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Microplastic ingestion in jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskal, 1775) in the North Atlantic Ocean
Summary
Researchers examined jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) collected from the North Atlantic off the Canary Islands and found microplastics in their tissues for the first time in this species, including polystyrene and polypropylene fragments, raising concerns about MP transfer through gelatinous zooplankton to higher trophic levels.
The present study is the first evidence-based study about the ingestion of plastic and microplastics in jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca in the North Atlantic Ocean. A bloom of this organism was collected from Gran Canaria Island coast. It was digested using KOH to quantify the plastic particles and by separating the umbrella from tentacles. About 97% of the organisms analysed showed the presence of microdebris. The majority of the microfibers were with blue or uncorrected fibre concentrations and mainly composed of cotton. Their presence in the gastrovascular cavity of the jellyfish was confirmed. These results warn about the impact of various factors such as jellyfish health, the transfer to jellyfish predators, human consumption of jelly fish, and the transport of carbon and microplastics in the water column.