Microplastic pollution calls for urgent investigations in stygobiont habitats: A case study from Classical karst

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11310%2F24%3A10483240" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11310/24:10483240 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=MtrQaIQpD7" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=MtrQaIQpD7</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120672" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120672</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Microplastic pollution calls for urgent investigations in stygobiont habitats: A case study from Classical karst

Original language description

Microplastic pollution in karst systems is still poorly studied, despite the presence of protected species and habitats, and important water reserves. Vulnerable key species hosted in these habitats could consume or assimilate microplastics, which can irreversibly damage management efforts, and thus ecosystems functionality. This can be particularly true for subterranean water habitats where microplastic pollution effects on wildlife management programs are not considered. The aim of this study is to provide a case study from the Classical Karst Region, which hosts peculiar habitats and key species protected at European level, such as the olm Proteus anguinus. As this area has been deeply exploited and modified over time, and is adjacent to highways, roads and railways, which could contribute to pollution within the karst system, threatening the ecosystems, it provides a perfect model system.In this study we collected and investigated water and sediment samples from aquatic environments of surface and subterranean habitats hosting several subterranean environment-adapted organisms. Examined particles were counted and characterized by size, color and shape via visual identification under a microscope, with and without UV light. Furthermore, spectroscopic analyses were carried out in order to identify microplastics typology. Microplastics were found in all examined habitats. In water, microplastics concentration ranged from 37 to 86 items/L, in sediments from 776 to 2064 items/kg. Fibre-shape was the main present, followed by fragments and beads, suggesting multiple sources of pollution, especially textile products. Most of the particles were fluorescent under UV light and were mainly transparent, while not-fluorescent ones were especially black, blue or brown. Samples contained especially polyesters and copolymers. These results highlight intense MP pollution in karst areas, with significant impacts on water quality, and potential effects on subterranean environmentdwelling species. We stress the importance of monitoring pollution in these critical environments for biodiversity and habitat conservation: monitoring in karst areas must become a priority for habitat and species protection, and water resources management, improving analyses on a larger number of aquatic surface and subterranean habitats.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10511 - Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of Environmental Management

ISSN

0301-4797

e-ISSN

1095-8630

Volume of the periodical

356

Issue of the periodical within the volume

April

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

13

Pages from-to

120672

UT code for WoS article

001223414600001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85188535011