We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Quantifying Spatial and Temporal Trends of Microplastic Pollution in Surface Water and in the Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica for a Dynamic Florida Estuary
Summary
Researchers monitored microplastic pollution in surface waters and tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica across 35 sites in Florida's Indian River Lagoon over one year using microscopy and ATR-FTIR, quantifying spatial and temporal variability in MP abundance and identifying factors influencing distribution patterns in this dynamic estuarine system.
Microplastics (MPs) are a ubiquitous pollutant, emphasizing the need to understand their abundance and the factors that influence these patterns around the globe. In a prior study, high numbers of MPs were found in surface waters and tissues of the oyster Crassostrea virginica collected from one location in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL, FL, USA). To better understand spatial and temporal variability of MPs throughout the IRL, for one year, monthly surface water samples were collected from 35 sites, while oysters were collected quarterly from 12 sites. Microscopy and ATR-FTIR were used to quantify MP. In total, 3755 MPs were found in 44% of water samples (mean density ± CI: 1.47 ± 0.09 MP/L). South IRL water had the most MPs, likely associated with proximity to urbanization, inlets (MP sinks) and tributaries (MP sources). MP (n = 3181) were found in 70% of examined C. virginica (n = 1402). Abundances of MP in oysters were lower in the spring and in north IRL. The overall mean abundance was 2.26 ± 0.16 MP/oyster, and the density was 2.43 ± 0.52 MP/g wet tissue weight. Our results provide a more complete picture of MPs in the IRL, a subtropical, shallow-water estuarine system.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic Content in Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from South Carolina, USA
Researchers analyzed microplastic content in oysters, water, and sediments from four estuaries in South Carolina, USA, quantifying contamination levels across these matrices in the commercially important Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica.
Quantity and types of microplastics in the organic tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica and Atlantic mud crab Panopeus herbstii from a Florida estuary
Eastern oysters and mud crabs from a Florida estuary were found to contain microplastics in their soft tissues, with fibers as the dominant type, while water samples confirmed ongoing microplastic inputs from the surrounding watershed. The study documents microplastic bioaccumulation in both a commercially important bivalve and a key benthic predator in a US Atlantic coast estuary.
Microplastics in Florida, United States: A Case Study of Quantification and Characterization With Intertidal Snails
Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic contamination in Florida coastal waters using intertidal snails as indicator organisms, documenting the extent of MP pollution along beaches that are subject to heavy tourism and hurricane disturbance.
Contamination by microplastics in oysters shows a widespread but patchy occurrence in a subtropical estuarine system
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in oysters across a subtropical estuarine system and found widespread but highly variable levels of pollution. Higher contamination generally correlated with areas of greater human activity, though unexpectedly high levels were also found in remote marine protected areas. The study found that 94 percent of oyster samples contained microplastics, suggesting these bivalves could serve as indicators of environmental contamination.
A Comparison of Methods to Quantify Nano- and/or Microplastic (NMPs) Deposition in Wild-Caught Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) Growing in a Heavily Urbanized, Subtropical Estuary (Galveston Bay, USA)
Researchers compared multiple analytical methods to quantify nano- and microplastic contamination in wild eastern oysters from Galveston Bay, Texas. The study found up to 200 microplastic particles in individual oysters, with polymer composition varying by location within the bay, and demonstrated that different detection methods can yield complementary information about contamination levels.