Spatial differences of microplastic pollution concerned in aquaculture bay: A case study of organism in the Haizhou Bay

Mariculture can meet the growing demand for food and nutrition. However, intensive long-term culturing activities can release large amounts of microplastics (MPs) into the marine environment. These MPs are easily ingested by marine organisms and eventually transferred to human bodies, posing a potential threat to human health. In this study, we investigated the MPs abundance of two benthic organisms in the nearshore and mariculture areas. Research founds that the average MPs abundance of Siliqua minima was 16.17 ± 8.28 items/individual and 23.19 ± 14.77 items/g, the average MPs abundance of Odontamblyopus rubicundus was 48.95 ± 31.70 items/individual and 10.98 ± 6.61 items/g. The size of MPs in benthic organisms was mainly < 1000μm, the shape was mainly fiber, the color was mainly blue, and the material was mainly CE and PS. Correlation between biological characteristics and MPs abundance. The abundance of MPs was higher in O. rubicundus in the mariculture area (51.63 ± 33.95 items/individual) than in the nearshore area (42.77 ± 25.93 items/individual). The MPs pollution was more serious in the mariculture area. Our results indicate that the benthic organisms in Haizhou Bay are in a higher level of MPs pollution overall, and mariculture activities are likely to be the main cause of MPs pollution, which should be given more attention.