Navigating the Microplastic Threat: Innovations for Sustainable Aquaculture

Microplastic pollution is an escalating threat to global aquaculture, jeopardizing both aquatic animal health and the safety of seafood products consumed by humans. Filter-feeding species such as mussels and oysters are particularly at risk due to their feeding strategies, acting as conduits for microplastics into the food chain. This Research Topic aims to consolidate current knowledge, drive innovation in detection and mitigation methods, and identify practical solutions for reducing microplastic contamination within aquaculture systems. By bringing together interdisciplinary research and industry perspectives, we seek to identify effective strategies—such as advanced water filtration, sustainable material innovations, and improved management practices—that can help minimize the presence and impact of microplastics in farmed seafood. Achieving this will support both the sustainability of aquaculture operations and the delivery of safe, high-quality seafood to consumers around the world.

The proliferation of microplastics—plastic particles smaller than 5 mm—in aquatic environments is an urgent ecological and food safety challenge. These particles originate from a range of sources, including consumer products, degraded plastics, and industrial activities, and are now found throughout marine and freshwater systems. Aquaculture, as a growing provider of seafood, is especially vulnerable to microplastic pollution. Filter-feeding organisms accumulate microplastics in their tissues, raising concerns about animal welfare, the potential for toxic transfer up the food chain, and consumer safety. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks and monitoring approaches for microplastics in aquaculture are still evolving, highlighting a pressing need for research and industry engagement in tackling this pervasive contaminant.

This Research Topic invites original research, reviews, and perspectives that address the issue of microplastics in aquaculture environments. Contributions may include, but are not limited to:

• Advanced methodologies for detecting and quantifying microplastics throughout aquaculture production systems;

• The effectiveness and scalability of bioremediation, mechanical filtration, and innovative materials for microplastic mitigation;

• Species- and system-specific vulnerabilities to microplastic uptake and accumulation;

• The human health implications of microplastics in farmed seafood;

• Strategies to reduce microplastic inputs from feeds, equipment, and facility design;

• Policy, regulatory, and industry standards needed to monitor and limit microplastic contamination.

Authors are encouraged to propose interdisciplinary or systems-based approaches, as well as solutions applicable at both local and industry-wide scales.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Microplastics, Aquaculture, Pollution, Sustainable Aquaculture, Microplastic Pollution, Animal Welfare, Mechanical Filtration, Bioremenidiation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.