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Microplastic pollution in stony coral skeletons and tissues: A case study of accumulation and interrelationship in South Penghu Marine National Park, Taiwan Strait

Journal of Hazardous Materials 2024 9 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 45 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Yee Cheng Lim, Yee Cheng Lim, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Yun‐Ru Ju, Yee Cheng Lim, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Ming-Huang Wang, Yun‐Ru Ju, Yun‐Ru Ju, Yee Cheng Lim, Yee Cheng Lim, Yurong Cheng, Yee Cheng Lim, Yee Cheng Lim, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Yurong Cheng, Yun‐Ru Ju, Ming-Huang Wang, Yun‐Ru Ju, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Yee Cheng Lim, Yee Cheng Lim, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong Yee Cheng Lim, Yee Cheng Lim, Yee Cheng Lim, Yee Cheng Lim, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Yee Cheng Lim, Yee Cheng Lim, Ming-Huang Wang, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Ming-Huang Wang, Yurong Cheng, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Yurong Cheng, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong Yurong Cheng, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Chiu‐Wen Chen, Yurong Cheng, Cheng–Di Dong, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong

Summary

This case study examined microplastic accumulation in the skeletons and tissues of stony corals, finding that corals both ingest and physically incorporate plastic particles into their carbonate structures. The results indicate microplastics can become permanently embedded in coral skeletons, with potential long-term effects on reef health.

Microplastics (MPs) pose a growing threat to coral reef ecosystems worldwide. However, data on MP contamination in coral reefs remain limited, hampering accurate ecological risk assessment. This study investigated MP contamination in coral reefs at South Penghu Marine National Park, analyzing 40 samples from 31 coral species. The average MP abundance was 0.32 ± 0.32 MPs/g wet weight, and the mean MP abundance in the coral tissues (0.26 ± 0.26 MPs/g ww) was significantly higher than that in the coral skeleton (0.08 ± 0.10 MPs/g ww). Most MPs were small (<1 mm: >60 %), fibrous (99.7 %), and primarily composed of rayon (59.8 %) and polyester (27.5 %). Significant correlations were found among MP abundance in whole corals, coral tissues, and coral skeletons. The correlation equation established in this study, linking coral skeleton, tissue, and whole corals, can facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of MP pollution level and its associated risks in coral reef environments. Notably, monofilament overgrowth was observed, highlighting the impact of nearby fisheries and recreational activities on MP contamination. These findings provide valuable field-based data on MP pollution levels and the associated risks to corals and offer a novel tool for assessing MP accumulation and potential risks in coral ecosystems.

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