We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Marine macrophytes retain microplastics
Summary
Water sampled within thickets of Baltic Sea macrophytes contained on average 1.7 times more microplastic particles than water sampled outside, with fibers dominating, suggesting that aquatic vegetation physically traps floating microplastics and functions as an important retention zone that concentrates pollution within coastal habitats.
Microplastics (MPs, 0.2-5 mm) contamination of water outside/inside thickets of macrophytes in the Baltic Sea was studied. The amount of MPs particles in water samples taken within thickets is on average 1.7 times higher than in water samples taken in the areas outside thickets. Fibres are the predominant type of MPs (92.5%). For algae growing on boulders, the abundance of MPs is 1245 ± 1020 items/m. Per kilogram of dry algae mass the MPs abundance is 376 ± 404 items/kgDW for all shapes of MPs particles. This value is one order of magnitude higher than in sands of the swash zone in the given area. It is shown that filamentous algae retain more fibres than cartilaginous ones: 1.9-8.5 versus 1-1.1 items/l on average. Obviously, areas covered by sea grasses are much more contaminated than water and sediments in the given region.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics retention by reeds in freshwater environment
Researchers sampled microplastics in sediment and plant tissue from reed beds in a freshwater environment, finding that reeds retained significantly more microplastics than adjacent open water sediments, suggesting that emergent vegetation may act as a natural microplastic sink.
Species-specific plastic accumulation in the sediment and canopy of coastal vegetated habitats
A multi-habitat study of coastal vegetated areas in Portugal found that saltmarsh vegetation showed the strongest ability to trap macroplastics in sediment, while microplastics were distributed similarly across all habitat types. Subtidal habitats retained more microplastic fibers on their canopy than intertidal habitats, highlighting how plant structure and submersion depth influence plastic accumulation.
Macrophytes: A Temporary Sink for Microplastics in Transitional Water Systems
Researchers found microplastics in 94% of macrophyte samples from two northern Adriatic lagoons, with contamination levels ranging from 0.16 to 330 items/g fresh weight showing a site-specific rather than species-specific pattern, and exopolysaccharides on macrophyte surfaces acting as glue to trap plastic particles.
Seagrass beds reveal high abundance of microplastic in sediments: A case study in the Baltic Sea
Seagrass bed sediments in the Baltic Sea were found to harbor significantly higher microplastic concentrations than surrounding bare sediments, indicating that seagrass canopies trap and accumulate microplastics and may be underappreciated hotspots of contamination.
Trapping of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in seagrass beds: Ubiquity across a vertical and horizontal sampling gradient
Researchers examined how seagrass beds trap microplastics and other anthropogenic particles by sampling along a vegetation cover gradient from dense beds to less vegetated patches. The study found that seagrass vegetation enhances the accumulation of plastic debris in both sediment and among plant structures. Evidence indicates that seagrass ecosystems act as significant sinks for microplastic pollution, with implications for the organisms that depend on these habitats.