Incidence and identification of microfibers in ocean waters in Admiralty Bay, Antarctica

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 292 - 298
• Main Authors: Absher, Theresinha Monteiro, Ferreira, Silvio Luiz, Kern, Yargos, Ferreira, Augusto Luiz, Christo, Susete Wambier, Ando, Rômulo Augusto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.01.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abundance; Animals; Antarctic region; Antarctic Regions; Antarctica; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bays - chemistry; Biodiversity; Biodiversity loss; Brazil; color; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental science; Fibers; Food Chain; Food chains; human health; Humans; Incidence; Microfibers; Microplastics; oceans; Plankton; Plastics - analysis; Polyamide resins; Polyamides; Polyethylene; polyethylene glycol; Polyethylene terephthalate; polyethylene terephthalates; Polymers; Polyurethane resins; polyurethanes; Raman spectroscopy; Research Article; Scanning electron microscopy; Seawater - chemistry; summer; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution Control; Zooplankton; Antarctic Regions; Brazil; Antarctica; Antarctic region; Synthetic fibers; Antarctic environment; Raman microscopy; Microplastic; Marine debris; King George Island
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3509-6

Antarctic pristine environment is threatened by the presence of microplastics that occur in a variety of shapes and sizes, from fibers to irregular fragments. The aim of this study is to assess the abundance, distribution, and the characterization of the microfibers in zooplankton samples found in ocean waters in Admiralty Bay, Antarctica. The samples were collected at five points in Admiralty Bay during the XXIX Brazilian Antarctic Expedition in the austral summer of 2010–2011. A total of 603 microfibers were collected in 60 samples, with an average abundance of 2.40 (± 4.57) microfibers 100 m −3 . Microfiber size ranging from ca. 10 to 22 μm in diameter of various lengths and colors (blue, red, black, and clear) was collected and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Most of these microfibers were entangled in various different zooplankton species and were identified as polymers composed mostly by polyethyleneglycols, polyurethanes, polyethylene terephthalates, and polyamides. The presence of such microfibers may cause the loss of biodiversity in the Antarctic continent, and the results presented herein can contribute to a better understanding of the impact caused by them within the food chain and human health. Graphical Abstract ᅟ