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Microplastics contamination in pearl-farming lagoons of French Polynesia
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Microplastic contamination was documented in pearl-farming lagoons of French Polynesia, establishing a pollution baseline for these economically important tropical ecosystems and identifying local aquaculture activities as a contributing source.
Pearl-farming is the second most important source of income in French Polynesia. However, tropical lagoons are fragile ecosystems with regard to anthropogenic pressures like plastic pollution, which threaten marine life and the pearl oyster-related economy. Here, we investigated the spatial distribution of microplastics (MP) and concentrations in surface water (SW), water column (WC) and cultivated pearl oyster (PO) from three pearl-farming atolls with low population and tourism. Microplastics were categorized by their size class, shape, colour and polymer type identified using FTIR spectroscopy. Widespread MP contamination was observed in every study site (SW, 0.2-8.4 MP m; WC, 14.0-716.2 MP m; PO, 2.1-125.0 MP g dry weight), with high contamination in the WC highlighting the need to study the vertical distribution of MP, especially as this compartment where PO are reared. A large presence of small (< 200 µm) and fragment-shaped (> 70%) MP suggests that they result from the breakdown of larger plastic debris. The most abundant polymer type was polyethylene in SW (34-39%), WC (24-32%), while in PO, polypropylene (14-20%) and polyethylene were more evenly distributed (9-21%). The most common MP identified as black-grey polyethylene and polypropylene matches the polymer and colour of ropes and collectors questioning a pearl-farming origin.
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Microplastics contamination in pearl-farming lagoons of french polynesia and their impacts in the pearl oyster pinctada margaritifera
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This French study examined microplastic contamination in the pearl-farming lagoons of French Polynesia, where decades of aquaculture infrastructure have accumulated. Researchers found widespread micro- and nanoplastic contamination in lagoon waters and assessed potential risks to the commercially important pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera. The study is one of the first to document microplastic pollution specifically linked to pearl farming activities.
Recherche D’especes Bioindicatrices De La Pollution Plastique Dans Un Contexte Perlicole En Polynesie Française
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Researchers investigated bioindicator species for plastic pollution in the context of pearl aquaculture in French Polynesia, where the shift from natural to plastic materials since the 1990s has introduced large quantities of plastics into lagoon environments with inadequate waste management. The study identified candidate organisms that accumulate or respond to plastic contamination in pearl farm settings, offering a biological monitoring tool for this economically significant and ecologically sensitive coastal industry.
Pearl farming micro-nanoplastics affect both oyster physiology and pearl quality
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Pearl oysters (Pinctada margaritifera) in French Polynesia were exposed to micro-nanoplastics derived from actual farming equipment over a five-month production cycle, and the plastics disrupted the oysters' energy metabolism and altered the crystal structure of growing pearls. The study demonstrates that microplastic contamination in lagoons poses a real economic threat to the pearl industry alongside its ecological impacts.
Assessment of plastic waste generated by the aquaculture industry: The case study of pearl farming in French Polynesia
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Pearl farming in French Polynesia, a major local industry, generates about 1,600 tons of plastic waste every year from the gear used to grow pearls, and researchers found that 75% of it isn't disposed of properly, with nearly half at risk of washing into the ocean. As that plastic breaks down in seawater, it can become microplastics that enter the marine food chain, meaning the pearls, fish, and seafood harvested from these waters could carry plastic contamination back to our dinner plates.
Plastic pollution in Leeward, Moorea and Cook islands (South Pacific): A baseline study
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Researchers conducted a baseline survey of beach macrolitter and microplastics in surface waters and sediments across six islands in French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, finding high macroplastic contamination on most beaches with densities of 18-58 items per 100 meters. Surface water microplastic concentrations were low (0-4668 particles per km), suggesting localized contamination linked to tourism and coastal activities rather than widespread oceanic inputs.
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