Plastics, (bio)polymers and their apparent biogeochemical cycle: An infrared spectroscopy study on foraminifera.

To understand the fate of plastic in oceans and the interaction with marine organisms, we investigated the incorporation of (bio)polymers and microplastics in selected benthic foraminiferal species by applying FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) microscopy. This experimental methodology has been applied to cultured benthic foraminifera Rosalina globularis, and to in situ foraminifera collected in a plastic remain found buried into superficial sediment in the Mediterranean seafloor, Rosalina bradyi, Textularia bocki and Cibicidoides lobatulus. In vitro foraminifera were treated with bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) molecule to explore its internalization in the cytoplasm.

Sensitivity of foraminiferal-based indices to evaluate the ecological quality status of marine coastal benthic systems: A case study of the Gulf of Manfredonia (southern Adriatic Sea).

This paper aims to compare two foraminiferal based biotic indices generally used to evaluate the ecological quality status (EcoQS): the Foram-AMBI and the Foram Stress Index (FSI). For this purpose, we report the distribution and diversity of living foraminiferal assemblages and the environmental variables from a bathymetric transect in the Southern Adriatic Sea. The two indices agree well with the detected organic enrichment but indicate conflicting EcoQS as the Foram-AMBI detects good environmental conditions, whereas the FSI describes a poor-moderate quality.

Cigarette butts, a threat for marine environments: Lessons from benthic foraminifera (Protista).

Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter in the world and their environmental impact is related to both persistence and potential toxic effects for chemical composition. The objective of this study was to assess the acute toxicity (LC-48 h) of human-smoked cigarette butts leachate on 3 cultured genera of benthic foraminifera: the calcareous perforate Rosalina globularis, the calcareous imperforate Quinqueloculina spp., and the agglutinated Textularia agglutinans.