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Barnacles as potential bioindicator of microplastic pollution in Hong Kong

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2020 60 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

H.M. Liu, Xiaoyu Xu, Xiaoyu Xu, H.M. Liu, Xiaoyu Xu, Xiaoyu Xu, Xiaoyu Xu, Xiaoyu Xu, Chun‐Yuen Wong, Chun‐Yuen Wong, Chun‐Yuen Wong, H.M. Liu, Xiaoyu Xu, Xiaoyu Xu, Xiaoyu Xu, Siu Gin Cheung N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Chun‐Yuen Wong, Chun‐Yuen Wong, Chun‐Yuen Wong, Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung H.M. Liu, H.M. Liu, Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung N.F.Y. Tam, Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Xiaoyu Xu, N.F.Y. Tam, Siu Gin Cheung Chun‐Yuen Wong, Siu Gin Cheung N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, N.F.Y. Tam, Siu Gin Cheung N.F.Y. Tam, Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung N.F.Y. Tam, Chun‐Yuen Wong, Siu Gin Cheung N.F.Y. Tam, Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung N.F.Y. Tam, Xiaoyu Xu, Siu Gin Cheung N.F.Y. Tam, Siu Gin Cheung Siu Gin Cheung

Summary

Researchers examined microplastic occurrence in four barnacle species collected from 30 sites across Hong Kong waters, finding microplastics — predominantly fibers — in all species and proposing barnacles as potential bioindicators of coastal microplastic pollution.

Microplastic (MP) pollution is an emerging problem in the marine environment and the assessment of the presence and abundance of microplastics in wild organisms is essential for risk assessment. The occurrence of microplastics in four species of barnacles at 30 sites in Hong Kong waters was investigated. The median number of microplastics ranged between 0 and 8.63 particles g wet weight, or 0 and 1.9 particles individual, with fibers being the most abundant type of microplastics. The chemical composition of 152 pieces out of 606 potential microplastics was analyzed using micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μ-FTIR). Fifty-two of them were synthetic polymers, 95 natural cotton fibers and five unknowns. Eight types of polymer were identified with cellophane being the most abundant (58%). Correlation analysis was conducted between the abundance of MPs in sediments obtained in our previous study and that in individual barnacle species in this study, and a positive correlation was established for the barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite, highlighting the potential of using this species as a bioindicator of microplastics.

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