The study describes for the first time the prominent role of Posidonia as a filter and trap for plastics in
This algae grows very densely, forming"prairie". Posidonia also has great ecological value (food, shelter, reproduction, etc.) for marine biodiversity. A team of scientists analyzed the capture and recovery of plastic in large Posidonia sea meadows on the coast of Mallorca.
“Everything indicates that in the seaPosidonia algae gets stuck with plastic. In the meadows, plastic is converted into spherical agglomerates of Posidonia Neptune natural fibers, which are released from the marine environment during storms. Trapped microplastics in the Posidonia oceanica prairie are mostly fibers, fibers and fragments of polymers denser than seawater, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), according to the analysis."
Anna Sánchez Vidal is a member of the Department of Ocean-Earth Dynamics at the Biodiversity Research Institute.
These balls have a vegetative structure consisting offrom a modified stem with a rhizome shape, from which roots and leaves emerge. When the leaves fall off, their bases (pods) are added to the rhizomes and give them the appearance of feathers. As a result of mechanical erosion in the marine environment, these pods gradually release lignocellulosic fibers under the seabed, which are slowly added and intertwined until they form agglomerates in the shape of a ball known as egagropils. They are expelled from the prairie during periods of strong waves, and often end up on beaches.
Despite the fact that there is no research that wouldquantified the amount of egagropil expelled from the marine environment, it is estimated that there are about 1470 plastics per kilogram of plant fiber, which is significantly higher than the amount captured by leaves or sand. First estimates show that Posidonia balls can trap up to 867 million plastic annually.
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