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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics encapsulation in aragonite: efficiency, detection and insight into potential environmental impacts
ClearMicroplastics in coral reef sediments underestimated? They may hide in biominerals
Standard lab methods for measuring microplastics in coral reef sediments may significantly undercount them because particles can become trapped inside calcium carbonate biominerals, which are typically ignored in processing. By adding an acid digestion step to dissolve the biominerals, this study found substantially more microplastics, suggesting current estimates of plastic contamination in reef environments are likely too low.
Effect of Polymer Nano- and Microparticles on Calcium Carbonate Crystallization
Researchers examined how polystyrene and other polymer micro- and nanoparticles affect the crystallization of calcium carbonate, finding that even small amounts of plastic particles disrupted crystal morphology and polymorph selection, with potential implications for biomineralizing marine organisms.
Microplastic pollution in stony coral skeletons and tissues: A case study of accumulation and interrelationship in South Penghu Marine National Park, Taiwan Strait
This case study examined microplastic accumulation in the skeletons and tissues of stony corals, finding that corals both ingest and physically incorporate plastic particles into their carbonate structures. The results indicate microplastics can become permanently embedded in coral skeletons, with potential long-term effects on reef health.
Adhesion to coral surface as a potential sink for marine microplastics
This study found that coral surfaces can adsorb microplastic particles and act as a potential sink for marine plastics, with adhesion influenced by plastic polymer type and the biofilm coating on coral surfaces. Coral reefs may therefore not only be harmed by microplastic ingestion but also accumulate plastics from the surrounding water column.
Scleractinian corals incorporate microplastic particles: identification from a laboratory study
Laboratory experiments demonstrated that scleractinian corals actively incorporate microplastic particles during feeding, with ingestion rates varying by particle size and polymer type, raising concerns about chronic microplastic exposure in coral reef ecosystems.
Nanoplastic incorporation into an organismal skeleton
Researchers reported the first observation of nanoplastic particles being physically incorporated into the calcite skeleton of large benthic foraminifera, organisms important for global carbonate production in the ocean. The encrustation of nanoplastics into these calcium carbonate shells represents a previously unrecognized pathway for plastic entry into marine geological records.
Reef‐building corals act as long‐term sink for microplastic
Coral reef structures were shown to act as long-term sinks for microplastics, with microplastics accumulating in reef framework interstices and sediments at higher concentrations than surrounding seawater, potentially contributing to the resolution of the missing plastic problem in ocean budgets.
Crystallisation of CaCO3 polymorphs induced by layered PET-based microplastic particles
Researchers examined whether PET glitter microplastics can serve as nucleation sites for calcium carbonate crystal formation in seawater-simulated conditions. PET particles induced precipitation of calcite, aragonite, and other carbonate polymorphs at elevated temperatures, suggesting plastic debris could interfere with calcification processes in marine organisms and sediment chemistry.
Patterns, dynamics and consequences of microplastic ingestion by the temperate coral, Astrangia poculata
This study documented microplastic ingestion by the temperate coral Astrangia poculata in Rhode Island, finding that corals readily ingested plastic particles and retained them in their gastrovascular cavity for extended periods. The findings suggest that even non-tropical corals outside heavily polluted regions are regularly exposed to microplastics through their normal filter-feeding behavior.
Responses of reef building corals to microplastic exposure
Researchers exposed six species of small-polyp stony corals to polyethylene microplastics to characterize their responses and potential health effects. They found that corals interacted with the particles through ingestion and adhesion, with responses varying by species and coral morphology. The study suggests that microplastic exposure could affect reef-building corals, which are already under stress from climate change and ocean acidification.
Coral reef attributes associated with microplastic exposure
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in ocean water and coral tissue samples from two coral species in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida, providing the first documentation of microplastics in corals from these locations. Most particles identified were cotton or polyester fibers. Surprisingly, higher microplastic levels in coral tissue were positively associated with coral density, rugosity, and percent coral cover, suggesting that microplastics may not have immediate adverse effects on reef health.
Microplastics Contamination versus Inorganic Particles: Effects on the Dynamics of Marine Dissolved Organic Matter
This study compared how microplastic contamination affects the cycling of dissolved organic carbon in seawater versus the effects of naturally occurring inorganic particles, finding that microplastics have distinct impacts on organic matter dynamics. The results suggest microplastics may alter carbon cycling in the ocean in ways that natural particles do not.
Unseen threats: negative effects of microplastic leachate on coral planulae settlement
Researchers tested how chemical leachate from weathered microplastics affects the ability of coral larvae to settle and grow in Hawaiian reef environments. They found that microplastic leachate significantly reduced coral settlement rates, with the effect worsening as plastic concentration increased. The findings suggest that chemicals released by degrading ocean plastics may threaten coral reef recovery by impairing a critical early life stage.
Exploring Microplastic Interactions with Reef-Building Corals Across Flow Conditions
Researchers examined how reef-building corals interact with microplastics under varying flow conditions, investigating whether active ingestion or passive adhesion dominates microplastic removal and which particle types and sizes are most readily captured by coral structures.
Macro- and microplastics as complex threats to coral reef ecosystems
This review summarizes the growing threat that plastic pollution, from large debris down to nanoplastics, poses to coral reef ecosystems worldwide. Researchers found that microplastics can impair coral feeding, skeletal formation, and nutrition, weakening reef health. The study calls for including plastic monitoring in reef conservation programs and promoting a circular economy to reduce plastic waste entering oceans.
Microplastics in Natural and Artificial Reefs
This review examines microplastic pollution in both natural and artificial reef ecosystems, summarizing how plastic particles accumulate in reef structures, affect coral and associated organisms, and interact with other stressors threatening reef health worldwide.
Microplastics: impacts on corals and other reef organisms
This study reviewed the growing body of evidence on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect corals and other reef organisms. Researchers found that these plastic particles can impair coral feeding, growth, and reproduction, and may worsen the effects of other stressors like ocean warming. The review highlights that plastic pollution represents an additional serious threat to already vulnerable reef ecosystems worldwide.
Microplastics: impacts on corals and other reef organisms
This review examines the impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on corals and reef organisms across all trophic levels. Researchers note that microplastics have been found in the water, sediments, and biota of every coral reef studied, but knowledge gaps remain for nanoplastic contamination due to detection limitations. The study highlights that few studies have examined how microplastic exposure interacts with other stressors like ocean acidification and rising temperatures, making comprehensive risk assessment difficult.
Ecological responses of coral reef to polyethylene microplastics in community structure and extracellular polymeric substances
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect coral reef communities, finding that microplastic exposure altered extracellular polymeric substance production and community structure in scleractinian coral, indicating ecological stress responses.
Calcium carbonate deposits and microbial assemblages on microplastics in oligotrophic freshwaters
Researchers found that microplastics in oligotrophic (low-nutrient) freshwaters accumulated calcium carbonate coatings formed by microbial activity, which increased particle density and altered their environmental behavior. This coating process could change how microplastics settle or travel through water bodies, affecting where they concentrate in ecosystems.
Microplastic ingestion by coral as a function of the interaction between calyx and microplastic size
Researchers found that coral ingestion of microplastics is strongly influenced by the size relationship between coral calyx opening and microplastic particle size, with particles matching or slightly smaller than the calyx diameter being ingested at the highest rates, providing a mechanistic basis for assessing coral microplastic exposure.
Transport and trapping in complex aquatic canopies: how do coral reefs act as sinks for microplastics?
Researchers investigated how coral reef canopy structures act as sinks for microplastic particles by modifying turbulence, flow, and depositional processes in coastal zones, examining physical trapping mechanisms alongside biological incorporation within coral tissue and skeletons. The study addressed the 'missing plastic' problem by exploring whether the complex three-dimensional structure of shallow reefs intercepts microplastics transported from terrestrial sources before they reach open ocean.
Cold-water octocoral interactions with microplastics under laboratory conditions
Researchers developed a novel methodology to study how the cold-water coral Viminella flagellum interacts with microplastics under laboratory conditions. They found that the coral readily ingested biofouled polyethylene microspheres but was able to egest all particles within 24 hours after exposure ended. The findings are important for interpreting field surveys of microplastic contamination in deep-sea corals, as only recently ingested particles would be detectable.
Impacts of microplastics on reef-building corals: Disentangling the contribution of the chain scission products released by weathering
Researchers investigated how microplastics harm reef-building corals by separating the effects of physical contact from the chemical leachates released as plastics degrade. They found that while physical interaction with the particles caused immediate tissue damage, the chemical breakdown products from aged plastics created additional toxic effects. The study highlights that weathered microplastics pose a compound threat to coral health through both mechanical abrasion and chemical contamination.