Microplastic pollution in stony coral skeletons and tissues: A case study of accumulation and interrelationship in South Penghu Marine National Park, Taiwan Strait

Chih-Feng Chen; Yun-Ru Ju; Ming-Huang Wang; Yee Cheng Lim; Chiu-Wen Chen; Yu-Rong Cheng; Cheng-Di Dong

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136761

Microplastic pollution in stony coral skeletons and tissues: A case study of accumulation and interrelationship in South Penghu Marine National Park, Taiwan Strait

J Hazard Mater. 2024 Dec 4:484:136761. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136761. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chih-Feng Chen¹, Yun-Ru Ju², Ming-Huang Wang³, Yee Cheng Lim¹, Chiu-Wen Chen¹, Yu-Rong Cheng⁴, Cheng-Di Dong⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 81157, Taiwan; Sustainable Environment Research Center, College of Hydrosphere Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 81157, Taiwan.
² Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 36063, Taiwan.
³ Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 81157, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Fisheries Production and Management, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 81157, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 81157, Taiwan; Sustainable Environment Research Center, College of Hydrosphere Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 81157, Taiwan; Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 81157, Taiwan. Electronic address: cddong@nkust.edu.tw.

PMID: 39647331
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136761

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) pose a growing threat to coral reef ecosystems worldwide. However, data on MP contamination in coral reefs remain limited, hampering accurate ecological risk assessment. This study investigated MP contamination in coral reefs at South Penghu Marine National Park, analyzing 40 samples from 31 coral species. The average MP abundance was 0.32 ± 0.32 MPs/g wet weight, and the mean MP abundance in the coral tissues (0.26 ± 0.26 MPs/g ww) was significantly higher than that in the coral skeleton (0.08 ± 0.10 MPs/g ww). Most MPs were small (<1 mm: >60 %), fibrous (99.7 %), and primarily composed of rayon (59.8 %) and polyester (27.5 %). Significant correlations were found among MP abundance in whole corals, coral tissues, and coral skeletons. The correlation equation established in this study, linking coral skeleton, tissue, and whole corals, can facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of MP pollution level and its associated risks in coral reef environments. Notably, monofilament overgrowth was observed, highlighting the impact of nearby fisheries and recreational activities on MP contamination. These findings provide valuable field-based data on MP pollution levels and the associated risks to corals and offer a novel tool for assessing MP accumulation and potential risks in coral ecosystems.

Keywords: Coral reef ecosystem; Microplastic pollution; Monofilament fishing line; Overgrowth; Potential risk.