We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Water and Mussels Sampled from Cape Town Harbour and Two Oceans Aquarium, South Africa
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized microplastics in water and mussels from Cape Town Harbour and the Two Oceans Aquarium in South Africa over two years, finding mainly filamentous particles averaging 7.5 microplastics per mussel and conducting risk assessments of contamination levels.
The aim of this study was to measure the characteristics and risk assessment of microplastics (MPs) in Cape Town Harbour (CTH) and the Two Oceans Aquarium (TOA) in Cape Town, South Africa from 2018 to 2020. Water and mussel MP samples were analyzed at 3 sites in CTH and TOA, respectively. Microplastics were mainly filamentous, black/grey and 1000-2000 μm in size. A total of 1778 MPs, averaging 7.50 (± 0.6 standard error of the mean, SEM) MPs/unit were recorded. Average MP concentrations were 10.3 ± 1.1 MPs/L in water and 6.27 ± 0.59 MPs/individual or, based on weight, 3.05 ± 1.09 MPs/g soft tissue wet weight in mussels. Average MPs in seawater in CTH (12.08 ± 1.3 SEM MPs/L) was significantly higher (4.61 ± 1.1 MPs/L) than inside the TOA (U = 536, p = 0.04). Various risk assessment calculations indicate that MPs in seawater poses a greater ecological risk than MPs in mussels at the sites sampled.
More Papers Like This
Characteristics and risk assessment of microplastics in water and mussels sampled from Cape Town Harbour and Two Oceans Aquarium, South Africa
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized microplastics in water and mussel samples from Cape Town Harbour and the Two Oceans Aquarium in South Africa, finding primarily fibrous black or grey particles between 1 and 2 mm in size. The study provides baseline data for microplastic contamination in a major South African port and a controlled aquarium environment.
Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in retail mussels from Cape Town, South Africa
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were found in retail mussels from Cape Town, South Africa, with fibers being the most prevalent type and polyester the dominant polymer, raising food safety concerns for one of the country's most widely consumed shellfish.
Microplastics in Mussels Along the Coast of Cape Town, South Africa
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected microplastics in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected along the Cape Town coastline in South Africa, providing one of the first documented records of microplastic contamination in marine invertebrates from the southern African region. The findings suggest widespread plastic pollution reaching filter-feeding organisms in coastal waters.
Characteristics and pollution risks of microplastics in coastal invertebrates adjacent to stormwater outlets of Cape Town
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared microplastic abundance and pollution risk indices in mussels, sea urchins, and whelks adjacent to stormwater outlets in Cape Town across wet and dry seasons, finding higher microplastic loads during the dry season at impact sites with fibers and polyester-cotton blends predominating, implicating stormwater runoff as a key pathway.
Characteristics and pollution risks of microplastics in coastal invertebrates adjacent to stormwater outlets of Cape Town
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared microplastic abundance and pollution risk indices in mussels, sea urchins, and whelks adjacent to stormwater outlets in Cape Town across wet and dry seasons, finding higher microplastic loads during the dry season at impact sites with fibers and polyester-cotton blends predominating, implicating stormwater runoff as a key pathway.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.