Fate of microplastic captured in the marine demosponge Halichondria panicea

Microplastic particles are widespread pollutants in the sea and filter-feeding sponges have recently been suggested as useful monitoring organisms. However, the fate of microplastic particles in sponges is poorly understood, yet crucial for interpreting monitoring data. The present study aims to help develop sponges as more useful monitoring organisms for microplastic in the sea. Here, we describe the fate of inedible (2 and 10 μm) plastic beads compared to that of edible bacteria and algal cells captured in the marine demosponge Halichondria panicea. Small Cyanobium bacillare cells entered the choanocyte chambers and were phagocytized by choanocytes, while larger Rhodomonas salina cells were captured in incurrent canals and phagocytized in the mesohyl. Small 2 μm-beads were captured by choanocytes and subsequently expelled into the excurrent canals after 58 ± 34 min. Larger 10 μm-beads were captured in the incurrent canals and transferred to the mesohyl, where amoeboid cells moved them across the mesohyl before they were expelled into the excurrent canal after 95 ± 36 min. SEM observations further indicated engulfment of plastic beads on the outer sponge surface. This insight provides useful information on how sponges, in general, treat microplastic particles of various sizes. It helps us understand actual measured sizes and concentrations of microplastic particles in sponges in relation to those in the ambient water.