Microplastic Enrichment in Benthic Organisms at Dongsha Island

Global microplastic pollution has attracted widespread attention from researchers worldwide. However, compared to other regions of the world, there is limited knowledge about the ingestion of microplastics (MPs) by benthic organisms in the Dongsha Island area of the Yellow Sea. This study investigated the abundance and characteristics of MPs ingested by 12 species of benthic organisms in the Dongsha Island area of the Yellow Sea. The results showed that the abundance of MPs ingested by benthic fish, crabs, and molluscs among benthic organisms was 3.51, 1.68, and 1.64 items/individual, respectively. Fish ingested significantly more MPs than crabs and molluscs. There was no significant difference in MP abundance between the gills and intestines of benthic organisms. Additionally, the characterization analysis of MPs revealed that fiber-shaped MPs were dominant in shape, with sizes generally less than 0.25 mm. The main colors of MPs were transparent, blue, and black, and the primary materials were polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP). Furthermore, these findings illuminate the current status of microplastic ingestion by local benthic organisms and provide a critical reference for understanding the characteristics of microplastic pollution in this region.