Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Iliff, Samantha M.
• Wilczek, Eliza R.
• Harris, Rachel J.
• Bouldin, Ryan
• Stoner, Elizabeth W.

Titel

Evidence of microplastics from benthic jellyfish (Cassiopea xamachana) in Florida estuaries

Ist Teil von

• Marine pollution bulletin, 2020-10, Vol.159, p.111521-111521, Article 111521

Ort / Verlag

Oxford: Elsevier Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2020

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Plastic pollution is a concern in many nearshore ecosystems, and it is critical to understand how microplastics (plastics <5 mm in length) affect nearshore marine biota. Here, we report the presence of microplastics in the benthic, upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea xamachana) across three estuaries in south Florida. Microplastics were recovered from Cassiopea using an acid digestion, then enumerated via microscopy, and identified using micro Fourier-transform interferometer (μFTIR) analysis. Out of 115 specimens analyzed, 77% contained microplastics. Bell diameter and number of plastics per individual varied significantly across locations with the highest plastic densities and bell diameter observed in individuals from Big Pine Key, followed by Jupiter, and Sarasota. μFTIR analysis confirmed that synthetic microfibers were the dominant microplastic measured at all three locations and may indicate Cassiopea as potential sinks of microplastic. Cassiopea may be used as bioindicators of microplastic contamination in the future, allowing for potential plastic pollution mitigation. [Display omitted] •Microplastics were present in C. xamachana sampled in three of Florida's estuaries.•The most common type of plastic found in C. xamachana was microfibers.•Occurrence and abundance of microplastics were significantly higher in C. xamachana from Big Pine Key, Florida.•Cassiopea xamachana could serve as a potential bioindicator of microplastics.