Microplastics in scleractinian corals from the upper Gulf of Thailand
Keywords:
coral, Galaxea fascicularis, Gulf of Thailand, microplastics, pollutionAbstract
Microplastics are plastic fragments <5 mm in diameter that are recognized as pollution in marine ecosystems worldwide. Coastal habitats, such as sandy beaches and inshore coral communities, are particularly impacted by microplastics because they enter the marine environment through the fragmentation of larger plastic components from land-based sources. A few studies reported ingestion of microplastics by scleractinian corals, and the presence of microplastics in coral reef waters adjacent to inshore reefs. This study aimed to assess the abundance of microplastics in six scleractinian corals, i.e. Acropora muricata, Galaxea fascicularis, Pocillopora acuta, Porites lutea, Favites abdita and Favia speciosa from Mu Ko Sichang, the upper Gulf of Thailand in April 2018. The fragments of each coral species were collected and preserved in 10 % formalin in seawater before being decalcified in 3 % formic acid over a period of four days. Then the decalcified tissues were dissected using a stereo zoom microscope to separate individual polyps. The coral polyps were then sectioned longitudinally. Ingestion of microplastics was examined by the presence of microplastics in the mouth and among the mesenteries of the polyps. The highest abundance of microplastics were found in Galaxea fascicularis, while no microplastics were found in Acropora muricata. This study provides essential information concerning microplastic contamination on natural coral communities in the Gulf of Thailand
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