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Plastic and other microfibers in sediments, macroinvertebrates and shorebirds from three intertidal wetlands of southern Europe and west Africa
Citation
Lourenco, PM and Serra Goncalves, AC and Ferreira, JL and Catry, T and Granadeiro, JP, Plastic and other microfibers in sediments, macroinvertebrates and shorebirds from three intertidal wetlands of southern Europe and west Africa, Environmental Pollution, 231, (1) pp. 123-133. ISSN 0269-7491 (2017) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2017 Elsevier Ltd.
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2017.07.103
Abstract
Microfibers were recorded in a large proportion of sediment samples (91%), macroinvertebrates (60%) and shorebird faeces (49%). μ-FTIR analysis indicated only 52% of these microfibers were composed of synthetic polymers (i.e. plastics). Microfiber concentrations were generally higher in the Tejo and lower in the Bijagós, with intermediate values for Banc d’Arguin, thus following a latitudinal gradient. Heavier anthropogenic pressure in the Tejo explains this pattern, but the relatively high concentrations in a pristine site like the Banc d’Arguin demonstrate the spread of pollution in the oceans. Similar microfiber concentrations in faeces of shorebirds with different foraging behaviour and similar composition of fibres collected from invertebrate and faeces suggest shorebirds mainly ingest microfibers through their prey, confirming microfiber transfer along intertidal food webs.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | plastic pollution, estuary, waders, microfibers, bivalves, estuary, grain size, polychaetes, trophic web |
Research Division: | Chemical Sciences |
Research Group: | Macromolecular and materials chemistry |
Research Field: | Structure and dynamics of materials |
Objective Division: | Expanding Knowledge |
Objective Group: | Expanding knowledge |
Objective Field: | Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences |
UTAS Author: | Serra Goncalves, AC (Miss Ana Catarina Serra Goncalves) |
ID Code: | 127584 |
Year Published: | 2017 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 95 |
Deposited By: | Ecology and Biodiversity |
Deposited On: | 2018-08-03 |
Last Modified: | 2018-09-10 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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