Organic or junk food? Microplastic contamination in Antarctic krill and salps.

ABSTRACT: Microplastics (MP) have been reported in Southern Ocean (SO), where they are likely to encounter Antarctic zooplankton and enter pelagic food webs. Here we assess the presence of MP within Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and salps (Salpa thompsoni) and quantify their abundance and type by micro-Fourier transform infrared microscopy. MP were found in both species, with fibres being more abundant than fragments (krill: 56.25% and salps: 22.32% of the total MP). Polymer identification indicated MP originated from both local and distant sources. Our findings prove how in situ MP ingestion from these organisms is a real and ongoing process in the SO. MP amount was higher in krill (2.13 ± 0.26 MP ind^-1) than salps (1.38 ± 0.42 MP ind^-1), while MP si

SUBMITTER: Wilkie Johnston L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10049761 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature