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Initial discovery of microplastic pollution in Mnemiopsis leidyi (Ctenophora: Lobata)
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Researchers discovered microplastics for the first time inside Mnemiopsis leidyi, a common Atlantic comb jelly, finding 328 plastic particles including polyurethane, PVC, and polyethylene types — mostly as blue fibers. Because these jellyfish-like animals are abundant along the Atlantic coast, the study suggests they could serve as useful bioindicators for tracking microplastic pollution in coastal waters.
The production of plastics has exponentially increased over time such that the observation of microplastics in the oceans has become a major concern given how frequently these particles and marine biota may interact. Microplastics can be ingested by diverse species, including invertebrates, which can lead to physical damage due to their small size and potentially chemical damage related to the ingestion of monomers, polymeric additives, or adsorbed chemicals. This study reports on the first evidence of microplastics in Mnemiopsis leidyi. Microplastics were described by type, quantified, and had their chemical composition identified. In total, 328 samples of microplastic (MP) candidates were observed: blue fibers were the most abundant, followed by black, red, and green fibers as well as blue fragments. Three types of microplastics were chemically identified as polyurethane, unplasticized polyvinylchloride, and polyethylene polylauryllactam. Overall, this study demonstrated that Mnemiopsis leidyi have the capacity to incorporate microplastics. Although more studies are needed, Mnemiopsis leidyi is relatively abundant on the Atlantic coast and should be recommended for use as a bioindicator for microplastics.
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The abundance of microplastics in cnidaria and ctenophora in the North Sea
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Researchers found microplastics in cnidarians and ctenophores collected from the North Sea, including jellyfish species and comb jellies, demonstrating that these gelatinous zooplankton ingest plastic particles and may serve as a vector transferring microplastics through marine food webs.
Microplastic ingestion in wild zoanthids: first evidence and a global meta-analysis on cnidarian
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This study provides the first evidence of microplastic ingestion in wild zoanthids (colonial cnidarians), finding an average of 10 microplastic particles per gram across three species from Indian rocky shores. A companion meta-analysis of cnidarians globally found that jellyfish had the highest microplastic contamination, with polyethylene as the most abundant polymer type.
Microplastic ingestion in jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskal, 1775) in the North Atlantic Ocean
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Researchers examined jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) collected from the North Atlantic off the Canary Islands and found microplastics in their tissues for the first time in this species, including polystyrene and polypropylene fragments, raising concerns about MP transfer through gelatinous zooplankton to higher trophic levels.
Assessment of microplastics in discharged treated wastewater and the utility of Chrysaora pentastoma medusae as bioindicators of microplastics
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Researchers tested whether jellyfish could serve as biological indicators of microplastic pollution in treated wastewater, finding that jellyfish in wastewater-receiving water contained more microplastics than those in cleaner water. The results support their use as bioindicators of plastic pollution levels.
Episodic records of jellyfish ingestion of plastic items reveal a novel pathway for trophic transference of marine litter
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Researchers documented for the first time that jellyfish ingest macroplastic debris, revealing a previously overlooked pathway by which plastic pollution travels up the marine food chain. This finding raises fresh concern about how widely plastic is spreading through ocean ecosystems via invertebrates, which make up the vast majority of marine life.
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.