Phys.org September 20, 2024
Individual coral polyps contain three distinct components—the surface mucus layer, tissue, and skeleton; each component may exhibit varying extent of microplastic (MP) accumulation and serve as a short- or long-term repository for these pollutants. An international team of researchers (Japan, Thailand) investigated the adhesion and accumulation of MPs in four coral species in the upper Gulf of Thailand. They found that accumulation varied significantly among the four coral species and their components. The most common MP morphotype was fragment, accounting for 75.29 % of the total MPs found in the coral. Notably, most MPs were black, white, or blue. The predominant size range of MP particles was 101–200 μm. Nylon, polyacetylene, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the prevalent polymer types. In the large polyp corals, while MP shapes, colors, and sizes exhibited consistent patterns, remarkable differences were found in the polymer types across the three components. According to the researchers their findings improve the understanding of MP accumulation in coral reef ecosystems, underscoring the need for further investigation into MP-accumulation patterns in reef-building corals worldwide… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Graphical abstract. Credit: Science of The Total Environment, Volume 954, 1 December 2024, 176210Â