have for some years suggested replacing some of the lighter plastic film used in food wrapping with a more biodegradable option not derived from petroleum.
Backed by a $55,000 Otago research grant, researchers from several departments, including geology and chemistry, are now pressing ahead with safety testing of the proposed biodegradable film.
Dr Allan said the testing work was the first step towards trying to develop a commercially viable product.
Biodegradable products have recently gained traction with the rise of sustainability efforts, but their impacts still remain largely unknown.
The Otago study will be the first to test whether a biodegradable plastic has an effect on fish if they digest it.
In the first phase of the project, the food science department earlier developed the edible film product, formulated from a mix of natural ingredients from plant-based protein and by-product of marine organisms.
The project’s recently completed second stage involved feeding low doses of edible film and polyethylene microplastics to 150 triple-fin fish kept in separate tanks for a month at the university’s Portobello Marine Laboratory.
This was followed by behavioural and physiological observations through which Dr Allan and her team hope to determine whether biodegradable and petroleum-derived plastics have the same impact on fish.
