Anthropogenic fibers and microplastics in the pelagic gooseneck barnacle Lepas (Lepas) anatifera in Capo Milazzo Marine Protected Area (Tyrrhenian Sea): A first characterization

This study provides an assessment of the efficiency of the biofouler Lepas (Lepas) anatifera Linnaeus, 1758 in capturing microplastics and microfiber particles floating in the water column. In this context, we collected pelagic gooseneck barnacles at fixed moorings in the Capo Milazzo Marine Protected Area (MPA). Fibers and fragments were found in the digestive tract of 30% of the 120 specimens collected. The ingested debris were mainly fibers (85.9%) of synthetic (30.6%) and natural (11.7%) origin, with length ranging between 1 and 2 mm (33.3%) and transparent (47.2%). The highest concentration of fibers was recorded in barnacles collected in the western sector of the MPA that is more affected by the input of organic matter coming from several urban wastewaters. No correlation was found between the presence of artificial polymers in L. (Lepas) anatifera and the size of individuals. The great diversity of fibers and plastic fragments by typology, size, shape and color, as well as the large number of bivalve and ostracod shells found in the digestive tract of the samples, confirm the opportunistic diet of these organisms, which can indiscriminately ingest any type of prey and cannot distinguish between microplastics and food. The results obtained, as well as the wide distribution and abundance, and ease of sampling of these barnacle species in macrofouling suggest that including this species in monitoring programs could be a cost-effective and easy method for assessing the presence of microplastics and microfibers in coastal marine waters to monitor the ecological status of pelagic and coastal ecosystems, including MPAs.