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Application of nuclear analysis for bioaccumulation of microplastics with iodine-131 in marine organisms
Summary
Researchers developed a method using iodine-131 labeled polystyrene to track microplastic accumulation in mangrove plants and milkfish through nuclear analysis. They found that both organisms absorbed the labeled microplastics, with accumulation patterns varying between plant roots and fish tissue. The study demonstrates that radiotracer techniques can be a valuable tool for understanding how microplastics move through marine food chains.
Oceans are considered the endpoint of plastic fluxes. Microplastics (MPs) are well-known as a serious threat to the marine environment. One of the primary pathways is through absorption, which can directly impact marine organisms, such as mangrove ecosystems (Rhizophora mucronata Lam.). These ecosystems can capture suspended pollutants in water and soil, leading to the entry of pollutants into the food chain and their uptake by fish Chanos chanos. The presence of radionuclide activity can be utilized to track elements that can be harmful to the environment. This study investigates the accumulation of MPs in R. mucronata and C. chanos using polystyrene labeled Iodine-131 as an MP model measured through the nuclear analysis method. 131I is used as a stable radiotracer measured with a Gamma spectrometer NaI(Tl) technology. The lowest accumulation of MP particles in R. mucronata was found in the apical bud, with values from 4.1 × 10-10 to 6.2 × 10-10 g, and the highest particles were observed in the roots, with values 2.4 × 10-9 to 4.8 × 10-9 g. Meanwhile, in C. chanos (2.118 g to 13.472 g) ranged from 0.036 to 0.398 mL.g-1 after the seventh day of exposure in his body tissue.