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Microplastic contamination in coastal sediments from the Gulf of Maine and its implications for endangered species
Citation:
Langknecht, T., K. Ho, AND R. Burgess. Microplastic contamination in coastal sediments from the Gulf of Maine and its implications for endangered species. Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies Annual Conference 2022, Long Branch, NJ, April 03 - 05, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
Microplastics, which are plastic pieces less than 5 mm, can be harmful to many marine species through entanglement, ingestion, chemical transport, and other pathways. Marine sediments are often a sink for these types of plastic pieces; therefore, microplastic abundance in marine sediments may have serious implications for many marine species. This study aims to measure the abundance of microplastics along the coasts of Maine and New Hampshire and understand implications for endangered wildlife species in the area. Microplastics were extracted from sediments and then identified for polymer type using Raman spectroscopy. We will then use a GIS mapping program to overlay critical habitat and endangered species data onto the microplastic abundance and sampling locations to identify priority areas for microplastic research or removal. This research will give us a better understanding of microplastic abundance in the region, as well as if any endangered species may be facing harmful negative impacts from microplastic pieces. The intended audience of this research includes state, local, and federal agencies interested in conducting microplastic research, as well as academic and private research institutions.
Description:
Microplastics (MP) (< 5 mm) are ubiquitous in the environment, contributing to marine debris and adversely impacting numerous organisms as they transfer between trophic levels. The United Nations recently found that over 800 species are impacted by marine debris globally, whether through entanglement, ingestion, bioaccumulation, chemical transport, or changes to habitat function. MP often settle and accumulate in marine sediments; therefore, MP abundance in marine sediments may have serious implications for many organisms and may present an additional stressor for endangered species in marine ecosystems. The objective of this study is to quantify and identify MP particles in coastal sediments and assess the potential implications for endangered species using GIS data. Marine sediment samples (n=50) were collected off the coasts of Maine and New Hampshire by the U.S. EPA’s National Coastal Conditioning Assessment (NCCA) program during the 2020 field season and a subset (n=10) were selected for MP analysis. A novel hybrid method was used to extract MPs from the sediments, followed by polymer identification and quantification using Raman spectroscopy. We then overlaid MP abundance with critical habitat data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to identify areas of overlap with endangered species. We found MP at all 10 sites, with an average of 128 MP particles per 100 g wet sediment and 14 polymer types across all 10 sites[LT1] . All six threatened and endangered species’ critical habitat overlapped with areas of MP contamination; therefore, all species are potentially exposed and negative impacts from MP may present an additional stressor. This work can be used to identify priority areas for future MP research and remediation actions. This research attempts to broaden our understanding of MP contamination and polymer composition in marine sediments to better understand potential impacts on endangered species.
