Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen 518108, China; School of Chemistry and Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Equipment for South China Sea Marine Ranching, Guangdong Provincial Observation and Research Station for Tropical Ocean Environment in Western Coastal Water, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
Analyzing and Testing Center, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
Chemosphere. 2024 Sep;364:143112. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143112. Epub 2024 Aug 15.
In recent years, microplastics (MPs) have been widely found in the environment and pose potential risks to ecosystems, which attracted people's attention. Using bioindicators has been a great approach to understanding the pollution levels, bioavailability, and ecological risks of pollutants. However, only few studies have investigated MPs in mangrove ecosystems, with few bioindicators of MPs. Herein, the distribution of MPs in mangrove sediments and fiddler crabs (Tubuca arcuata) in mangroves was investigated. Results showed that the abundance values of MPs are 1160‒12,120 items/kg and 11-100 items/ind. in mangrove sediments and fiddler crabs, respectively. The dominant shape of MPs detected in mangrove sediments and fiddler crabs was fragments with sizes of 20‒1000 μm, larger MPs of 50-1000 μm were found in abundance. Polypropylene (PP), which is one of the most commonly used plastic materials, was the main polymer type. The distribution of MPs in fiddler crabs closely resembled that in surface mangrove sediments with a strong linear correlation (R > 0.8 and p < 0.05) between their abundance. Therefore, the MP contamination level in mangrove sediments can be determined by studying MP pollution in fiddler crabs. Moreover, the results of the target group index (TGI) indicated that fiddler crabs prefer feeding specific MPs in mangrove sediments. Our findings demonstrate the suitability of fiddler crabs as bioindicators for assessing MP pollution in mangrove sediments.
近年来，微塑料（MPs）广泛存在于环境中，对生态系统构成潜在风险，引起了人们的关注。使用生物标志物是了解污染物污染水平、生物可利用性和生态风险的一种很好的方法。然而，只有少数研究调查了红树林生态系统中的 MPs，并且 MPs 的生物标志物也很少。本研究调查了红树林沉积物和红树林招潮蟹（Tubuca arcuata）中的 MPs 分布情况。结果表明，MPs 在红树林沉积物和招潮蟹中的丰度值分别为 1160-12120 个/kg 和 11-100 个/只。在红树林沉积物和招潮蟹中检测到的 MPs 主要形状为碎片，尺寸为 20-1000 μm，较大的 MPs 尺寸为 50-1000 μm，丰度较高。聚丙烯（PP）是最常用的塑料材料之一，是主要的聚合物类型。招潮蟹体内 MPs 的分布与表层红树林沉积物中的分布非常相似，两者的丰度呈强线性相关（R>0.8，p<0.05）。因此，通过研究招潮蟹体内的 MP 污染情况，可以确定红树林沉积物中的 MP 污染水平。此外，目标群体指数（TGI）的结果表明，招潮蟹在红树林沉积物中更倾向于特定的 MPs 进行摄食。我们的研究结果表明，招潮蟹适合作为评估红树林沉积物中 MP 污染的生物标志物。
