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First recorded presence of anthropogenic fly-ash particles in coral skeletons.
- Source :
-
The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2024 Apr 15; Vol. 921, pp. 170665. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Feb 02. - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Fly-ash particles formed during industrial fossil-fuel combustion show a globally observed rapid increase in concentration within natural archives post-1950 and have been proposed as a marker for the Anthropocene Epoch. Here, we present the first record of fly-ash particles incorporated into coral skeletons. Particles are present in Mediterranean corals between CE 1957 and 1992 at concentrations of 8-30 g <superscript>-1</superscript> coral, mirroring the period of increased industrial activity in the area, and corroborating with spheroidal carbonaceous particle (SCP) records globally. The findings have important implications for the use of SCPs as markers in natural archives. With the exception of microplastics, this is the first evidence of particulate contamination in corals collected from natural environments. Further research is needed to understand incorporation pathways into coral skeletons, any subsequent ecotoxicological impact of contaminants, and the influence on overall coral health globally.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.<br /> (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Animals
Coal Ash
Plastics metabolism
Fossil Fuels
Coal
Coral Reefs
Anthozoa metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1879-1026
- Volume :
- 921
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The Science of the total environment
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 38311084
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170665