Microplastic sink that cannot be ignored in chemosynthetic organisms

Kangning Zhang; Junhua Liang; Zhongli Sha; Li Zhou; Shan Zheng; Xiaoxia Sun

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114815

Microplastic sink that cannot be ignored in chemosynthetic organisms

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Apr:189:114815. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114815. Epub 2023 Mar 15.

Authors

Kangning Zhang¹, Junhua Liang², Zhongli Sha³, Li Zhou⁴, Shan Zheng⁵, Xiaoxia Sun⁶

Affiliations

¹ Jiaozhou Bay National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
² Jiaozhou Bay National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China.
³ Department of Marine Organism Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
⁴ Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
⁵ Jiaozhou Bay National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China. Electronic address: zhengshan@qdio.ac.cn.
⁶ Jiaozhou Bay National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: xsun@qdio.ac.cn.

PMID: 36931157
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114815

Abstract

Marine microplastic (MP) pollution is a widespread concern; however, to date, MP pollution in chemoautotrophic ecosystems remains largely unknown. This study focuses on the cold seep in the South China Sea. Two dominant species, namely mussel (Gigantidas platifrons) and squat lobster (Shinkaia crosnieri), were collected for examining the MP pollution. MPs were present in both mussels and squat lobsters with abundances of 0.13 ± 0.04 and 0.17 ± 0.06 items/ind., respectively. MPs were mainly fibrous (62.5 %) and transparent (45.8 %). The main polymer type was polyester (54.2 %). About 86.5 MPs/m² were found inhabiting mussels and squat lobsters-a value comparable to those reported in benthos. This pilot report on MP pollution in cold-seep species provides key information for studies on MP pollution in chemoautotrophic ecosystems and evidence regarding a potential biological MP sink. The role of cold-seep organisms in MP retention and transport in the regional sea merits further attention.

Keywords: Cold seep; Gigantidas platifrons; Microplastics; Shinkaia crosnieri.

MeSH terms

Animals
Anomura*
China
Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Pollution
Microplastics
Mytilidae*
Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Microplastics
Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical