Microplastic accumulation by tube-dwelling, suspension feeding polychaetes from the sediment surface: A case study from the Norwegian Continental Shelf

Øyvind Lilleeng,Thomas Møskeland,Jens Laugesen,Hans Peter H. Arp,Heidi Knutsen,Verónica Castro,Emma Jane Wade,Christian Totland,Arne Pettersen,Jakob Bonnevie Cyvin

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105073

Abstract

Sediment samples (0–1 cm) and tube-dwelling polychaetes from the Norwegian Continental Shelf and the Barents Sea were collected, including areas close to oil and gas installations and remote locations. Microplastics (≥45 μm) were found in quantifiable levels in 27 of 35 sediment samples, from 0.039 to 3.4 particles/gdw (dw = dry weight); and in 9 of 10 pooled polychaete samples, from 11 to 880 particles/gww (ww = wet weight). Concentrations were significantly higher in tube-dwelling polychaetes than sediments from the same locations (p<0.0097) by orders of magnitude. To quantify this factor increase in polychaetes, a Biota-Sediment Particle Enrichment Factor (BSPEF) is introduced, which ranged from 100 to 11000 gdw/gww (280–31000 gdw/gdw). Higher microplastic levels were observed in polychaete tube than in soft tissue (n=4). The feeding behavior and life cycle of tube-dwelling polychaetes could have an important influence on the transport, distribution and food-chain dynamics of microplastics on the seafloor.

Highlights

Microplastics are distributed throughout the oceans, including remote areas such as deep sea sediments (Bergmann et al, 2017; Van Cauwenberghe et al, 2013) and Antarctica (Zarfl and Matthies, 2010), and they are found in a myriad of different marine organisms, ranging from zooplankton to whales (Cole et al, 2014; Nelms et al, 2019)
Lowdensity, non-colloidal polyolefin plastics will float under still conditions, whereas non-colloidal microplastics which are denser than water, such as nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) will tend to sink and accumulate in sediments
The results indicate that depleted energy reserves arise from a combination of reduced feeding activity, longer gut residence times of ingested material and inflammation (Wright et al, 2013)

Summary

Introduction

Microplastics are distributed throughout the oceans, including remote areas such as deep sea sediments (Bergmann et al, 2017; Van Cauwenberghe et al, 2013) and Antarctica (Zarfl and Matthies, 2010), and they are found in a myriad of different marine organisms, ranging from zooplankton to whales (Cole et al, 2014; Nelms et al, 2019).

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