Quantity And Types Of Microplastics In The Organic Tissues Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica And Atlantic Mud Crab Panopeus Herbstii From A Florida Estuary

Keywords

Bivalve; Indian River Lagoon; Mosquito Lagoon; Plastic debris; Pollution

Abstract

This study determined the quantity and diversity of microplastics in water and soft tissues of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and Atlantic mud crabs (Panopeus herbstii) in Mosquito Lagoon, a shallow, microtidal estuary along the east coast of central Florida. One-liter water samples had an average of 23.1 microplastic pieces (n = 15). Crabs (n = 90) had an average of 4.2 pieces in tissues/individual plus an average of 20.3 pieces/individual temporarily entangled in exposed surfaces and released within 5 days in tanks. Adult oysters (n = 90) had an average of 16.5 microplastic pieces/individual. Fibers, mostly royal/dark blue in color, dominated our collections. When compared per gram of tissue, crabs had two orders of magnitude more microplastic pieces than oysters. Our numbers were higher than previous studies on invertebrate microplastics; this is potentially the result of extensive urbanization, limited flushing, and intensive recreational usage of Mosquito Lagoon.

Publication Date

4-1-2018

Publication Title

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Volume

129

Issue

1

Number of Pages

179-185

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.02.026

Socpus ID

85044285196 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85044285196

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