| 研究実績の概要 |
Throughout the second year of the project, I successfully completed the processing and analysis of zooplankton samples collected from the Gulf of Thailand, with the objective of evaluating microplastic ingestion by these organisms. This work focused on four predominant species of copepods, which were selected based on their ecological relevance and abundance in the region.
The ingestion analysis involved careful isolation and identification of microplastic particles from the digestive tracts of the collected specimens. Each ingested particle was characterized in terms of quantity, size distribution, color, and polymer composition using a combination of microscopy and spectroscopic techniques. This comprehensive dataset provides new insights into the types and characteristics of microplastics present in the marine food web of the Gulf of Thailand, and contributes to a broader understanding of how these contaminants are interacting with lower trophic levels in tropical coastal ecosystems.
The results of this study are being compiled into a manuscript currently under development. The manuscript will include a detailed discussion of interspecific differences in ingestion patterns, the potential ecological implications of microplastic exposure in copepods such as rainfall seasonality, and a comparison with previous studies conducted in other regions. Submission for peer-reviewed publication is anticipated within the 2025 fiscal year.
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