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Soft corals and microplastics interaction: first evidence in the alcyonacean species Coelogorgia palmosa
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The first evidence of microplastic ingestion and adhesion in the soft coral Coelogorgia palmosa was documented through feeding and adhesion tests with polyethylene microbeads, showing that microplastics are ingested and retained by alcyonacean corals at a range of concentrations.
Microplastics pollution differentially impacts coral reef systems, by threatening corals physically, through physiological distress and by increasing diseases. However, most of the studies to date have focused on scleractinian corals. The present work reports for the first time the patterns of microplastic ingestion and adhesion by the alcyonacean Coelogorgia palmosa. Feeding and adhesion tests were carried out with various concentrations of polyethylene microbeads. Results showed a wide range of surface adhesion, ranging from 3 to 1573 microbeads per coral fragment, suggesting that adhesion driven by mucus is the main mechanism of microplastic trapping. Polyethylene was ingested by 60% of coral fragments, and the average number of ingested microbeads was much lower compared to scleractinian corals. Considering the ecological importance of soft corals in coral reef ecosystems, specific attention regarding microplastic pollution effects on this taxon is recommended.
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Soft-benthic Cnidarians: Possible Bioindicators of Microplastic Contamination Through Phthalate Esters Detection.
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Researchers investigated phthalate ester (PAE) accumulation as a proxy for microplastic exposure in soft-bodied cnidarians, testing the capacity of the soft coral Coelogorgia palmosa to interact with microplastics through ingestion and adhesion, and using BioSPME coupled with LC/MS to quantify PAEs in field-collected octocorals and anemones. The study explored whether PAE presence could serve as a biomonitoring index of microplastic contamination in marine benthic environments.
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Short-term exposure to microplastics triggered oxidative stress and cellular damage in the soft coral Coelogorgia palmosa, adding to evidence that microplastic pollution threatens coral reef ecosystems beyond hard corals. The findings highlight that soft corals, which are the second most abundant benthos on tropical reefs, are also at risk.
Scleractinian corals incorporate microplastic particles: identification from a laboratory study
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Laboratory experiments demonstrated that scleractinian corals actively incorporate microplastic particles during feeding, with ingestion rates varying by particle size and polymer type, raising concerns about chronic microplastic exposure in coral reef ecosystems.
Responses of reef building corals to microplastic exposure
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Researchers exposed six species of small-polyp stony corals to polyethylene microplastics to characterize their responses and potential health effects. They found that corals interacted with the particles through ingestion and adhesion, with responses varying by species and coral morphology. The study suggests that microplastic exposure could affect reef-building corals, which are already under stress from climate change and ocean acidification.
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This study documented microplastic ingestion by the temperate coral Astrangia poculata in Rhode Island, finding that corals readily ingested plastic particles and retained them in their gastrovascular cavity for extended periods. The findings suggest that even non-tropical corals outside heavily polluted regions are regularly exposed to microplastics through their normal filter-feeding behavior.
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