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Bleaching and necrosis of staghorn coral (Acropora formosa) in laboratory assays: Immediate impact of LDPE microplastics

Chemosphere 2019 124 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 50 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Agung Dhamar Syakti Tengku Said Raza’i, Agung Dhamar Syakti Agung Dhamar Syakti Agung Dhamar Syakti Agung Dhamar Syakti Tengku Said Raza’i, Nuning Vita Hidayati, Nuning Vita Hidayati, Jales Veva Jaya, Jales Veva Jaya, Nuning Vita Hidayati, Agung Dhamar Syakti Aulia Rahman, Nuning Vita Hidayati, Pierre Doumenq, Agung Dhamar Syakti Nuning Vita Hidayati, Tengku Said Raza’i, Agung Dhamar Syakti Fadliyah Idris, Pierre Doumenq, Pierre Doumenq, Agung Dhamar Syakti Fadliyah Idris, Pierre Doumenq, Mukti Trenggono, Pierre Doumenq, Loke Ming Chou, Pierre Doumenq, Pierre Doumenq, Agung Dhamar Syakti Loke Ming Chou, Agung Dhamar Syakti

Summary

LDPE microplastics of five size classes were applied to staghorn coral Acropora formosa in laboratory assays, with the finest fraction (<100 μm) causing 93.6% bleaching by day 14 and concurrent necrosis, while larger size classes caused progressively less severe damage. The study provides direct evidence that ingested microplastics cause acute bleaching and tissue necrosis in reef-building coral, with particle size being a key determinant of severity.

Polymers

LDPE PE

The impact of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics (<100 μm; P100-A P100-B, P100-C, 100-200 μm; P200, 200-500 μm; P500) on Acropora formosa was investigated. This study investigated the bleaching and necrosis extent of A. formosa caused by LDPE contamination via laboratory assay. The staghorn coral ingested the microplastics, resulting in bleaching and necrosis that concomitantly occurred with the release of zooxanthellae. P100-A experimentation was the worst case, showing bleaching by day 2 (10.8 ± 2.2%) and continued bleaching to 93.6% ± 2.0 by day 14 followed by 5.9 ± 2.5% necrosis. The overall results confirmed that the LDPE concentration impacts coral health. We highlighted that microplastics have been ingested and partially egested. Their presence showed either a direct or indirect impact on coral polyps via direct interaction or through photosynthesis perturbation due to microplastics that cover the coral surface.

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