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Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
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Published on: December 16, 2016

Microplastic ingestion by zooplankton.

Matthew Cole1, Pennie Lindeque, Elaine Fileman

  • 1Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom. mcol@pml.ac.uk

Environmental Science & Technology
|May 23, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microplastics are ingested by zooplankton, impacting their health and feeding. This research highlights the risks of plastic pollution to vital marine food webs.

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Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Ecotoxicology
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Microplastics are pervasive marine contaminants affecting various marine organisms.
  • Zooplankton play a crucial role in marine food webs, yet their response to microplastic pollution is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the ingestion, egestion, and adherence of microplastics in zooplankton.
  • To determine the impact of microplastics on the feeding rates of copepods.

Main Methods:

  • Bioimaging techniques including fluorescence and CARS microscopy were used to visualize microplastic uptake in zooplankton.
  • Feeding rate studies were conducted on the copepod Centropages typicus exposed to algae and microplastics.

Main Results:

  • Thirteen zooplankton taxa were found to ingest polystyrene beads (1.7-30.6 μm), with ingestion varying by species, life stage, and bead size.
  • Microplastics were observed within copepod fecal pellets and adhered to their external structures.
  • Microplastics significantly reduced algal feeding rates in Centropages typicus at concentrations above 4000 particles/mL.

Conclusions:

  • Zooplankton ingest and interact with microplastics, indicating a direct pathway for plastic contamination within marine food webs.
  • Microplastic exposure negatively affects zooplankton feeding behavior and potentially their overall health and ecological function.