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Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in the seagrass ecosystem of Sri Lanka (Indian Ocean)
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Researchers found tiny plastic bits (mostly from things like plastic bags and bottles) in seagrass, water, sediment, and sea cucumbers along Sri Lanka's coast — and sea cucumbers had eaten a lot of it. This matters because seagrass beds are important nurseries for fish and seafood we eat, so plastic contamination here could work its way up the food chain and eventually onto our plates.
Seagrasses are essential blue carbon ecosystems that are increasingly threatened by the accumulation of emerging global pollutants, such as microplastics (MPs). However, in regions like Sri Lanka, MP contamination within seagrass beds remains critically understudied. This study investigated MP abundance in seagrass blades (Thalassia hemprichii), sediments, surface water, and sea cucumbers (Holothuria atra) and characteristics of isolated MPs from six selected sites along the Southern and Eastern coastlines of Sri Lanka (Indian Ocean). The average abundances of MPs in seagrass blades, Holothuria atra, surface water, vegetated sediments, and non-vegetated sediments were 1.59 ± 0.11 items/blade, 177.19 ± 53.28 items/kg, 9.60 ± 0.97 items/m3, 69.72 ± 8.38 items/kg, and 33.61 ± 2.15 items/kg, respectively. In this study, fibers were the most prevalent morphological type of MPs, while blue was the most dominant color. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed the predominant presence of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in all types of samples, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyamide or commonly known as nylon (PA) in variable amounts. A strong positive correlation between MPs on seagrass blades and those in sediments and surface water suggests that MPs from both water column and seabed contribute to their accumulation on seagrass. Furthermore, the ingestion of MPs by sea cucumbers indicates the potential for fragmentation and trophic transfer within the seagrass ecosystem, enabling MPs to enter and move through the marine food chain.
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Sea cucumbers collected from the seafloor around a Sicilian island were found to contain microplastics in their bodies, having ingested them while feeding on sediment. Since sea cucumbers are consumed as food in many cultures, this represents a direct pathway for microplastic exposure in humans.
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Sea cucumbers, a popular seafood in many parts of the world, are absorbing tiny plastic particles called microplastics from ocean sediment as they feed—this review pulled together findings from 41 studies to show just how widespread the problem is. The plastics found were mostly tiny fibers and fragments from common materials like polyethylene (used in bags and bottles), and eating contaminated sea cucumbers could be a hidden way these plastics end up in our diets. While scientists don't yet know exactly how much this affects human health, the findings suggest we need better monitoring of seafood for microplastic contamination.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.