Abstract
The potential impact of microplastic to zooplanktivores was assessed by measuring a ratio of neustonic microplastics to zooplankton by abundance in the southern sea of Korea. Neustonic microplastics and zooplankton (0.33–2 mm) were collected using a 330-μm mesh Manta trawl in Geoje eastern Bay and Jinhae Bay before and after the rainy season in 2012 and 2013. The mean microplastic to zooplankton ratios were 0.086 (May) and 0.022 (July) in 2012, and 0.016 (June) and 0.004 (July) in 2013, indicating that zooplanktivores could be more likely to feed on microplastics than natural preys before the rainy season in 2012 and 2013. In particular, the relatively high ratio occurred in a semi-enclosed bay characterized by a shipyard and a beach resort in Geoje Bay, and at stations close to a wastewater treatment plant and an aquaculture facility in Jinhae Bay before the rainy season. Among dominant microplastics and zooplankton before the rainy season, meroplankton of macrobenthos could be confused with paint particles in Geoje Bay, 2012, whereas Styrofoam could be mistaken as immature copepods by predators in Jinhae Bay, 2013. These observations suggest that zooplanktivores could be more likely to feed on microplastics than natural preys around Geoje and Jinhae Bays before the rainy season.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andrady AL (2011) Microplastics in the marine environment. Mar Pollut Bull 62:1596–1605
Besseling E, Wang B, Lürling M, Koelmans AA (2014) Nanoplastic affects growth of S. obliquus and reproduction of D. magna. Environ Sci Technol 48:12336–12343
Boerger CM, Lattin GL, Moore SL, Moore CJ (2010) Plastic ingestion by planktivorous fishes in the North Pacific Central Gyre. Mar Pollut Bull 60:2275–2278
Browne MA, Dissanayake A, Galloway TS, Lowe DM, Thompson RC (2008) Ingested Microscopic plastic translocates to the circulatory system of the Mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.). Environ Sci Technol 42:5026–5031
Carlos de Sá L, Luís LG, Guilhermino L (2015) Effects of microplastics on juveniles of the common goby (Pomatoschistus microps): confusion with prey, reduction of the predatory performance and efficiency, and possible influence of developmental conditions. Environ Pollut 196:359–362
Carson HS, Nerheim MS, Carroll KA, Eriksen M (2013) The plastic-associated microorganisms of the North Pacific Gyre. Mar Pollut Bull 75:126–132
Chihara M, Murano M (1997) An illustrated guide to marine plankton in Japan. Tokai University Press, Tokyo, pp 485–1479
Cole M, Lindeque P, Halsband C, Galloway TS (2011) Microplastics as contaminants in the marine environment: a review. Mar Pollut Bull 62:2588–2597
Cole M, Lindeque P, Fileman E, Halsband C, Goodhead R, Moger J, Galloway TS (2013) Microplastic ingestion by zooplankton. Environ Sci Technol 47(12):6646–6655
Collignon A, Hecq J-H, Glagani F, Voisin P, Collard F (2012) Neustonic microplastic and zooplankton in the North Western Mediterranean Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 64:861–864
Collignon A, Hecq J-H, Galgani F, Collard F, Goffart A (2014) Annual variation in neustonic micro- and meso-plastic particles and zooplankton in the Bay of Calvi (Mediterranean-Corsica). Mar Pollut Bull 79:293–298
Davison P, Asch RG (2011) Plastic ingestion by mesopelagic fishes in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 432:173–180
Derraik JGB (2002) The pollution of the marine environment by plastic debris: a review. Mar Pollut Bull 44:842–852
Doyle MJ, Watson W, Bowlin NM, Sheavly SB (2011) Plastic particles in coastal pelagic ecosystems of the Northeast Pacific ocean. Mar Environ Res 71:41–52
Frias JPGL, Otero V, Sobral P (2014) Evidence of microplastics in samples of zooplankton from Portuguese coastal waters. Mar Pollut Bull 95:89–95
Hwang OM, Shin K, Baek SH, Lee W-J, Kim S, Jang M-C (2011) Annual variations in community structure of mesozooplankton by short-term sampling in Jangmok Harbor of Jinhae Bay. Ocean Polar Res 33(3):235–253
Jang SW, Kim DH, Chung YH, Yoon H-J (2014) Behavior characteristics of floating debris spilled from the Nakdong River. Korean J Remote Sens 30(1):127–136
Jung SW, Lim DI, Shin HH, Jeong DH, Youn HR (2011) Relationship between physico-chemical factors and chlorophyll-a concentration in surface waters of Masan Bay: bi-daily monitoring data. Korean J Environ Biol 29(2):98–106
Kang SW, You SH, Jung YN (2000) Near-field mixing characteristics of submerged effluent discharges into Masan Bay. Ocean Res 22(1):45–56
Kang J-H, Kwon OY, Lee K-W, Song YK, Shim WJ (2015) Marine neustonic microplastics around the southeastern coast of Korea. Mar Pollut Bull 96:304–312
Kaposi KL, Mos B, Kelaher BP, Dworjanyn SA (2014) Ingestion of microplastic has limited impact on a marine larva. Environ Sci Technol 48:1638–1645
Kim WS, Kang JH (2001) Zooplankton found in the stomach of the fishes captures in the Yellow Sea in May and August of 1999. In: Proceedings of the Korean YSLME workshop, its experience and future contribution, 26–27 February. Cheju, Korea, pp 103–116
Kim JY, Kim JI (1993) Distribution and mortality of ichthyoplankton in the Southern Sea of Korea. Korean J Ichthyol 5(2):217–225
Kim JY, Kim JI, Choi GH (1994) Comparisons of egg distribution and mortality rate between anchovy and sardine during spring in the southern waters of Korea. Bull Korean Fish Soc 27(3):299–305
KIOST (Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology) (2011) Development of marine ecosystem health index (MEHI) in the special management areas of the South Sea. BSPE 98745-10195-3, 422 pp
Lattin GL, Moore CJ, Zellers AF, Moore SL, Weisberg SB (2004) A comparison of neustonic plastic and zooplankton at different depths near the southern California shore. Mar Pollut Bull 49:291–294
Lee DI, Kim JK (2007) Estimation of total allowable pollutant loads using eco-hydrodynamic modeling for water quality management on the Southern Coast of Korea. J Korean Soc Mar Environ Energy 10(1):29–43
Lee K-W, Shim WJ, Kwon OY, Kang J-H (2013) Size-dependent effects of micropolystyrene particles in the marine copepod Tigriopus japonicus. Environ Sci Technol 47:11278–11283
Lima ARA, Costa MF, Barletta M (2014) Distribution patterns of microplastics within the plankton of a tropical estuary. Environ Res 132:146–155
Lusher AL, McHugh M, Thompson RC (2013) Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English channel. Mar Pollut Bull 67:93–99
Moore CJ (2008) Synthetic polymers in the marine environment: a rapidly increasing, long-term threat. Environ Res 108:131–139
Moore CJ, Moore SL, Leecaster MK, Weisberg SB (2001) A comparison of plastic and plankton in the North Pacific central gyre. Mar Pollut Bull 42(12):1297–1300
Moore CJ, Moore SL, Weisberg SB, Lattin GL, Zellers AF (2002) A comparison of neustonic plastic and zooplankton abundance in southern California’s coastal waters. Mar Pollut Bull 44:1035–1038
Park JH, Im YJ, Cha HK, Suh YS (2004) The relationship between oceanographic and fishing conditions for anchovy, Engraulis japonica, in the Southern Sea of Korea. J Korean Soc Fish Res 6(2):46–53
Possatto FE, Barletta M, Costa MF, Ivar do Sul JA, Dantas DV (2011) Plastic debris intestion by marine catfish: an unexpected fisheries impact. Mar Pollut Bull 62:1098–1102
Setälä O, Fleming-Lehtinen V, Lehtiniemi M (2014) Ingestion and transfer of microplastics in the planktonic food web. Environ Pollut 185:77–83
Song YK, Hong SH, Jang M, Kang J-H, Kwon OY, Han GM, Shim WJ (2014) Large accumulation of micro-sized synthetic polymer particles in the sea surface microlayer. Environ Sci Technol 48:9014–9021
Wright SL, Thompson RC, Galloway TS (2013) The physical impacts of microplastics on marine organisms: a review. Environ Pollut 178:483–492
Yoo JM, Kim S, Lee EK, Lee JS (1992) The distribution of ichthyoplankton in Chinhae Bay. Ocean Res 14(2):77–87
Yoon HS, Park S, Lee IC, Kim HT (2008) Spatiotemporal variations of seawater quality due to the inflow of discharge from Nakdong River Barrage. J Korean Soc Mar Environ Energy 11(2):78–85
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by research project titled “Environmental Risk Assessment of Microplastics in the Marine Environment” from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kang, JH., Kwon, OY. & Shim, W.J. Potential Threat of Microplastics to Zooplanktivores in the Surface Waters of the Southern Sea of Korea. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 69, 340–351 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0210-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0210-3