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Microplastics distribution in different habitats of Ximen Island and the trapping effect of blue carbon habitats on microplastics
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Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution across five coastal ecosystems on Ximen Island and found that blue carbon habitats such as mangroves and saltmarshes act as significant traps for microplastics, concentrating them in sediments over time.
Sediments are considered to be important sinks of microplastics, but the enrichment process of microplastics by blue carbon ecosystems is poorly studied. This study analyzed the spatial distribution and temporal changes, assessed the polymer types and morphological characteristics of microplastics in sediments of five ecosystems, i.e. forests, paddy fields, mangroves, saltmarshes and bare beaches on Ximen Island, Yueqing Bay, China. The trapping effect of blue carbon (mangrove and saltmarsh) sediments on microplastic was further explored. Temporal trends in microplastic abundance showed a significant increase over the last 20 years, with the enrichment of microplastics in mangrove and saltmarsh sediments being 1.7 times as high as that in bare beach, exhibiting blue carbon vegetations have strong enrichment effect on microplastics. The dominant color, shape, size, and polymer type of microplastics in sediments were transparent, fibers and fragments, <1 mm, and polyethylene, respectively. Significant differences in the abundance and characteristics of microplastics between intertidal sediments and terrestrial soils reveal that runoff input is the main source of microplastics. This study provided the evidence of blue carbon habitats as traps of microplastics.
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Microplastics in coastal blue carbon ecosystems: A global Meta-analysis of its distribution, driving mechanisms, and potential risks
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Microplastic abundance in blue carbon ecosystems showed the highest concentrations in Asia, especially South and Southeast Asia, with distribution influenced by vegetation habitat, climate, and river runoff. Large fish showed significant microplastic accumulation, and the effect of microplastics on sediment organic carbon varied by ecosystem type, challenging the assumption that microplastics increase carbon sequestration.
Enhanced Microplastic Burial in China’s Coastal Blue Carbon Ecosystems: Drivers and Potential Roles in Climate Change Mitigation
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Researchers measured microplastic stocks in coastal blue carbon ecosystems along the Chinese coastline and found that these environments significantly enhance the trapping and burial of microplastic particles in sediments. Microplastic-derived carbon storage ranged from 0.01 to 104.4 kg of carbon per hectare across the study sites. The study suggests that while blue carbon ecosystems act as sinks for microplastic pollution, this buried plastic carbon may need to be accounted for in coastal carbon budget assessments.
New Insights into the Microplastic Enrichment in the Blue Carbon Ecosystem: Evidence from Seagrass Meadows and Mangrove Forests in Coastal South China Sea
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Researchers studied how seagrass meadows and mangrove forests in the South China Sea trap microplastics, finding enrichment of 1.3 to 17.6 times compared to unvegetated sites, with a strong positive correlation between microplastic abundance and organic carbon content (Pearson R = 0.86).
Enhanced MicroplasticBurial in China’s CoastalBlue Carbon Ecosystems: Drivers and Potential Roles in Climate ChangeMitigation
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Researchers mapped microplastic stocks in China's coastal blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrasses), finding that these habitats trap 1.3–3.8 times more microplastics than bare tidal flats, with rainfall, river runoff, and land use as key drivers.
Occurrence, distribution and characterization of microplastics from a tropical blue carbon ecosystem in southwest india
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Microplastics were found in mangrove sediments along a tropical coastline, with concentrations varying by location depending on proximity to urban areas and river inputs. Mangroves are increasingly recognized as habitats that trap both terrestrial and marine plastic debris, concentrating it in their sediments. The findings add to growing evidence that mangrove ecosystems are significant sinks for microplastic pollution with potential consequences for the rich biodiversity they support.
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