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Microplastic from beach sediment to tissue: a case study on burrowing crab Dotilla blanfordi
Summary
Researchers documented microplastic transfer from beach sediment through feeding pellets to the body tissue of the burrowing crab Dotilla blanfordi along the Gujarat coast of India. Microplastic abundance was highest in crab tissue compared to surrounding sediment and feeding pellets, suggesting bioaccumulation through feeding behavior. The findings indicate that sediment-dwelling organisms can serve as indicators of microplastic contamination in coastal environments.
The abundance of MP was found higher in burrow sediment, feeding pellets and tissue of D. blanfordi at study site Mandvi, followed by Serena and Asharmata. The abundance of MP was found higher in D. blanfordi tissue, followed by burrow sediment and feeding pellet. A significant variation was observed in MP abundance among burrow sediment, feeding pellets, and tissue. MPs with various shapes (fiber, film, and fragment), sizes (1-2, 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5 mm), and colors (blue, green, black, pink, purple, red transparent) were recorded from all the study sites. Polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride were recognized as the chemical profile of the extracted MPs. The current investigation revealed greater accumulation of MPs in D. blanfordi's tissues compared to sediment and pellets, suggesting a risk of MP contamination in marine benthic fauna with a greater rate of bioaccumulation. D. blanfordi plays a significant role as a structuring agent for MP distribution in the intertidal flat through burrowing activity.