Marine environmental research最新文献

{"title":"Decadal long sub-lethal temperature increases alter the production of non-structural carbohydrates in Zostera muelleri","authors":"Tom Moir ,&nbsp;Megan J. Huggett ,&nbsp;Timothy Kirkman ,&nbsp;Timothy M. Smith ,&nbsp;Troy F. Gaston","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107124","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107124","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Globally, seagrass ecosystems are affected by a variety of natural and anthropogenic stressors under a warming climate. Understanding how organisms cope with current stressors, when presented with future warming scenarios, is crucial for predicting ecosystem responses. Here, we use thermal plumes in an east Australian estuary as a proxy for future climate change scenarios to investigate the effects of <em>in situ</em> warming on <em>Zostera muelleri</em> resilience, measured through non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentration in the rhizome. NSC's are stored in the rhizome during periods of high photosynthetic efficiency, and are metabolised when photosynthesis is not possible, such as during a storm surge or other stress event. Thermally affected sites in this system experience temperatures 1–6 °C above ambient conditions, with greatest differences in winter months. Despite temperatures frequently exceeding the upper thermal limit (32 °C) for <em>Z. muelleri</em>, we found no significant differences in total NSC concentrations between ambient (80–210 mg g⁻¹) and thermally affected populations (80–170 mg g⁻¹), with only a difference in starch concentration being higher at ambient sites than thermally affected sites during October. A notable shift in NSC composition occurred in July–August 2022 after heavy rainfall in the area, with starch decreasing from 120 to 160 mg g⁻¹ to 20–30 mg g⁻¹, coinciding with increases in fructose and glucose. Thermally affected sites exhibited dampened seasonality in energy reserves suggesting that these populations have adjusted their energy management strategy in response to extended favorable conditions, effectively reducing the amplitude of seasonal NSC fluctuations. These findings support previous findings that larger changes in carbohydrates are driven by temporal patterns and local weather events. They also suggest that <em>Z. muelleri</em> exhibits resilience to elevated temperatures through maintaining comparable total NSC reserves, but with altered temporal patterns of accumulation that likely reflect adaptation to an effectively extended growing season under warming conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107124"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying dimethylsulfoniopropionate lyase activity in marine environments using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry","authors":"Ki-Tae Park ,&nbsp;Young Jun Yoon ,&nbsp;Kitack Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107125","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107125","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global sulfur cycle is largely influenced by the production of dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which is primarily generated through the enzymatic cleavage of algal dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). This study presents an efficient and simplified method for analyzing DMSP lyase activity (DLA) by measuring the conversion efficiency of DMSP to DMS using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) coupled with a dissolved gas extraction device. Unlike conventional methods, which involve multiple steps such as trapping, desorption, and chromatographic separation, the proposed method consists of two streamlined steps: (1) Introduction of excess DMSP substrate into the sample vial, followed by continuous measurement of DMS evolution via SIFT-MS; (2) recording the DMS response at 3-s intervals and calculating the DMS production rate by dividing the integrated DMS mass over time intervals. The high-frequency detection of trace-level DMS enhances the accuracy of release rate measurements and aids in optimizing the DMSP substrate concentration. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated using cultured phytoplankton and natural seawater samples, achieving an analytical precision less than 10 % and a total analysis time of under 10 min, substantially faster than traditional gas chromatography-based techniques. This method provides a robust tool for investigating the dynamics of DMS-related processes in marine environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107125"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143776855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pollution in marine bivalves: The immunosuppressive effects of microplastics on Anadara granosa","authors":"Siyi Huang ,&nbsp;Hejian Li ,&nbsp;Lixue Zhao ,&nbsp;Yu Han ,&nbsp;Hongxing Liu ,&nbsp;Shanjie Zha ,&nbsp;Yongbo Bao","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107107","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107107","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs), as emerging marine pollutants, pose a significant threat to marine organisms and ecosystems. This study investigates the effects of 7-day MPs exposure on the immune response of the blood clam (<em>Anadara granosa</em>), a commercially valuable marine bivalve known for its filter-feeding and sedentary lifestyle, which renders it particularly vulnerable to pollutants. This study analyzed the impact of various concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L) of polystyrene MPs (PS MPs) on the immune response of blood clam hemocytes, focusing on the mechanisms of immunotoxicity, including changes in hemoglobin content, reactive oxygen species levels, cell viability, and the expression of immune-related genes. The findings indicate that a one-week exposure to PS MPs significantly compromised the immune response of blood clam hemocytes, exhibiting a pronounced dose-dependent relationship. There was a significant reduction in the total hemocyte count, concentration of hemoglobin, lysozyme content, and activity following PS MPs exposure. Additionally, the levels of calcium ions, the activities of acid and alkaline phosphatases varied with the concentration of PS MPs, suggesting that increased PS MPs concentrations suppress the immune activity of blood clams. This suppression could diminish their capacity to fend off external aggressions and heighten the risk of disease outbreaks. The study provides novel insights into the impact of PS MPs on the immune response of marine bivalves and lays the groundwork for further ecotoxicological research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107107"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro negative effects of beach-cast invasive marine seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae across life-stages of a native foundational species","authors":"Emma Gálvez-Pastor,&nbsp;Raquel Sánchez de Pedro,&nbsp;María Jesús García-Sánchez,&nbsp;Antonio Flores-Moya,&nbsp;Elena Bañares-España","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107105","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107105","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The exotic invasive seaweed <em>Rugulopteryx okamurae</em> (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta) have posed a serious threat to coastal and marine habitats since its appearance in 2015 in the Strait of Gibraltar. This, together with multiple global change stressors, is leading to the disappearance of native foundational seaweeds. Here we explored the potential impacts that decomposing thalli of beach-cast <em>R. okamurae</em> (BCRo) might have on different life-stages of a native foundational seaweed (<em>Ericaria selaginoides</em>, Fucales, Ochrophyta). The <em>in vitro</em> effects of different biomass densities of BCRo and time exposure, in combination with three warming scenarios, were assessed across single- and few-celled stages and adult thalli of the native species. We hypothesized that <em>R. okamurae</em> might interfere in the survival and growth of <em>E. selaginoides</em> either by allelopathic interactions or water acidification, due to low intracellular pH of <em>R. okamurae</em> tissues. Sensitivity of <em>E. selaginoides</em> to the exposure of BCRo was stage- and thermal-dependent and decreased during early ontogenesis. Unfertilized oospheres (female gametes) exposed to BCRo experienced apoptotic-like cell death within less than 180 s, while embryo survival and germination dropped by 50 % and 36 %, respectively. Warming effects were not additive to that of BCRo, since higher growth reductions in 7-d old juveniles of <em>E. selaginoides</em> were detected at lower (20 °C) but not at higher temperatures (28 °C). Adults of <em>E. selaginoides</em> were the less sensitive stage but their growth was up to 7-times lower under BCRo addition. BCRo acidified natural sea water proportionally to the density and incubation time, reaching a pH of 7.2 after 24 h. However, that pH was not limiting for <em>E. selaginoides</em> juveniles and even enhanced their growth, suggesting an alternative chemical effect. This study highlighted the potential and overlooked deleterious effects that some species of beach-cast seaweeds can exert on the highly sensitive early developmental stages of native marine biota.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107105"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143790905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biomagnification of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in aquatic food species from a tropical lagoon ecosystem","authors":"Oju R. Ibor ,&nbsp;Aina O. Adeogun ,&nbsp;Azubuike V. Chukwuka ,&nbsp;Dami Omogbemi ,&nbsp;Femi V. Oluwale ,&nbsp;Adeola A. Oni ,&nbsp;Augustine Arukwe","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated the occurrence, species-specific distribution, accumulation, and biomagnification of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in three teleost fish species (<em>Sarotherodon melanotheron</em>, <em>Clarias gariepinus</em>, and <em>Chrysicthys nigrodigitatus</em>), as well as molluscs (<em>Pachymelania aurita</em>), earthworms (<em>Lumbricus terrestris</em>), and sediment samples from the Ologe Lagoon in Nigeria, which receives complex mixtures of anthropogenic effluents from various sources. Total ∑PFAS concentrations (ng/g) were significantly highest in earthworms (16.2), compared to teleost species (<em>S. melanotheron</em> (1.8), <em>C. gariepinus</em> (1.2), and <em>C. nigrodigitatus</em> (1.8)) and molluscs (0.4). The novel precursor diSAMPAP was the dominant PFAS congener in <em>S. melanotheron</em> and <em>C. gariepinus</em>, while PFOS and diSAMPAP were highest in <em>C. nigrodigitatus</em>. In earthworms, molluscs, and sediment, diSAMPAP, PFBS, and PFOS were the dominant PFAS. We calculated the biota sediment accumulation factor (BSAF), revealing that diSAMPAP in <em>S. melanotheron</em> and 8:2 FTS in earthworms exhibited the highest BSAF values. Species-specific differences in PFAS biomagnification factor (BMF) suggest varying exposure routes among the examined fish species. Notably, PFOS concentrations in the liver were significantly higher than in flesh tissues for <em>C. gariepinus</em> and <em>C. nigrodigitatus,</em> indicating organ-specific accumulation. Risk analysis using the Risk21 tool showed that <em>S. melanotheron</em> had the highest public health risk, while <em>C. gariepinus</em> had the least risk. Our results highlight significant food safety concerns and public health risks associated with the occurrence, species-specific distribution, accumulation, and biomagnification of diSAMPAP, 8:2 FTS, and PFOS in the Ologe Lagoon and its aquatic food webs. This study contributes valuable insights to global PFAS monitoring efforts, particularly in fluvial tropical ecosystems such as those found in Nigeria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107117"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143776857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid surveying of benthopelagic ecosystems with a towed mini-ROV","authors":"V. Raoult ,&nbsp;K. McSpadden ,&nbsp;T.F. Gaston ,&nbsp;J.Y.Q. Li ,&nbsp;J.E. Williamson","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107122","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107122","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Surveying benthic communities has historically relied on snorkel or SCUBA, but these methods are labour-intensive, inefficient (∼1000 m² per day covered for one dive pair) and depth-limited (&lt;30 m depth). Here we detail a remote method using a towed mini-ROV that combines the depth capabilities and endurance of towed cameras with the flexibility and manoeuvrability of SCUBA and snorkel. Towed mini-ROV allows over 10 km of transects or 38,000 m² of benthic surveys per day, produces data that can be geo-referenced, allows measurement of organisms using orthomosaics, can include physical data such as depth and temperature, and can operate from depths of 2–60 m without any gear changes. This setup requires only modest modifications of readily available equipment, and is relatively low-cost given the time and labour efficiencies gained. We provide some examples of the types of data that can be produced (video, imagery, spatial layer), as well as the sort of coverage that is realistic using real survey data obtained from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Results demonstrate this approach could be used on a large scale to rapidly survey benthic environments. It could be further improved by using a more hydrodynamic ROV design, and a more streamline pipeline that integrates data sources. Use of underwater positioning systems could improve spatial parameters, lasers could improve measurement accuracy, and additional cameras could increase spatial coverage, but at the cost of added complexity and hydrodynamic drag.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107122"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term impacts of ocean acidification on the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis","authors":"Emel Kocaman ,&nbsp;Koray Ozhan ,&nbsp;Önder Kılıç ,&nbsp;Narin Sezer ,&nbsp;Valeria Ibello ,&nbsp;Sam Dupont ,&nbsp;Marc Metian ,&nbsp;Murat Belivermiş","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107116","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107116","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to elucidate the long-term physiological impacts of ocean acidification on a key seafood species. The Mediterranean mussel <em>Mytilus galloprovincialis</em>, was subjected to three pH conditions over a period of six months: two pH values within the present range of natural variability (pH_T: 8.10 and 7.80) and a lower pH condition (pH_T: 7.50) relevant in the context of near-future ocean acidification. A comprehensive assessment was conducted at the conclusion of the fourth and sixth months and encompassed a suite of physiological endpoints, including mortality, oxygen consumption, clearance rate, total haemocyte count (THC), nutritional content analysis, and polonium-210 (²¹⁰Po) depuration rates. The findings revealed a marked decrease in survival rates at pH 7.50 compared with those at pH 8.10 and 7.80 after six months of exposure. This was associated with a significant increase in THC and a decrease in lipid content. No significant pH effects were observed for other endpoints (namely clearance rate, condition index, oxygen consumption rate, protein and carbohydrate contents, and ²¹⁰Po). While the lack of response to low pH at some of these physiological endpoints may be a consequence of a lack of statistical power, our data clearly demonstrate the effects of low pH on the survival, THC, and lipid content of <em>M. galloprovincialis.</em> Such effects on a species’ overall fitness have the potential to negatively impact this key seafood species, associated ecosystems, and the socioeconomic dynamics of communities depending on this resource.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107116"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of co-treatment with nano/microplastics and hydroxychloroquine on early development stages of Salmo trutta","authors":"Živilė Jurgelėnė ,&nbsp;Augustas Morkvėnas ,&nbsp;Reda Dzingelevičienė ,&nbsp;Nerijus Dzingelevičius ,&nbsp;Kęstutis Baranauskis ,&nbsp;Danguolė Montvydienė ,&nbsp;Tomasz Kowalkowski ,&nbsp;Saulius Raugelė ,&nbsp;Boguslaw Buszewski ,&nbsp;Vitalijus Karabanovas","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a potential remedy for COVID-19 treatment, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) attracted considerable scholarly attention early in the pandemic. However, the ecological consequences of HCQ are not well understood, especially regarding their interactions with plastic waste such as nano-and microplastics (PS). This study aimed to investigate colloidal stability, bioaccumulation, and acute toxicity of carboxylate-modified polystyrene-based PS and HCQ, both alone and in combination, to <em>Salmo trutta</em> embryos and larvae. Spectroscopic properties of PS were found to change over time and to be affected by the presence of HCQ in the incubation water of organisms. Confocal microscopy showed that PS and HCQ, both alone and in combination, caused damage to the chorion of the exposed fish embryos. Particles of PS were detected in external tissues of larvae. The impact of the tested substances on fish was found to be dependent on the PS particle size, exposure duration, and the life stage of fish.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107096"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The temperate seagrass species Cymodocea nodosa and the associated bacteria co-response to sunscreen pollution","authors":"Marina I. Vilaplana ,&nbsp;Luis G. Egea ,&nbsp;Esther Bautista-Chamizo ,&nbsp;Araceli Rodríguez-Romero ,&nbsp;Rebecca Tollardo ,&nbsp;Fernando G. Brun ,&nbsp;Juan J. Vergara ,&nbsp;Rocío Jiménez-Ramos","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107115","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107115","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sunscreens are included among the contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) as their production and use have spread over years while damaging aquatic biota. Sunscreens can damage the photosynthetic systems and change the microbiome of seagrasses, triggering alterations in carbon metabolism –including primary production and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes– and ecological functions. Here, we conducted a 31-day mesocosm experiment exposing <em>Cymodocea nodosa</em> plants to a mixture of commercial sunscreens. Sunscreens produced a significant reduction on net production rates, switching the system from autotrophic to heterotrophic, which was ascribable to an increase in heterotrophic bacteria families (some known to degrade complex substrates) and, more importantly, to a significant reduction of photosynthetic pigments in plants. Moreover, a significant release of DOC at night attributed to exudation from disrupted roots was recorded, which accounted for the observed increase in bacteria abundance and family richness recorded in the phyllosphere. A higher accumulation of starch in rhizomes suggests a certain degree of resistance of this species. However, we observed a trend to reduce some protective bacteria taxa, whereas promoted the growth of other pathogenic ones for seagrasses, along with other taxa related with the consumption of plant-derived polysaccharides and lignin compounds. Therefore, our results indicated that this CEC may reduce the contribution of seagrasses to the blue carbon pool, among others ecosystem services, and suggest a possible prompt of seagrass diseases if stressing conditions are maintained over time.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107115"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143725757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microplastics accumulate in all major organs of the mediterranean loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)","authors":"Leah Costello ,&nbsp;Anna Zetterström ,&nbsp;Peter Gardner ,&nbsp;Jose Luis Crespo-Picazo ,&nbsp;Cyrill Bussy ,&nbsp;Ian Kane ,&nbsp;Holly A. Shiels","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) are a pervasive marine environmental pollutant, posing a serious threat to marine ecosystems and organisms at all trophic levels. Plastic ingestion is well documented in marine turtles, and loggerhead sea turtles (<em>Caretta caretta</em>) have been identified as an indicator species to monitor MP pollution globally. Our understanding of the translocation and bioaccumulation potential of MPs beyond the gastrointestinal tract is, however, limited. Here we demonstrate that MP translocation occurs in these marine reptiles and present a comprehensive analysis of MP accumulation in body tissues of 10 stranded Mediterranean loggerhead turtles including the kidney, liver, spleen, heart, skeletal muscle, subcutaneous fat, stomach, intestine, and reproductive organs. Foreign microparticles were identified in 98.8 % of all samples (∼70 % being MPs) and were significantly concentrated in the reproductive organs followed by the heart. Raman spectroscopy revealed that polypropylene, cotton fibres, and polyethylene were the most common microparticle types, and optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy provided direct visualisation of cotton microfibres embedded in loggerhead heart tissue. Future studies should determine the biological impact of MP bioaccumulation in sea turtle organs, to fully appreciate the impacts of these anthropogenic pollutants on protected and vulnerable populations worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 107100"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143799681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}