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Detection and quantification of microplastics in Posidonia oceanica banquettes in the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia
Summary
This Tunisian study used the seagrass Posidonia oceanica as a natural microplastic trap in the Gulf of Gabes, finding pellets, threads, and fragments of polyethylene, polystyrene, and phthalate plasticizers accumulated in the leaves. Seagrass meadows appear to function as significant sinks for microplastics, both trapping them at the surface and potentially burying them in sediments through leaf fall. This matters because P. oceanica meadows are important coastal ecosystems, and their contamination with microplastics and plasticizers threatens the organisms that depend on them.
Plastic pollution and microplastic (MP) debris are some of the most significant solid waste pollutants, threatening the marine environment and causing sediment accumulation. Coastal seagrass areas are usually important habitats that support multiple living species and provide several ecosystem services. This study aimed to determine the abundance, characteristics, and composition of microplastics on the southern side of the Tunisian Mediterranean Sea by using Posidonia oceanica (P. oceanica) as a crucial trap for microplastics. Samples of Posidonia leaves were collected from the Tunisian coastal area of Gabes-City. The characterization of microplastic detritus was carried out by stereomicroscopy, and acid digestion of Posidonia tissue leaves was performed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of MPs using NMR spectroscopy. The study revealed pellets, threads, and fragments of polymers as the frequent forms found in MPs. Polyethylene, polystyrene, and bis(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalates were the most abundant materials detected. P. oceanica leaves contributed notably to microplastic subsidence, seafloor horizontal migration, and sediment burial. Thus, marine flora appeared to be a good tool to detect and monitor plasticizers, and further studies of the P. oceanica seagrass areas will help in developing a more comprehensive knowledge of chemicals spreading over a geographical zone. The results obtained will be used for developing baseline data on plasticizer contamination on the wide-ranging marine coast.