We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Fragmentation of expanded polystyrene to microplastics by wharf roach Ligia spp.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers discovered that wharf roaches, common coastal crustaceans found throughout the Pacific region, actively graze on expanded polystyrene and fragment it into microplastics as small as 2 micrometers. In field surveys along Japanese coastlines, these animals were found to ingest polystyrene more frequently than other types of plastic. The study reveals a previously unrecognized biological pathway by which large plastic debris gets broken down into microplastics in coastal environments.
The East Asian region is an area of high human and fishery activity, where a substantial amount of plastic, especially expanded polystyrene (EPS), is discharged into the environment and reaches sandy and rocky seashores. EPS pollution and its impact on organisms inhabiting sandy and rocky areas may be suspected. In a field study conducted in the West Japan sandy and rocky seashore region, wharf roaches, Ligia spp., which are ubiquitous and cosmopolitan organisms in the Pacific area, were found to ingest EPS more frequently than polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics. Furthermore, the results of our feeding experiment indicate that wharf roaches are capable of not only grazing on EPS, but also fragmenting EPS to microplastics ranging from 2 to 214 μm in diameter when estimated as circles. We conclude that wharf roaches may contribute to the decomposition and fragmentation of EPS microplastics.
More Papers Like This
Burrowing invertebrates induce fragmentation of mariculture Styrofoam floats and formation of microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that burrowing invertebrates on Styrofoam floats used in Chinese mariculture operations physically fragment the foam into microplastics through their burrowing activity, demonstrating that biological fragmentation by marine invertebrates is an important and previously underappreciated pathway for generating Styrofoam-derived microplastics.
Formation of microplastics by polychaetes (Marphysa sanguinea) inhabiting expanded polystyrene marine debris
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that polychaete worms (Marphysa sanguinea) inhabiting expanded polystyrene marine debris actively fragment the material, with lab experiments showing a single individual can produce hundreds of thousands of EPS microplastic particles per year. The study reveals marine invertebrates as a previously underappreciated biological driver of microplastic generation from larger plastic debris.
Biodegradation and disintegration of expanded polystyrene by sphaeromatid isopods Sphaeroma via their gut bacteria
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers discovered that wood-boring marine isopods (Sphaeroma) actively gnaw, ingest, and partially digest expanded polystyrene foam used in aquaculture floats. Each isopod consumed about 4.4 milligrams of polystyrene over 7 days while generating approximately 25,000 microplastic particles through fragmentation. Gut bacteria from the genera Exiguobacterium and Brevibacterium were identified as key players in polystyrene degradation, though the overall process creates significant microplastic pollution.
Exposure of the amphipod Hyalella azteca to microplastics. A study on subtoxic responses and particle biofragmentation
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists exposed freshwater amphipods (Hyalella azteca) to polystyrene microplastics and observed subtle but measurable effects on the animals' behavior and biology even at concentrations below those causing visible harm. Importantly, the amphipods physically broke down the microplastics into much smaller fragments through ingestion and digestion. The study highlights that animals in the environment may be actively generating nanoplastics from microplastics, accelerating the fragmentation of plastic pollution.
Characterizing Fragmentation of Polystyrene Foam Debris by Isopods Oniscus asellus (Isopoda: Oniscidae) and Trachelipus rathkii (Isopoda: Trachelipodidae)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that two species of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) physically fragment polystyrene foam into microplastic particles by chewing on it, with one species producing significantly more fragments than the other. The findings identify soil invertebrates as an underappreciated pathway for microplastic generation from plastic debris in terrestrial environments.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.