Microplastics pollution in the intertidal limpet, Nacella magellanica, from Beagle Channel (Argentina)

OJEDA, MARIEL; COSSI, PAULA F.; RIMONDINO, GUIDO N.; CHIESA, IGNACIO L.; BOY, CLAUDIA C.; PÉREZ, ANALÍA F.

THE SCIENCE OF TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

Elsevier

Año: 2021 vol. 795 p. 148866 - 148866

0048-9697

icroplastics (MPs) have been identified in diverse marine invertebrates; however, there are few studies on limpets. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the presence of MPs in Nacella magellanica among sites of the Beagle Channel with different degree of anthropogenic influence. Intertidal limpets were sampled in three sites: Ushuaia Bay (UB) (inside Ushuaia city), a site with high anthropogenic influence owing to population growth, and fisheries, industrial and port activities; Ensenada Zaratiegui (EZ) and Playa Larga (PL) (west and east of Ushuaia city, respectively), both sites with a certain degree of environmental protection and low anthropogenic influence. MPs were isolated from the whole soft tissue of individuals by oxidative digestions with H2O2 (30%; 1:10 w/v). MPs occurrence was 100% in organisms from UB and EZ, whereas 90% in PL. Limpets from UB showed 10 ± 6.69 MPs/ind and 2.22 ± 0.78 MPs/g ww, while in PL and EZ there were 2.90 ± 2.02 MPs/ind and 0.96 ± 0.94 MPs/g ww