Microplastics in large marine animals stranded in the Republic of Korea

Park, Byeongyong; Kim, Seung-Kyu; Joo, Soobin; Kim, Jisu; Jo, Kyungsik; Song, Nan-Seon; Im, Jibin; Lee, Hee-Jee; Kim, Sang Wha; Lee, Sung Bin; Kim, Sunmin; Lee, Young-Ran; Kim, Byung-Yeob; Kim, Tae Won

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114734

Cited by 17 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…Our study has highlighted MP accumulation in terrestrial vertebrates and tadpoles in Thailand, both within and outside protected areas. This contributes significant insights into MP contamination, an area previously less explored in terrestrial and freshwater contexts compared to marine environments, as evidenced by studies on marine vertebrates ( Park et al, 2023 ) and freshwater fish ( Kasamesiri & Thaimuangphol, 2020 ; Seetapan & Prommi, 2023 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrestrial wildlife as indicators of microplastic pollution in western Thailand

Teampanpong,

Duengkae

2024

PeerJ

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Plastic pollution in terrestrial wildlife represents a new conservation challenge, with research in this area, especially within protected areas (PAs), being scant. This study documents the accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial wildlife both inside and outside PAs in western Thailand. Carcasses of road-killed vertebrates in good condition, as well as live tadpoles, were collected to examine their exposure to plastic pollution. The digestive tracts of the vertebrate carcasses and the entire bodies of tadpoles were analyzed for MPs, which were identified if they measured over 50 µm. A total of 136 individuals from 48 vertebrate species were examined. The sample comprised snakes (44.12%), birds (11.03%), lizards (5.15%), tadpoles (32.25%), amphibians (5.88%), and mammals (1.47%). In total, 387 MPs were found in 44 species (91.67%), with an average occurrence of 3.25 ± 3.63 MPs per individual or 0.05 ± 0.08 MPs per gram of body weight. The quantities of MPs significantly varied among the animal groups, both in terms of number per individual (p < 0.05) and number per gram of body weight (p < 0.01). Furthermore, a significant difference in MP quantities was observed between specimens collected inside and outside PAs on an individual basis (p < 0.05), but not on a body weight basis (p = 0.07). Most MPs were fibers (77%), followed by fragments (22.22%), with only a minimal presence of film (0.52%) and foam (0.26%). Of all the MPs identified, 36.84% were confirmed as plastics or fibers made from natural materials, and 31.58% were plastics, including Polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), and polyester (PES). Additionally, fibers made of cotton, and those containing polyurethane (PU), rayon, PES, and combinations of rayon and PU, were identified. The quantities of MPs were significantly influenced by animal body weight, factors associated with human settlement/activity, and land use types. Our findings highlight the prevalence of plastic pollution in terrestrial vertebrates within Thai PAs. Further toxicological studies are required to establish plastic pollution standards. It is proposed that snakes, obtained from road kills, could serve as a non-invasive method for monitoring plastic pollution, thus acting as an indicator of the pollution threat to species within terrestrial ecosystems. There is an urgent need for the standardization of solid waste management at garbage dump sites in remote areas, especially within PAs. Conservation education focusing on MP occurrence, potential sources, and impacts could enhance awareness, thereby influencing changes in behaviors and attitudes toward plastic waste management at the household level.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrestrial wildlife as indicators of microplastic pollution in western Thailand

Teampanpong,

Duengkae

2024

PeerJ

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“…In the laboratory, soft tissues were extracted in a fume hood. Then, the postextraction treatment closely followed the previously outlined procedures . Chemical treatments were employed to remove interfering substances from the soft tissues, including exposure to a 10% KOH solution (300 mL) at 60 °C for 72 h. Then, the mixture was filtered through a 20 μm stainless-steel mesh (47 Øm) to eliminate any remaining particles.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Then, the postextraction treatment closely followed the previously outlined procedures. 4 Chemical treatments were employed to remove interfering substances from the soft tissues, including exposure to a 10% KOH solution (300 mL) at 60 °C for 72 h. Then, the mixture was filtered through a 20 μm stainless-steel mesh (47 Øm) to eliminate any remaining particles. Residual organic materials were removed by exposing the tissues to a 35% H 2 O 2 solution (300 mL) at 60 °C for 72 h. To exclude particles with high densities, such as sediment, a ZnCl 2 /CaCl 2 solution (2:1.4 v/v; density = 1.6 g/mL) was used to transfer the particles into glass funnels and precipitate for 72 h. Finally, the samples were filtered through a 20 μm stainless-steel mesh (12 mm Ø) and analyzed using FT-IR (LUMOS2; Bruker).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to their diminutive size, MPs can be ingested by organisms across a wide range of trophic levels, spanning from small invertebrates to apex predators, such as whales. 3,4 The ingestion of MPs is recognized as the primary mechanism through which the uptake of these particles by organisms occurs while also potentially facilitating their transfer up the food chain. 5 Previous studies have reported that MPs, once biologically accumulated and transferred, can undergo magnification as they move up the food chain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, plastic waste pollution has emerged as a profoundly concerning threat to marine ecosystems, with plastics finding their way into the ocean and breaking down into microplastics (MPs)defined as plastic particles with a maximum size of 5 mm and a minimum size of 1 μm. Due to their diminutive size, MPs can be ingested by organisms across a wide range of trophic levels, spanning from small invertebrates to apex predators, such as whales. , The ingestion of MPs is recognized as the primary mechanism through which the uptake of these particles by organisms occurs while also potentially facilitating their transfer up the food chain . Previous studies have reported that MPs, once biologically accumulated and transferred, can undergo magnification as they move up the food chain. , This can lead to diverse physicochemical effects within the digestive systems of animals, potentially exerting adverse impacts on growth, reproduction, and various physiological processes. , …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microplastic Contamination of a Benthic Ecosystem in a Hydrothermal Vent

Park,

Cho,

Cho

et al. 2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Plastic contamination is a global pervasive issue, extending from coastal areas and open oceans to polar regions and even the deep sea. Microplastic (MP) contamination in hydrothermal vents, which are known for their high biodiversity even under extreme conditions, has remained largely unexplored. Here, we present, for the first time, MP pollution in a deep-sea hydrothermal vent at one of the biodiversity hotspots�the Central Indian Ridge. Not only the environment (seawater: 2.08 ± 1.04 MPs/L, surface sediments: 0.57 ± 0.19 MP/g) but also all six major benthic species investigated were polluted by MPs. MPs mainly consisted of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene fragments ≤100 μm and were characterized as being either transparent or white in color. Remarkably, bioaccumulation and even biomagnification of microplastics were observed in the top predators of the ecosystem, such as squat lobsters (14.25 ± 4.65 MPs/individual) and vent crabs (14.00 ± 2.16 MPs/individual), since they contained more MPs than animals at lower trophic levels (e.g., mussels and snails, 1.75−6.00 average MPs/individuals). These findings reveal MP contamination of an ecosystem in a hydrothermal vent, thereby suggesting that their accumulation and magnification can occur in top-level animals, even within remote and extreme environments.

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Genetic analyses of Anisakis pegreffii (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from the East Asian finless porpoise Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri (Cetacea: Phocoenidae) in Korean waters

Kim,

Jeon,

Lee

et al. 2024

Parasitol Res

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The East Asian finless porpoise, Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri , is an endangered species that inhabits the coastal marine environments of East Asia. In the present study, we investigated the overall infection status of anisakid nematodes in East Asian finless porpoises from three sea sectors off the Korean Peninsula. The genetic diversity and population genetic structure of the identified nematode species were evaluated. The prevalence of all stages of anisakid nematodes collected from the stomach was 57.55% (61 among the 106 porpoises examined), and 16 of the hosts were found to have adult worms. The mean number of infected adults was 211 (± 419.54, 5–1455 per host). Only one species of anisakids, Anisakis pegreffii , was identified from randomly selected worms by molecular approaches. Analysis of the mitochondrial (mt) cox2 partial gene in 50 newly generated sequences of A. pegreffii revealed 24 haplotypes, including 14 new haplotypes. We observed below-average levels of nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity compared to other seas around the world. The mtDNA cox2 haplotypes of the species in the three Korean sea areas showed no genetic structure, suggesting well-connected gene flow within these areas. This study represents the first record of a definitive host of A. pegreffii in Korean waters, providing important information regarding anisakids genetic diversity in the cetacean species inhabiting limited regions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00436-024-08368-x.

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Microplastics in large marine animals stranded in the Republic of Korea

Cited by 17 publications

References 65 publications

Terrestrial wildlife as indicators of microplastic pollution in western Thailand

Terrestrial wildlife as indicators of microplastic pollution in western Thailand

Microplastic Contamination of a Benthic Ecosystem in a Hydrothermal Vent

Genetic analyses of Anisakis pegreffii (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from the East Asian finless porpoise Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri (Cetacea: Phocoenidae) in Korean waters

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