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Marine & Wildlife
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Microplastics as a threat to coral reef environments: Detection of phthalate esters in neuston and scleractinian corals from the Faafu Atoll, Maldives
Marine Pollution Bulletin2019
120 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 40
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Barbara Leoni
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Simone Montano,
Francesco Saliu,
Barbara Leoni
Simone Montano,
Simone Montano,
Simone Montano,
Simone Montano,
Simone Montano,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Barbara Leoni
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Barbara Leoni
Francesco Saliu,
Barbara Leoni
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Barbara Leoni
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Simone Montano,
Paolo Galli,
Barbara Leoni
Simone Montano,
Paolo Galli,
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Barbara Leoni
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Barbara Leoni
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Barbara Leoni
Barbara Leoni
Marina Lasagni,
Barbara Leoni
Barbara Leoni
Simone Montano,
Simone Montano,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Simone Montano,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli,
Simone Montano,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Francesco Saliu,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Paolo Galli,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Barbara Leoni
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Simone Montano,
Francesco Saliu,
Barbara Leoni
Barbara Leoni
Barbara Leoni
Paolo Galli,
Marina Lasagni,
Simone Montano,
Paolo Galli,
Barbara Leoni
Barbara Leoni
Barbara Leoni
Summary
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination and associated phthalate esters in surface water and scleractinian corals from the Faafu Atoll in the Maldives, finding the first field-based evidence of a potential link between seawater microplastic levels and phthalic acid ester contamination in reef-building corals.
Study Type
Environmental
The impact of microplastics (MPs) on reef-building corals are still largely unknown. The scientific literature provides evidence from lab feeding trials that coral may ingest MPs. Several adverse effects, i.e., necrosis and bleaching, have also been highlighted. However, field studies are limited. Here, we investigated for the first time the possible correlation between MP seawater contamination and the presence of phthalic acid esters (PAEs), a class of MP-associated contaminants, in scleractinian corals. The survey was carried out in a remote coral reef atoll in the Indian Ocean located in the Maldivian archipelago, considered as a case study. MPs and PAEs were monitored in subsurface neustonic tow samples and scleractinian corals across twelve sampling sites. The results showed widespread MP contamination and the presence of appreciable levels of PAEs in the scleractinian corals sampled inside the atoll rim near an inhabited island, which correlated with the highest MP concentration.