Formation of microplastics by lugworm inhabiting in expanded polystyrene marine debris

Abstract

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is one of the major components of marine debris globally. FloatingEPS buoy as marine debris has become a habitat for marine organisms. Lugworm is a marineorganism generally found in mud and rock. Interestingly, many burrows of this specie werefound inside EPS buoy from Geoje, South Korea. In this study, ingestion and formation ofmicro-EPS particles by boring activity of lugworm was identified. Lugworms (n=10) sampledfrom EPS buoy were kept separately for 3day for collection of feces. Huge amount of EPSparticles (132±121 EPS particles/individual) were detected in feces of lugworms. The mean sizeof EPS particles was significantly correlated with the size of lugworms. To verify the formationof micro-EPS particles through burrowing activities by lugworm, two different sizes oflugworms collected from EPS buoy were kept separately in beaker filled with seawater and EPSblock for 10 days. The large-sized lugworm (1600 particles/day) created 4 times more micro-EPS particles than small-sized lugworm (390 particles/day). The mean and maximum lengths(longest axis of EPS particles) of EPS particles produced by two lugworms were 1.11 mm and 5mm for large-sized lugworm, and 0.74 mm and 3mm for small-sized lugworm. The maximumsize of the particles matched well with the mouth size of each lugworm. The size distribution ofEPS particles egested from lugworms was very similar to , many burrows of this specie werefound inside EPS buoy from Geoje, South Korea. In this study, ingestion and formation ofmicro-EPS particles by boring activity of lugworm was identified. Lugworms (n=10) sampledfrom EPS buoy were kept separately for 3day for collection of feces. Huge amount of EPSparticles (132±121 EPS particles/individual) were detected in feces of lugworms. The mean sizeof EPS particles was significantly correlated with the size of lugworms. To verify the formationof micro-EPS particles through burrowing activities by lugworm, two different sizes oflugworms collected from EPS buoy were kept separately in beaker filled with seawater and EPSblock for 10 days. The large-sized lugworm (1600 particles/day) created 4 times more micro-EPS particles than small-sized lugworm (390 particles/day). The mean and maximum lengths(longest axis of EPS particles) of EPS particles produced by two lugworms were 1.11 mm and 5mm for large-sized lugworm, and 0.74 mm and 3mm for small-sized lugworm. The maximumsize of the particles matched well with the mouth size of each lugworm. The size distribution ofEPS particles egested from lugworms was very similar to