Microplastic ingestion in jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskal, 1775) in the North Atlantic Ocean

The present study is the first evidence-based study about the ingestion of plastic and microplastics in jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca in the North Atlantic Ocean. A bloom of this organism was collected from Gran Canaria Island coast. It was digested using KOH to quantify the plastic particles and by separating the umbrella from tentacles. About 97% of the organisms analysed showed the presence of microdebris. The majority of the microfibers were with blue or uncorrected fibre concentrations and mainly composed of cotton. Their presence in the gastrovascular cavity of the jellyfish was confirmed. These results warn about the impact of various factors such as jellyfish health, the transfer to jellyfish predators, human consumption of jelly fish, and the transport of carbon and microplastics in the water column.

Automated summary

The study provides first evidence of plastic and microplastic ingestion in jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca in the North Atlantic Ocean. Microfibers, composed mainly of cotton, were found in the gastrovascular cavity of the jellyfish. These results highlight potential impact on marine ecosystem due to the presence of microplastics in jellyfish.