2026-07-21T13:56:28Zhttps://repisalud.isciii.es/rest/oai/requestoai:repisalud.isciii.es:20.500.12105/236952024-11-28T23:28:25Zcom_20.500.12105_15322com_20.500.12105_2051col_20.500.12105_16967
Repisalud
author
Compa, Montserrat
author
Perelló, Esperança
author
Box, Antoni
author
Colomar, Victor
author
Pinya, Samuel
author
Sureda Gomila, Antoni
2024-10-09T06:35:06Z
2024-10-09T06:35:06Z
2023-11-04
Compa M, Perelló E, Box A, Colomar V, Pinya S, Sureda A. Ingestion of microplastics and microfibers by the invasive blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun 1896) in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Nov 4.
10.1007/s11356-023-30333-x
1614-7499
Environmental science and pollution research international
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13003/19992
37924412
L642689681
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/23695
The blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 is native to the western coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and is currently considered an invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea. In this study, we examined the stomach contents of C. sapidus to determine the frequency of occurrence of microplastics (MPs) and microfibers (MFs) in the Balearic Islands archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea. A total of 120 individuals were collected from six locations between 2017 and 2020. Overall, 65.8% of the individuals had MPs and/or MFs particles with an average of 1.4 ± 1.6 particles ind.-1 of which an average of 1.0 ± 1.3 items ind.-1 were MFs and an average of 0.4 ± 0.8 items ind.-1 were MPs. In terms of type, fragments were the dominant type of MPs and the most common size of items ranged from between 0.5 and 1 mm (40%) followed by 1-5 mm (31%). The most prevalent polymers were low-density polyethylene (39%) and high-density polyethylene (26%). In terms of links to human activities, MP ingestion was positively correlated with an increase in drain pipes, whereas MF ingestion was positively correlated with an increase in sewage pipelines, providing evidence of potential sources and the bioavailability of these particles in various environments. This study confirms the widespread presence of MP and MF particles, even in areas that are currently managed under different protection statuses, in the stomach contents of invasive blue crab species throughout coastal communities.
eng
Ingestion of microplastics and microfibers by the invasive blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun 1896) in the Balearic Islands, Spain
research article