Boring crustaceans damage polystyrene floats under docks polluting marine waters with microplastic

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Environmental Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Boring isopods cause significant damage to expanded polystyrene (EPS) floats used in aquaculture and docks.
• This damage results in the release of a large quantity of microplastic particles into marine environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the impacts of boring isopods on aquaculture facilities and docks.
• To quantify and discuss the implications of microplastic particles generated by these isopods.
• To test an alternative foam material for its resistance to isopod boring.

Main Methods:

• Field surveys were conducted at multiple international sites (Asia, Australia, Panama, USA) to assess isopod damage to EPS floats.
• The number of microplastic particles produced by individual isopods and colonies was quantified.
• Laboratory experiments were performed using extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam to test its resistance to isopod boring.

Main Results:

• Extensive damage from thousands of isopods and their burrows was observed on EPS floats across all surveyed locations.
• A single isopod can generate thousands of microplastic particles per burrow, with colonies potentially releasing millions.
• Extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam demonstrated significant resistance to isopod boring, preventing damage.

Conclusions:

• Boring isopods are a widespread cause of damage to marine infrastructure like docks.
• These isopods represent a novel and significant source of microplastic pollution.
• The use of extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam is a viable strategy to mitigate isopod damage and associated microplastic pollution in marine applications.