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Presence of microplastics in the tube structure of the reef-building polychaete Gunnarea gaimardi (Quatrefages 1848)
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Microplastic particles were found embedded in the tube structures built by reef-forming polychaete worms along the South African coast, suggesting microplastics become incorporated into the physical structures these animals build. This could affect the structural integrity of biogenic reefs and the organisms that depend on them.
The prevalence of microplastics in the marine environment has resulted in a need to understand their association with various fauna. The aim of this study was to assess whether microplastic particles are present in the tube structure of the indigenous reef-building polychaete Gunnarea gaimardi, which occurs along the coast of South Africa. Sampling was conducted at nine stations along the west and southeast coastlines of South Africa, in July 2016 and April/May 2017. Microplastic particles were recorded in all tube structures of G. gaimardi, with the density ranging between 0.056 and 1.113 microplastic particles g–1 dry weight (dwt). There were no significant differences between sites (p > 0.05), resulting in an overall average of 0.275 (SD 0.215) microplastic particles g–1 (dwt). To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to show that synthetic polymers are found in the tubes of reef-building polychaetes along the coast of South Africa.
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First attempt to quantify microplastics in Mediterranean Sabellaria spinulosa (Annelida, Polychaeta) bioconstructions
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Researchers found microplastics concentrated within the reef-like structures built by the tube worm Sabellaria spinulosa along the Italian Adriatic coast, with higher abundance and different particle shapes inside the bioconstruction than in the surrounding seafloor sediment. This suggests that the physical architecture of biogenic reefs can act as a trap for microplastic pollution, with potential consequences for the organisms living in and around these coastal habitats.
Quantitative evaluation of microplastics in colonies of Phragmatopoma caudata Krøyer in Mörch, 1863 (Polychaeta-Sabellariidae): Analysis in sandcastles and tissues and identification via Raman spectroscopy
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Researchers found microplastics embedded in the sand tubes and body tissues of Phragmatopoma caudata, a tube-building marine worm that constructs its home from sand grains. This study shows that filter-feeding and sediment-associated organisms incorporate microplastics into their structures, spreading plastic contamination through marine ecosystems.
Microplastic quantification in Sabellaria reefs: a validated protocol for extraction from biogenic agglutinated matrices
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Scientists developed a new method to accurately measure tiny plastic particles trapped in underwater reefs built by marine worms. These reef structures act like filters that collect microplastics from ocean water, which can then enter the food chain when other sea creatures eat organisms living on the reefs. This improved testing method will help researchers better track plastic pollution in coastal waters and understand how it might affect seafood that people eat.
Abundance of microplastic in different coastal areas using Phragmatopoma caudata (Kroyer in Morch, 1863) (Polychaeta: Sabellariidae) as an indicator
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Researchers used the reef-building polychaete Phragmatopoma caudata as a bioindicator to assess microplastic abundance across different coastal areas of Brazil. They found that filter-feeding and suspension-feeding organisms like this tube worm incorporate microplastics from their environment, making them useful monitors of coastal plastic pollution.
Dataset: Agglutinated Sabellaria reefs as natural traps for anthropogenic pollution: first non-destructive 3D detection of embedded microplastics
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This record is a dataset, not a research study. It contains 3D scans, tube measurements, and summary files from reef fragments built by sand-tube-forming worms, used to study how microplastic particles become trapped within the structures, including dosing data on added plastic particles.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.