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First record of glitter particles in coral reefs from a remote archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean
Summary
Scientists found glitter particles inside corals living on remote islands over 700 miles off the coast of Brazil, showing that plastic pollution reaches even the most isolated ocean areas. The corals had eaten hundreds of tiny glitter pieces made of plastic, which is concerning because these same plastics can enter our food chain when we eat seafood. This discovery shows that single-use glitter and other microplastics are spreading throughout ocean ecosystems worldwide, potentially affecting the fish and shellfish we consume.
Microplastic pollution represents a relevant environmental issue for the conservation of marine environments. Glitter particles are often a single-use material and are considered an important group of microplastics. These particles are bioavailable and may pose a significant contamination risk to aquatic ecosystems. The present study reports the first record of hexagonal glitter particles ingested by corals from two Brazilian oceanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1140 km east of the Brazilian coast: Trindade and Martim Vaz. Fragments of Mussismilia hispida and Montastraea cavernosa corals were analyzed for the presence of ingested glitter particles. Hexagonal glitter particles were observed in both species, with abundance reaching up to 304.76 ± 81.27 particles.g−1 of soft tissue for M. cavernosa and 629.63 ± 101.23 particles.g−1 of soft tissue for M. hispida. The average size of hexagonal glitter particles was 28.10 ± 7.17 µm. The polymeric composition was identified as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Our data highlight the susceptibility of coral species to act as sinks for microplastics, even in remote areas.