Editorial: From micro to macro: interactions of marine biota with plastic pollution

A study in England and Wales (McGoran, et al. 2025) found that microplastic ingestion by filterfeeding blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) may increase their sensitivity for other stressors (e.g., harmful algal blooms). In another study (Wang, et al. 2025), filter-feeding barnacles (Amphibalanus amphitrite) ingested microplastics irrespective of the particles' characteristics. Both filter-feeders, mussels and barnacles, are common along coastlines worldwide and therefore could act as suitable sentinels for microplastic pollution. Similarly, stranded sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in Italy were proposed as potential bioindicators for macroplastic pollution (e.g., plastic bags, polystyrene foam) under the condition that post-mortem examinations are performed in a harmonized way (Pietroluongo, et al. 2025). Finding suitable plastic debris sentinels is essential for monitoring the extent of marine plastic pollution, including the risks posed to marine biota and ultimately to human health. However, certain species characteristics such as distribution, migration and feeding behavior have to be taken into to judge how well certain marine biota can inform about 39 environmental plastic pollution. In this context, recent findings from Mexico suggest that 40 microplastic accumulation in demersal fish is rather influenced by their position in the water column 41 than by their trophic position or feeding habits (Green-Ruíz, et al. 2025 are necessary to examine interactions between marine biota and plastic pollution. Furthermore, these 78 studies were conducted across the globe, emphasizing the worldwide occurrence and importance of 79 interactions between marine biota and plastic pollution. Knowledge on these interactions is vital for 80 finding measures to reduce harmful impacts of plastic pollution on organisms and to evaluate the severity of potential effects resulting from interactions between organisms and plastics. 82