The potential for biomonitoring microplastic
pollution along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline using marine invertebrates: a preliminary investigation
Gerber, G., Mkhize, T., Moodley, G.K., Robertson-Andersson, D.V.
University of KwaZulu-Natal
School of Life Sciences
Outline
• Microplastics (MP) – problem identification
• Biomonitoring – a suggested approach
• What has been done
• Future work
• Relevance to eThekwini municipality
SECONDARY
www.mcsuk.org
PRIMARY gre
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Physiological effects
• Gut blockage
• False satiation
• Malnutrition
• Reduced fitness
Ecotoxilogical effects
• POP’s
• Heavy metals
• Trophic transfer
Once ingested
Why is biomonitoring necessary in eThekwini?
• RELATIONSHIP between organism and environment
• Wide variety of microplastics – which ones are more threatening to marine biota
• Sedentary invertebrates – identification of temporal and spatial patterns of MP pollution
• Mussels and sea urchins as important subsistence food sources
Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) Filtration
(ANOVA: df = 2, F = 11.66 , p = 0.003)
Ingestion
(ANOVA: df = 2, F = 31.98 ,p < 0.000)
a b
c
a
b
a
Gerber (2015)
Gerber (2015)
Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus, 1758)
Stomopneustes variolaris (Lamarck, 1816)
• Madreporite pores large enough to allow MP’s to enter water vascular system (WVS)
• MP uptake into WVS was demonstrated by S. variolaris and T.gratilla
• Highlights dual mechanisms of MP uptake in echinoids
• Echinoids - ecosystem engineers
upload.wikimedia.org
atj.net.au
What we know VS. Future work
• Biomonitoring program (P. perna)
• Investigations into dual mechanisms of MP uptake in echinoids
• Toxicant transfer from MP to organisms
• Mussels and echinoids demonstrate MP uptake
• Subsistence food sources
indiabiodiversity.org upload.wikimedia.org atj.net.au images.harc.edu
Relevance to eThekwini municipality
www.wildcoast.co.za
www.wildcoast.co.za
www.wildcoast.co.za www.intellectualcapitals.com
usresponserestoration.files.wordpress.com
Thank you!
Any questions? Text
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Images
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http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DNG1vSbE9Ek/U8Bv9j3hahI/AAAAAAAABLI/0Dlu-nFiqxA/s1600/dead+del.jpg
http://greenplastics.co.in/images/p1.png
http://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2013/08/01/troubled-waters-lake-eries-plastic-problem
https://dinilu.co.uk/sites/dinilu.eu/files/imagecache/product_full/files/005.jpg
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mrc_mearns.jpg
http://www.wildcoast.co.za/files/images/082.img_assist_custom-190x253.JPG
http://www.wildcoast.co.za/files/mrp/harvesting.jpg
http://www.intellectualcapitals.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mussel_in_rock.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/R1eeO.jpg
http://www.xenophora.org/Iconographie/Mytilidae/Perna%20perna/Perna%20perna.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/S._variolaris.jpg/228px-S._variolaris.jpg
http://atj.net.au/T_gratilla_GPoint07-3.jpg
i.imgur.com