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Organic or junk food? Microplastic contamination in Antarctic krill and salps
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Researchers examined Antarctic krill and salps for microplastic contamination and confirmed that both species are actively ingesting plastic particles in the Southern Ocean. Krill contained more microplastics per individual than salps, but the particles found in salps were larger, likely reflecting differences in their feeding strategies. The study provides the first comparative field evidence that microplastic ingestion is an ongoing process in these key Antarctic species, raising concerns about plastic pollution entering polar food webs.
Microplastics (MP) have been reported in Southern Ocean (SO), where they are likely to encounter Antarctic zooplankton and enter pelagic food webs. Here we assess the presence of MP within Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and salps (Salpa thompsoni) and quantify their abundance and type by micro-Fourier transform infrared microscopy. MP were found in both species, with fibres being more abundant than fragments (krill: 56.25% and salps: 22.32% of the total MP). Polymer identification indicated MP originated from both local and distant sources. Our findings prove how in situ MP ingestion from these organisms is a real and ongoing process in the SO. MP amount was higher in krill (2.13 ± 0.26 MP ind-1) than salps (1.38 ± 0.42 MP ind-1), while MP size extracted from krill (130 ± 30 µm) was significantly lower than MP size from salps (330 ± 50 µm). We suggest that differences between abundance and size of MP ingested by these two species may be related to their food strategies, their ability to fragment MP as well as different human pressures within the collection areas of the study region. First comparative field-based evidence of MP in both krill and salps, two emblematic zooplankton species of the SO marine ecosystems, underlines that Antarctic marine ecosystems may be particularly sensitive to plastic pollution.
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles called microplastics inside Antarctic krill, the small shrimp-like creatures that many ocean animals eat. The plastic pollution was widespread across different areas of Antarctica, with larger krill containing more plastic particles than smaller ones. This matters because krill are a key food source in ocean food chains, meaning these plastics could work their way up to fish and other seafood that humans eventually eat.
Microplastics in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) from Antarctic region
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Researchers examined Antarctic krill from two regions of the Southern Ocean and found microplastics in these ecologically critical organisms. The most common particles were fibers, and the polymer types included polyethylene and polyester. Since Antarctic krill are a foundational species in the polar food web, their contamination with microplastics has implications for the broader Antarctic marine ecosystem.
The feeding mode effect: influence on particle ingestion by four invertebrates from Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters
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Researchers assessed microplastic ingestion in four invertebrate species from sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters, including crustaceans and gastropods. They found that benthic grazers ingested significantly more but smaller particles compared to scavengers, with cellulose and rayon fibers making up 60% of ingested particles and true microplastics comprising 30%. The findings suggest that feeding mode strongly influences which marine organisms are most susceptible to microplastic ingestion in polar environments.
Quantification of microplastics in the stomach content of krill in the Southern Ocean
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Microplastics were quantified in the gut contents of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) collected from the Southern Ocean, with specimens examined using microscopy and spectroscopy for plastic particle identification. The study provides evidence that a keystone species at the base of the Antarctic food web is ingesting microplastics, with potential implications for polar ecosystem health.
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in 15 species of Antarctic fish and Antarctic krill collected near the Antarctic Peninsula. They found microplastics in all species studied, with fish accumulating significantly more particles than krill, and fibers being the most common type. The study demonstrates that microplastic pollution has reached even the most remote marine ecosystems on Earth.
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