Abstract
Persistent microplastic (MPs) pollution threatens even rare extreme environments, yet its extent in shallow-water hydrothermal vent (HV) ecosystems remains little characterized. This study documents tissue-specific MPs bioaccumulation in the sulfur-rich vent crab, Xenograpsus testudinatus. We investigated the frequency and features of MPs in 85 individuals and their habitat using transmission Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). MPs were detected in 76.47% of the crabs, with the highest burden in the midgut (45.56%) followed by the hepatopancreas and gills, indicating environmental transfer and clear internalization. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation matrices revealed distinct, organ-specific accumulation patterns: a tightly correlated cluster linked fibers and red particles to ingestion routes in the midgut and hepatopancreas, while fragments segregated independently along a mechanical trapping vector in the gills. Chemical characterization identified polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as dominant polymer signatures detected within the sample pools, reflecting characteristics typically associated with local fishing gear and consumer waste. This is consistent with a direct anthropogenic input pathway into the vent community. The observed MPs accumulation establishes the high efficiency of direct environmental transfer into this benthic detritivore, thereby highlighting its potential role as a candidate indicator species for pollution at the base of this unique ecosystem. Although X. testudinatus exhibits resilience to localized extreme chemical conditions, the chronic internal accumulation of microplastics introduces a novel physical stressor whose long-term implications on individual fitness and broader trophic balance warrant further physiological investigation.
Subjects
- Ecology
- Environmental sciences
- Ocean sciences
Acknowledgements
The authors extend our sincere gratitude to the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan (NSTC) for providing the support that made this research possible. We specifically thank the ship’s command and staff of the New Ocean Researcher II (NOR2) for their logistical aid and effort at the Kueishan Island field activities, and the laboratory colleagues of J-S. Hwang for their devoted support during both the sampling and subsequent laboratory treatments. National Taiwan University of Science and Technology Valuable Instrument Sharing Program (MOST plan year-2731-M-) for providing access to SEM analysis.
Funding
The National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan (NSTC) provided the grants that supported this research. Funding was awarded to J-S. Hwang (Grant Nos. NSTC 112- 2621-M-019-002, NSTC 113-2621-M-019-002, and NSTC 114-2621-M-019-003), L-C. Tseng (MOST 111–2811-M-019-003), and Y-T. Shao (NSTC 112–2621-M-019-004).
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The authors declare no competing interests.
Ethics statement
Based on the approved Animal Use Protocol from the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), crustaceans are not currently included in animal use procedures for experiments. Therefore, our study, which used crustaceans, was conducted in strict adherence to the 3Rs of ethical research: reduction, refinement and replacement. All required permissions and licenses were secured for the field sampling at Kueishan Island, ensuring full adherence to local regulations.
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Consigna, M.J.S., Thirunavukkarasu, S., Tseng, LC. et al. Tissue-specific bioaccumulation of microplastics in the shallow water hydrothermal vent crab Xenograpsus testudinatus.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63291-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63291-8
Keywords
Xenograpsus testudinatus
- Shallow-water hydrothermal vent
- Bioaccumulation
- Microplastics
- Polyurethane
Source: Ecology - nature.com
