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Macroalgae as Marine Microdebris Traps: a Case Study in the Bahía Blanca Estuary
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Researchers examined seven species of macroalgae and surface waters in the Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina, to assess marine microdebris including microplastics and antifouling paint particles. Fiber microplastics dominated surface waters, while brown alga P. nakamurae accumulated the highest microplastic concentrations among macroalgae, and green alga B. minima showed elevated paint particle levels, indicating that macroalgae function as passive traps for marine microdebris.
Marine microdebris (MDs), including microplastics (MPs) and antifouling and/or anticorrosive paint particles (APPs) could have significant implications within coastal ecosystems of Argentina, particularly producers primary as macroalgae. In this study, we aimed to determine the abundance of MDs, including MPs APPs, among others, in seven different species of macroalgae (P. morrowii, C. diaphanum, Bangia sp., Gelidium spp., Ulva spp., P. nakamurae, and B. minima) and in surface waters from the Bahia Blanca Estuary (BBE). Fiber MPs were the most common type of MDs found in surface waters. In macroalgae, high concentrations of MPs were observed in brown algae (P. nakamurae), followed by red algae (Gelidium spp. and Bangia sp.). Green algae B. minima exhibited high concentrations of APPs. Additionally, other types of MDs, such as black soot particles, metallic microspheres, and fragments, were also identified in green algae Ulva spp. The most predominant colors of MDs found in macroalgae were black, white, and transparent. The size ranges of the MDs were primarily 0.5–2.5 mm and <0.5 mm in both surface waters and macroalgae samples. This study provided a baseline for MDs abundance, indicating the bioaccumulation of these emerging pollutants in the primary producers of the coastal trophic chain of BBE.
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