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Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris
Published on: July 28, 2018
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Plastic litter colonization in a brackish water environment
Teresa Bottari1, Rachida Houssa2, Maria Violetta Brundo3
1Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (IRBIM) - CNR, Messina, Italy.
The Science of the Total Environment
|December 10, 2023
Summary
Plastic litter in brackish ponds hosts numerous aquatic invertebrates, with over 76% of collected items colonized. These plastics, especially bottles, act as traps and potential vectors for species, highlighting transitional waters as pollution hotspots.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Transitional waters, such as coastal ponds, are unique ecosystems.
- These environments are highly susceptible to pollution from human activities.
Purpose of the Study:
- This study is the first to investigate aquatic invertebrates associated with plastic litter in brackish ponds.
- To evaluate the role of plastic debris in these transitional aquatic ecosystems.
Main Methods:
- Collected 43 plastic litter items from two brackish ponds during winter and spring 2022.
- Quantified and identified aquatic invertebrates colonizing the plastic debris.
Main Results:
- Over 76% of plastic litter items were colonized by 495 aquatic invertebrate individuals.
- Gammaridae, Serpulidae, and Sphaeromatidae were the most abundant taxa found on plastics.
- Plastic bottles trapped 25% of the total observed biota, with invertebrates found both internally and externally.
Conclusions:
- Plastic litter in transitional waters can serve as a substrate and trap for aquatic invertebrates.
- While species dispersal via plastics is possible, it may be limited by water exchange rates.
- Brackish ponds can act as transit zones and significant hotspots for plastic pollution and associated biota.
