Bioturbation transports secondary microplastics to deeper layers in soft marine sediments of the northern Baltic Sea.
Mar Pollut Bull
; 119(1): 255-261, 2017 Jun 15.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28427773
ABSTRACT
Microplastics (MPs) are observed to be present on the seafloor ranging from coastal areas to deep seas. Because bioturbation alters the distribution of natural particles on inhabited soft bottoms, a mesocosm experiment with common benthic invertebrates was conducted to study their effect on the distribution of secondary MPs (different-sized pieces of fishing line<1mm). During the study period of three weeks, the benthic community increased MP concentration in the depth of 1.7-5.1cm in the sediment. The experiment revealed a clear vertical gradient in MP distribution with their abundance being highest in the uppermost parts of the sediment and decreasing with depth. The Baltic clam Macoma balthica was the only study animal that ingested MPs. This study highlights the need to further examine the vertical distribution of MPs in natural sediments to reliably assess their abundance on the seafloor as well as their potential impacts on benthic communities.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Contexto em Saúde:
2_ODS3
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Plásticos
/
Monitoramento Ambiental
/
Sedimentos Geológicos
Limite:
Animals
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Mar Pollut Bull
Ano de publicação:
2017
Tipo de documento:
Article