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Ingestion of microplastics by natural zooplankton groups in the northern South China Sea
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Researchers studied microplastic ingestion by five groups of natural zooplankton in the South China Sea using two different net sizes, finding microplastics — mainly fibers — at all sampling stations. The study provides the first data on microplastic ingestion by zooplankton in this region and highlights how small-mesh nets capture more contaminated organisms.
The ingestion of microplastics by five natural zooplankton groups in the northern South China Sea was studied for the first time and two types of sampling nets (505μm and 160μm in mesh size) were compared. The microplastics were detected in zooplankton sampled from 16 stations, with the fibrous microplastics accounting for the largest proportion (70%). The main component of the found microplastics was polyester. The average length of the microplastics was 125μm and 167μm for Nets I and II, respectively. The encounter rates of microplastics/zooplankton increased with trophic levels. The average encounter rate of microplastics/zooplankton was 5%, 15%, 34%, 49%, and 120% for Net I, and 8%, 21%, 47%, 60%, and 143% for Net II for copepods, chaetognaths, jellyfish, shrimp, and fish larvae, respectively. The average abundance of microplastics that were ingested by zooplankton was 4.1pieces/m for Net I and 131.5pieces/m for Net II.
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Researchers characterized the shape, color, size, and chemical composition of microplastics ingested by zooplankton collected from the Bohai Sea in China, finding transparent fibers and fragments below 1 mm as the dominant forms and identifying multiple polymer types including polyethylene and polypropylene. The study highlights zooplankton as sensitive indicators of microplastic contamination in semi-enclosed coastal seas.
Microplastic prevalence in marine fish from onshore Beibu Gulf, South China Sea
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Researchers examined 271 fish across 32 species from the Beibu Gulf and found microplastics in the majority of samples, with fibers being the most common type and abundance varying by species, feeding habits, and habitat.
Retention and characteristics of microplastics in natural zooplankton taxa from the East China Sea
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Researchers characterised microplastic retention across 10 zooplankton taxa in the East China Sea, finding fibres were the most common form (54.6%) and identifying 19 polymer types via FTIR microscopy. Bioaccumulated concentrations ranged from 0.13 particles per individual in copepods to 0.35 in pteropods, with a significant biological dilution effect observed at higher zooplankton abundances.
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