Polystyrene spherules in coastal waters.
Polystyrene spherules averaging 0.5 millimeter in diameter (range 0.1 to 2 millimeters) are abundant in the coastal waters of southern New England. Two types are present, a crystalline (clear) form and a white, opaque form with pigmentation resulting from a diene rubber. The spherules have bacteria on their surfaces and contain polychlorinated biphenyls, apparently absorbed from ambient seawater, in a concentration of 5 parts per million. White, opaque spherules are selectively consumed by 8 species of fish out of 14 species examined, and a chaetognath. Ingestion of the plastic may lead to intestinal blockage in smaller fish.
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria; D003237:Connecticut; D004064:Digestive System / Q000032:analysis; D005399:Fishes; D008404:Massachusetts; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000032:analysis*; D012237:Rhode Island; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D011137:Polystyrenes; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls