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Microfiber abundance associated with coral tissue varies geographically on the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.
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This study found microfibers embedded in coral tissue at multiple sites along the Brazilian coast, with abundance varying by geography and coral species. Higher microfiber loads were found in corals near urban areas, suggesting terrestrial runoff and wastewater as primary sources. The findings raise concern about the physiological effects of microfiber ingestion on coral reef ecosystems.
Ocean plastic pollution is a global problem that causes ecosystem degradation. Crucial knowledge gaps exist concerning patterns in microfiber abundance across regions and ecosystems, as well as the role of these pollutants within the environment. Here, we quantified the abundance of microfibers in coral samples collected from the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) using a polarized light microscope and identified a subsample of these to the polymer level using an Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy microscope. Microfibers were found in all coral samples with rayon being identified as the most common microfiber, comprising 85% of quantified pollutants. We found a greater average abundance of microfibers in coral samples from the Sapodilla Cayes (296 ± SE 89) than in samples from the Drowned Cayes (75 ± SE 14), indicating spatial variation in microfiber abundance within coral tissue along the MBRS. These results demonstrate that corals on the Belize MBRS interact with microfibers and that microfiber abundance on reefs varies spatially due to point sources of pollution and local oceanography. As rayon from clothing typically enters the ocean through wastewater effluent, alterations to waste water infrastructure may prove useful in decreasing rayon pollution in coastal waters.
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Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.