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Baseline survey of microplastics in Phallusia nigra (Ascidiacea) in different sites along the Brazilian Coast, Central, and Southwest Atlantic
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Researchers conducted a baseline survey of microplastic accumulation in the tropical ascidian Phallusia nigra collected from different sites, finding that this filter-feeding tunicate accumulates MPs and can serve as a bioindicator of marine microplastic contamination in tropical coastal ecosystems.
Microplastics (MPs) pose a growing threat to marine ecosystems, yet their accumulation in tropical ascidians remains understudied. This study investigated MPs in the digestive tract of Phallusia nigra from 15 sites along the Brazilian coast (75 individuals). Tissues were digested by alkaline solution, and MPs were quantified, measured, and characterized via microscopy and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. MPs were detected in 64% of individuals (mean: 1.21 particles/individual), predominantly as fragments (63%) and fibers (37%), with an average of 0.77 ± 0.81 MP/g. The most abundant polymers were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and nylon (PA), consistent with global coastal pollution trends. The prevalence of PE, PP, and PA, polymers widely linked to fishing gear, packaging, and sewage, underscores the role of anthropogenic sources in tropical marine pollution. Besides these findings, this study emphasizes the need for standardized methodologies to assess MPs impacts on understudied filter-feeders and the urgency of extending monitoring efforts to tropical ecosystems.
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Microplastics inside bodies: contamination of MPs in Phallusia nigra
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in Phallusia nigra, a sessile marine invertebrate ascidian that filter-feeds via inhalant and exhalant siphons and commonly inhabits artificial coastal structures, harbors, and ship hulls in warm waters from Bermuda to Brazil. The study examined P. nigra as a potential bioindicator for microplastic pollution given its proximity to coastal contamination sources and existing use as a sentinel species for heavy metals and organic pollutants.
Baseline survey of microplastics in Phallusia nigra (Ascidiacea) in different sites along the Brazilian Coast, Central, and Southwest Atlantic
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in 64% of Phallusia nigra ascidians sampled from 15 sites along the Brazilian coast, with a mean of 1.21 particles per individual, predominantly fragments and fibers, and polyethylene as the most common polymer type.
Microplastics inside bodies: contamination of MPs in Phallusia nigra
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in the marine invertebrate Phallusia nigra, a sessile tunicate found in coastal and estuarine environments, examining its potential as a bioindicator of plastic pollution in warm coastal waters from Bermuda to Brazil and other regions.
Rising tide of microplastics: contamination in filter-feeding ascidians
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Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in filter-feeding ascidians, which serve as bioindicators in marine pollution monitoring and evolutionary biology models. Microplastics were detected in ascidian tissues, with accumulation patterns reflecting local water contamination levels.
Detection of Microplastic Contamination in Shallow Marine Habitats Using Solitary Ascidians: Influence of Morphology and Habitat in a Tropical Bay, SW Atlantic
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A study of four ascidian species in Ilha Grande Bay, Brazil found that Styela plicata, with simple tentacles and branchial folds, retained significantly more microplastic particles than species with different morphologies, and contamination was higher near harbors and in winter. Filter-feeding invertebrates serve as effective bioindicators of local plastic pollution sources, and their morphological variation influences how much microplastic accumulates in marine food webs.
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