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Microplastics in marine sponges (Porifera) along a highly urbanized estuarine gradient in Santos, Brazil
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Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in marine sponges along an urbanization gradient in the Santos Estuary, Brazil. They found a 14-fold difference in microplastic concentrations between the most and least contaminated sites, with contamination patterns following the same gradient seen in molluscs from the same area. The findings suggest that marine sponges could serve as useful sentinel organisms for monitoring microplastic pollution in coastal environments.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitously found in environmental matrices, particularly affecting aquatic systems. While several marine species have been widely used to assess MP contamination, sponges (Porifera) are less used. The MPs contamination was assessed in the sun sponge (Hymeniacidon heliophila) along a gradient at the Santos Estuarine System (Brazil). A 14-fold difference between concentrations (particles g) was verified between the most (1.40 ± 0.81) and least (0.10 ± 0.12) contaminated sites, confirming the local contamination gradient. The MPs found were primarily polypropylene, small (1.2-1000 μm), fibrous, and colored. Considering total concentrations, sizes and shapes these spatial patterns were similar those previously detected in molluscs obtained in the same sites. On the other hand, they differed in polymeric composition and color categories. Such findings give important initial insights into the potential role of marine sponges as putative sentinels of MPs contamination.
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