Salt marshes as the final watershed fate for meso- and microplastic contamination: A case study from Southern Brazil

Plastics pose a major threat to aquatic ecosystems especially in smaller size fractions. Salt marshes play a crucial role in maintaining the coastal zone and aquatic food web, yet their contamination, including by plastic materials, is still poorly investigated. This work investigated meso-(MEP, 5-25 mm) and microplastic (MIP, 1 mu m-5 mm) contamination of a salt marsh, which reached average levels of 279.63 +/- 410.12 items kg(-1), 366.92 +/- 975.18 items kg(-1), and 8.89 +/- 8.75 items L-1 in surface sediment, sediment cores and water, respectively. Photomicrographs revealed a complex fouling community on plastics surface for both different salt marsh zones and plastic formats. Abundance of plastics in sediment was higher in the dryer, vegetated zones compared to flooded, unvegetated zones. This is consistent with the role of vegetation as a trap for solid litter and final fate of plastic deposition, but also with local hydrodynamics influencing deposition pattern. Plastics were detected up to 66 cm-depth, presenting higher levels at surface sediments. It was also possible to identify the main groups of microorganisms (1638 bacterial cells, 318 microalgae cells, and 20049.93 mu m2 of filamentous fungi) composing the Plastisphere communities on all plastic items recorded in the different zones. These results are a pioneer contribution, highlighting that regional salt marshes participate in sequestration and longstanding accumulation of plastic particles in estuarine environments, before exportation to the ocean.

Automated summary

Plastics pose a major threat to aquatic ecosystems, and their contamination in salt marshes is still poorly understood. This study investigated meso- and microplastic contamination in a salt marsh, finding high levels of plastics in sediment and water, as well as complex fouling communities on the surface of plastics in different marsh zones. The abundance of plastics was higher in dryer, vegetated zones, and it was possible to identify the main groups of microorganisms composing the Plastisphere communities.