Distribution characteristics of microplastics in Zhubi Reef from South China Sea

As a new type of emerging pollutant in the ocean, microplastics have received global attention in recent years. Considering the increasing amount of human activities around the South China Sea, it is important to determine the current status of microplastic pollution in this region. In this study, we analyzed the abundance and distribution of microplastics at Zhubi Reef in the South China Sea. Microplastic abundance ranged from 1400 to 8100 items/m³ of surface water, which was much higher than the values reported from other ocean areas. About 80% of the microplastics were smaller than 0.5 mm in size. Fibers and pellets comprised the most common microplastic types. The dominant microplastics were transparent or blue in color. The main polymer types were polypropylene (25%) and polyamide (18%). In general, our results revealed Zhubi Reef was contaminated with microplastics, which were likely derived from the intensive fisheries in the area and emissions from coastal cities. This study also provides baseline data that are useful for additional studies of microplastics in the South China Sea.

Microplastics in the surface water of small-scale estuaries in Shanghai

This study involved an assessment of the levels of microplastic pollution in seven small-scale estuaries in Shanghai for the first time. The abundance of microplastics ranged from 13.53 ± 4.6 to 44.93 ± 9.41 particles L^-1, with a mean abundance of 27.84 ± 11.81 particles L^-1. Microplastics collected from samples were classified into four types (fiber, film, granule, and fragment), and granules were the most abundant type. Up to 99.5% of microplastics were <2 mm in diameter. The microplastics had a variety of colors, with black being the dominant color. Polypropylene (37.5%) and polyethylene (50%) were the main types of microplastic component validated. Our study showed severe microplastic pollution in small-scale estuaries, and the associated rivers need urgent attention for microplastic pollution prevention.

Microplastics in the crustaceans Nephrops norvegicus and Aristeus antennatus: Flagship species for deep-sea environments?

Ingestion of microplastics (MPs) has been documented in several marine organisms, but their occurrence in deep-sea species remains almost unknown. In this study, MPs were investigated in two economically and ecologically key crustaceans of the Mediterranean Sea, the Norwegian lobster Nephrops norvegicus and the shrimp Aristeus antennatus. Both the species were collected from 14 sites around Sardinia Island, at depths comprised between 270 and 660 m. A total of 89 and 63 stomachs were analysed for N. norvegicus and A. antennatus respectively, and more than 2000 MPs-like particles were extracted and sorted for identification and characterization by μFT-IR. In N. norvegicus, 83% of the specimens contained MPs, with an average abundance of 5.5 ± 0.8 MPs individual^-1, while A. antennatus showed a lower frequency of ingestion (67%) and a lower mean number of MPs (1.66 ± 0.1 MPs individual^-1). Composition and size of particles differed significantly between the two species. The non-selective feeding strategy of N. norvegicus could explain the 3-5 folds higher numbers of MPs in its stomach, which were mostly composed of films and fragments derived by polyethylene and polypropylene single-use plastic items. Contrarily, most MPs in the stomachs of A. antennatus were polyester filaments. The MPs abundance observed in N. norvegicus is among the highest detected in Mediterranean species considering both fish and invertebrates species, and provides novel insights on MPs bioavailability in deep-sea habitats. The overall results suggest that both N. norvegicus and A. antennatus, easily available in common fishery markets, could be valuable bioindicators and flagship species for plastic contamination in the deep-sea.

Microplastic prevalence in the beaches of Puducherry, India and its correlation with fishing and tourism/recreational activities

The prevalence of microplastics in the sediments of six beaches of the Puducherry coast in India was studied and its correlation to fishing activities and recreational activities was analysed. On an average, 72.03 ± 19.16 microplastic particles/100 g dry weight of sediments is found to be the microplastic abundance in the study. A Strong positive correlation (Pearson's R = 0.92, p = 0.0103) between fishing activity and microplastic abundance and a weak correlation (Pearson's R = 0.04, p = 0.932) between microplastic abundance and recreational activities is found. Majority (65.12%) of the microplastics belongs to the size bracket of 300 μm-1 mm and only 34.88% were large microplastics (>1 mm). The Polymers of the microplastics were identified as Polypropylene, HDPE, LDPE, Polystyrene, Polyurethane etc. using Raman spectroscopy. Microplastic fragments comprise 56.32% of the total particles. In terms of colour of the microplastics, white (26.92%) is the most abundant.

An optimized density-based approach for extracting microplastics from soil and sediment samples

Microplastic pollution in the environment has received growing attention worldwide. A major impediment for accurate measurements of microplastics in environmental matrixes is to extract the particles. The most commonly-used method for separation from soil or sediment is flotation in dense liquid based on the relatively low density of plastic particles. This study provides an improved and optimized process for extraction of microplastic particles by modifying the floatation technique and floatation solution. Microplastics in soils and sediments are extracted by adding 200 g dry soil or sediment sample to 1.3 L mix of the saturated NaCl and NaI solutions in a volume ratio of 1:1 and aerating for 40 s then filtering the supernatant. The accuracy and precision of the new approach is validated by recovery experiments using soil and sediment samples spiked with six common microplastic compounds: polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS), and comparison with the previous method. The optimized approach is further compared with the previous approach using the real soil and sediment samples.

Assessment of microplastic pollution: occurrence and characterisation in Vesijärvi lake and Pikku Vesijärvi pond, Finland

In the last few years, several studies have investigated microplastics (MPs) in marine ecosystems, but data monitoring and assessing the occurrence in freshwater environments are still scarce. The present study aims to investigate the occurrence, distribution, and chemical composition of MP pollution in Vesijärvi lake and Pikku Vesijärvi pond close to the city of Lahti (Finland) in winter. Sediment, snow, and ice core samples were collected near the shore of these two aquatic systems. MPs were analysed and identified by a non-destructive method using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) 2D imaging. The mean concentrations of MPs detected in sediment, snow, and ice samples were 395.5 ± 90.7 MPs/kg, 117.1 ± 18.4 MPs/L, and 7.8 ± 1.2 MPs/L, respectively. FTIR results showed the predominant abundance of microplastics, such as polyamides (up to 53.3%), polyethylene and polypropylene (up to 17.1%), and natural fragments such as cellulose (up to 45.8%) and wool (up 18.8%) in the same size range. The potential release of MPs arising from stormwaters and sport and recreational activities was evidenced.

An interlaboratory comparison exercise for the determination of microplastics in standard sample bottles

An interlaboratory comparison exercise was conducted to assess the consistency of microplastic quantification across several laboratories. The test samples were prepared by mixing one liter seawater free of plastics, microplastics made from polypropylene, high- and low-density polyethylene, and artificial particles in two plastic bottles, and analyzed concurrently in 12 experienced laboratories around the world. The minimum requirements to quantify microplastics were examined by comparing actual numbers of microplastics in these sample bottles with numbers measured in each laboratory. The uncertainty was due to pervasive errors derived from inaccuracies in measuring sizes and/or misidentification of microplastics, including both false recognition and overlooking. The size distribution of microplastics should be smoothed using a running mean with a length of >0.5 mm to reduce uncertainty to less than ±20%. The number of microplastics <1 mm was underestimated by 20% even when using the best practice for measuring microplastics in laboratories.

Microplastic debris in beaches of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)

The occurrence and composition of microplastics (1-5 mm) was evaluated in six beaches of the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). Two of them were located at the North coast (El Socorro and San Marcos) and the rest in the South littoral (Leocadio Machado, El Porís, Los Abriguitos and Playa Grande). Sampling was developed during the months of October, November and December 2018 (depending on the beach) above the high tide line. Isolated microplastics were identified by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy. All the beaches showed a relatively low content of microplastics, below 3.5 g/m², which is also below 0.069 g/L of sand, except for Playa Grande, which showed an average content of 99 g/m² or 2.0 g/L of sand. Tar pollution (around 18%) was also found in Playa Grande. The major polymers found were polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene, accounting for 69%, 18% and 4%, respectively.

Spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments and surface waters of the southern North Sea

Microplastic pollution within the marine environment is of pressing concern globally. Accordingly, spatial monitoring of microplastic concentrations, composition and size distribution may help to identify sources and entry pathways, and hence allow initiating focused mitigation. Spatial distribution patterns of microplastics were investigated in two compartments of the southern North Sea by collecting sublittoral sediment and surface water samples from 24 stations. Large microplastics (500-5000 μm) were detected visually and identified using attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The remaining sample was digested enzymatically, concentrated onto filters and analyzed for small microplastics (11-500 μm) using Focal Plane Array (FPA) FTIR imaging. Microplastics were detected in all samples with concentrations ranging between 2.8 and 1188.8 particles kg^-1 for sediments and 0.1-245.4 particles m^-3 for surface waters. On average 98% of microplastics were <100 μm in sediments and 86% in surface waters. The most prevalent polymer types in both compartments were polypropylene, acrylates/polyurethane/varnish, and polyamide. However, polymer composition differed significantly between sediment and surface water samples as well as between the Frisian Islands and the English Channel sites. These results show that microplastics are not evenly distributed, in neither location nor size, which is illuminating regarding the development of monitoring protocols.

Microplastic pollution on the Persian Gulf shoreline: A case study of Bandar Abbas city, Hormozgan Province, Iran

Microplastic particles (<5 mm), which are an emerging threat, are commonly found in marine ecosystems worldwide. This study investigated the effect of different types of coastal land use on microplastic frequency and distribution on the coastline of Bandar Abbas city; this study used a large sample compared to that used in other studies conducted in this region. The average number of microplastics was determined as 3252 ± 2766 microplastics/m² (±SD). ATR FT-IR spectroscopy showed that the dominant microplastic particles are expanded polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in microplastic contamination levels between the urban and nonuse beaches. This shows that heavily urbanized areas and human activities have significant effects on the dispersion and frequency of microplastics in the coastal areas of Bandar Abbas. Periodical coast-based cleanup and studies on microplastic pollution and their fluxes by comprehensive sampling are mostly recommended for the Persian Gulf coastline.

Distribution, sedimentary record, and persistence of microplastics in the Pearl River catchment, China

Microplastics (MPs) in the environment have become an issue worldwide. However, data about MPs in freshwater systems are still limited so far. This study investigated sources, fate, and seasonal and spatial distribution of MPs in the main stream Pearl River and its tributaries, as well as in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), China. MPs were widely detected in the river water, river bed sediment, and estuarine sediment, with abundances of 0.57 ± 0.71 items L^-1, 685 ± 342 items kg^-1 dry weight (dw), and 258 ± 133 items kg^-1 dw, respectively. Sheet, fragmental, and fibrous polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylene-propylene copolymers were predominant, suggesting that MPs in the Pearl River catchment be mainly derived from fragmentation of discarded plastic wastes. In addition, municipal wastewater was also an important MPs source, especially for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers. Polymers of higher density, such as PET and polyvinyl alcohol were relatively more abundant in the sediment than in the river water, especially in the estuarine sediment. Upward increase of the MP abundance was observed in the sedimentary core, probably indicating increasing release of plastic wastes due to growing production and uses of plastic products. On the other hand, percentage of finer MPs increased with increasing depth. The results revealed persistence and potential downward dispersion of the fine MPs. The MPs abundance was positively related with population density and gross domestic product, demonstrating impacts of human activities and economic development on the MPs contamination. Higher MPs abundance was detected in dry season than in wet season in the river water, suggesting dilution effect of precipitation. It's estimated that 15963 tons of MPs could be released annually into the PRE from the main stream Pearl River and its tributaries.

Seasonal variation in the abundance of marine plastic debris in Banderas Bay, Mexico

A floating plastic monitoring program was conducted for two years on a weekly basis in Banderas Bay, Mexico. A total of 94 samples were collected from May 2016 to April 2018 in the southern part of the bay. Half (57%) of them contained plastic debris; 79% of it being <5 mm in length. Polypropylene and Polyethylene were the most abundant polymers, accounting for 45% and 43% of the plastic pieces (pp), respectively. The highest abundance of plastic pieces was found in July 2016, with a maximum of 0.3 pp/m³ found in one sample. The amount of floating plastics was significantly higher in the hurricane season compared to the dry season (p < 0.001). This suggests that rainfall may play a significant role in the offload of plastics from land-based sources into the bay.

Microplastic pollution in the rivers of the Tibet Plateau

The Tibet Plateau, the so-called Third Pole of the world, is home to the headstreams of many great rivers. The levels of microplastic pollution in those rivers, however, are unknown. In this study, surface water and sediment samples were collected from six sampling sites along five different rivers. The surface water and sediment samples were collected with a large flow sampler and a stainless steel shovel, respectively. The abundance of microplastics ranged from 483 to 967 items/m³ in the surface water and from 50 to 195 items/kg in the sediment. A large amount of small, fibrous, transparent microplastics were found in this study. Five types of microplastics with different chemical compositions were identified using micro-Raman spectroscopy: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyamide (PA). These results demonstrate that rivers in the Tibet Plateau have been contaminated by microplastics, not only in developed areas with intense human activity but also in remote areas, where microplastic pollution requires further attention.

Sources, transport, and accumulation of different types of plastic litter in aquatic environments: A review study

Types of plastic waste in different aquatic environments were assessed to obtain a global framework of plastic waste transport and accumulation, relevant for plastic pollution mitigation strategies in aquatic environments. Packaging and consumer products were the most encountered product categories in rivers, while fishery items dominated in the oceanic environment. Plastics from electronics, building and construction, and transport were barely observed. For polymers, polyethylene and polypropylene contributed most to pollution in all environments. The highest diversity in polymer composition was found in oceanic and freshwater sediments. It is therefore argued that a large fraction of plastic waste accumulates here. This confirms that plastic waste transport and accumulation patterns were most affected by the density, surface area, and size of plastics. Only thick-walled, larger plastic debris from low-density polymers are transported through currents from rivers to ocean, while the larger fraction of plastic litter is likely retained in sediments or beaches.

Microplastics in the surface seawaters of Chabahar Bay, Gulf of Oman (Makran Coasts)

Current study aimed to evaluate the microplastics abundance in the surface waters of Chabahar Bay for the first time. 21 neuston net water samples were collected from 7 stations. Microplastics were visually counted by stereomicroscope, sorted into 4 size categories, 4 shape categories, and identified by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Density of microplastics varied from 0.07 ± 0.03 to 1.14 ± 0.27 with an average density of 0.49 ± 0.43 particle·m^-3. Microplastics were mostly found in the shape of fibers. 69% of analyzed particles were polyethylene and polypropylene. Main colors of the collected microplastics were white, blue and red. The results showed that the largest number of microplastics was found at station near populated area. Therefore, it can be concluded that, there is a pressing-need to investigate the distribution of microplastics in sediments and biota of this Bay as well as their effects on marine life and human health.

Microplastics undergo accelerated vertical migration in sand soil due to small size and wet-dry cycles

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging concern and potential risk to marine and terrestrial environments. Surface soils are reported to act as a sink. However, MP vertical mobility in the subsurface remains uncertain due to a lack of scientific data. This study focused on MP penetration in sand soil column experiments. Here we report the mobility of five different MPs, which consisted of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) particles of various sizes and densities. We observed that the smallest sized PE MPs (21 μm) had the greatest movement potential. Moreover, it was found that when these MPs were subjected to greater numbers of wet-dry cycles, the penetration depth significantly increased, with an apparent linear relationship between depth and wet-dry cycle number (r² = 0.817). In comparison, increasing the volume of infiltration liquid or the surface MP concentration had only negligible or weak effects on migration depth (r² = 0.169 and 0.312, respectively). Based on the observed wet-dry cycle trend, we forecast 100-year penetration depths using weather data for 347 cities across China. The average penetration depth was calculated as 5.24 m (95% CI = 2.78-7.70 m), with Beijing Municipality and Hebei, Henan and Hubei provinces being the most vulnerable to MP vertical dispersion. Our results suggest that soils may not only represent a sink for MPs, but also a feasible entryway to subsurface receptors, such as subterranean fauna or aquifers. Finally, research gaps are identified and suggested research directions are put forward to garner a better understanding MP vertical migration in soil.

Abundance, characteristics and surface degradation features of microplastics in beach sediments of five coastal areas in Tamil Nadu, India

This study undertook to investigate the occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in the high and low-tide sediments of five coastal areas in Tamil Nadu, India. The abundance of microplastics vary from 439 ± 172 to 119 ± 72 (HTL) and 179 ± 68 to 33 ± 30 (LTL) items kg^-1 of sediments. The MP polymers found in the study sites are Polyethylene (73.2%), polypropylene (13.8%), nylon (8.2%), polystyrene (2.8%) and polyester (2%). The weathered surfaces might act as high-capacity carriers and this was confirmed by SEM-EDAX. The results of an analysis of the textures of the sediments do not ascribe any influence on microplastic abundance. The recreation, religious and fishing activities are the major contributors to plastic pollution in these beaches, which is borne out by the high abundance of MPs in the study sites. A regular and permanent waste management system should be put in place for the protection of beaches.

Microplastic abundance, distribution and composition in water, sediments, and wild fish from Poyang Lake, China

Microplastic pollution in global aquatic environments has aroused increasing concern in recent years. In this study, the occurrence of microplastics in multiple environmental compartments was investigated in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake of China. The abundance of microplastics was respectively 5-34 items/L for surface waters, 54-506 items/kg for sediments, and 0-18 items per individual for wild crucians (Carassius auratus). The distribution of microplastics in Poyang Lake varied heterogeneously in space, with the highest abundance being observed in the middle region of the lake for surface waters and in the northern region for sediments. Anthropogenic and topographic factors were speculated to be the major factors affecting the abundance and distribution of microplastics. The majority of the detected microplastics were found with a size of < 0.5 mm, with fibrous and coloured being the predominant characteristics. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) were the major polymer types of the selected plastic particles, indicating that domestic sewage and fishing activities might be the main sources of microplastics in the lake. No significant correlation was observed between microplastic abundance in surface water and sediment samples. Our results demonstrated the wide occurrence of microplastics in water, sediment and biota of the Poyang Lake, which may assist in extending our knowledge regarding microplastics pollution in inland freshwater systems.

High-throughput NIR spectroscopic (NIRS) detection of microplastics in soil

The increasing pollution of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with plastic debris leads to the accumulation of microscopic plastic particles of still unknown amount. To monitor the degree of contamination, analytical methods are urgently needed, which help to quantify microplastics (MP). Currently, time-costly purified materials enriched on filters are investigated both by micro-infrared spectroscopy and/or micro-Raman. Although yielding precise results, these techniques are time consuming, and are restricted to the analysis of a small part of the sample in the order of few micrograms. To overcome these problems, we tested a macroscopic dimensioned near-infrared (NIR) process-spectroscopic method in combination with chemometrics. For calibration, artificial MP/ soil mixtures containing defined ratios of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polystyrene with diameters < 125 μm were prepared and measured by a process FT-NIR spectrometer equipped with a fiber-optic reflection probe. The resulting spectra were processed by chemometric models including support vector machine regression (SVR), and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Validation of models by MP mixtures, MP-free soils, and real-world samples, e.g., fermenter residue, suggests a reliable detection and a possible classification of MP at levels above 0.5 to 1.0 mass% depending on the polymer. The benefit of the combined NIRS chemometric approach lies in the rapid assessment whether soil contains MP, without any chemical pretreatment. The method can be used with larger sample volumes and even allows for an online prediction and thus meets the demand of a high-throughput method.

First account of plastic pollution impacting freshwater fishes in the Amazon: Ingestion of plastic debris by piranhas and other serrasalmids with diverse feeding habits

Reported here is the first evidence of plastic ingestion by freshwater fishes in the Amazon. Plastic bags, bottles, fishing gear, and other products are entering Amazonian water bodies and degrade into meso- and micro-plastic particles that may be ingested, either directly or indirectly via food chains, by fishes. Examination of stomach contents from 172 specimens of 16 serrasalmid species from lower Xingu River Basin revealed consumption of plastic particles by fishes in each of three trophic guilds (herbivores, omnivores, carnivores). Overall, about one quarter of specimens and 80% of species analyzed had ingested plastic particles ranging from 1 to 15 mm in length. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated 12 polymer types, including 27% identified as polyethylene, 13% polyvinyl chloride, 13% polyamide, 13% polypropylene, 7% poly(methyl methacrylate), 7% rayon, 7% polyethylene terephtalate, and 13% a blend of polyamide and polyethylene terephtalate. Dimensions of ingested plastic particles varied among trophic guilds, even though the frequency and mass of ingested particles were not significantly different among fishes with different feeding habits.

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in the mangrove sediment of the semi-enclosed Maowei Sea of the south China sea: New implications for location, rhizosphere, and sediment compositions

Microplastic pollution of intertidal mangrove ecosystems is receiving growing attention, and scientists suspect that the microplastic pollution of semi-enclosed seas is significantly different from that of other coastal types because of their unique geographical features. However, data on the distributions and characteristics of microplastics in the mangrove sediment of semi-enclosed seas are very limited. This study selected the Maowei Sea, a typical semi-enclosed sea, as its representative study site. The analysis revealed that the microplastic abundances in the river estuaries were much lower than those at the oceanic entrance zones, with values ranging from 520 ± 8 to 940 ± 17 items/kg. Polyethylene (PE)/polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS), white/transparent, and <1 mm were the dominant type, colour, and size of the microplastics, respectively, in the observed mangrove sediments. Moreover, some other factors, including the rhizosphere/non-rhizosphere and the proportion of organic matter, codetermined the distribution and characteristics of microplastics. Specifically: (1) the percentage of colorful microplastics were higher in the rhizosphere due to the microbial activities and (2) positive linear relationships were found between the pore volume (PV) values of the free particulate organic matter (FPOM), occluded particulate organic matter (OPOM) (1.6-2.0 g/cm³ and >2.0 g/cm³), and the abundance of very small microplastics (<1 mm).

Evidence of microplastics pollution in coastal beaches and waters in southern Sri Lanka

The abundance of microplastics (MPs) in surface water and beach sediment in Southern Sri Lanka covering a distance of 91 km of coastline is reported. MPs were classified according to polymer type, geometry and color of the sites tested 60% showed MP contamination in sand and 70% in surface waters off the coast. The size range of MPs from surface waters and beaches were to 1.5-2.5 mm and 3-4.5 mm, respectively. Majority of these were identified as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) with some polystyrene (PS) foam at a few sites. Fragments derived from larger debris appears to be the dominant type of MP at most sites and only 2 sites showed virgin pellets that accounted for 14% of the samples collected.

Microplastic abundance and characteristics in French Atlantic coastal sediments using a new extraction method

The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) has been demonstrated in all environmental compartments in the recent years. They are detected in air, freshwater, soil, organisms and particularly in marine ecosystems. Since sediments are known to be the major sink of many organic and inorganic pollutants, the aim of this study was to develop and validate a fast and cheap methodology to assess the MP contamination in intertidal sediments from the Gulf of Biscay (Pays de la Loire region, France). Sediments were sampled at three locations (Pays de la Loire region, France) and during two seasons: October 2015 and March 2016. The analytical protocol involved MP extraction from dried sediments using milliQ water and a centrifugation technique. After a filtration step of supernatants, MPs were detected and directly identified on the membrane filters using μFTIR spectroscopy in reflection mode. For the first time, the number of replicates allowing to obtain a satisfying representativeness of the whole sampled sediment was also evaluated at 10 replicates of 25 g each. The average number of MPs in sediments was 67 (±76) MPs/kg dw (N = 60) with no significant difference between sites and seasons. Ten different compositions of MPs were defined by μFT-IR with a high proportion of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), 38 and 24%, respectively. Among MPs, mainly fragments (84%) were observed with main size classes corresponding to [>100 μm] and [50-100 μm] but no particles > 1 mm could be found suggesting that mainly small microplastics (<1 mm) were subject to vertical transport.

Simultaneous grading of microplastic size sampling in the Small Islands of Bintan water, Indonesia

Despite Indonesia being considered as second highest source of marine plastic debris in the world, few studies have been conducted on plastic debris in Indonesia, particularly microplastics. By using a simple device to simultaneously grade floating microplastics, we investigated microplastic contamination in the ecosystem of small islands in Bintan Regency, Riau Island Province, Indonesia. The average number of floating microplastics from 11 beach stations around Bintan Island was 122.8 ± 67.8 pieces per station, which corresponds to 0.45 pieces per m³ and represents a low-medium microplastic pollution level compared to the levels of other marine environments worldwide. Polymer identification using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) Spectroscopy successfully identified Polyethylene (PE) (17.3 ± 8.3%), Low Density PE (17.6 ± 5.5%), Oxidized LDPE (<0.1%), Polypropylene (PP) (54 ± 13%), PP Atactic (<0.4%), PP isotactic (<0.2%) and Polystyrene (PS) (10.4 ± 9.1%) from different forms and shapes of microplastics i.e., fragments (50.9 ± 4.9%), fibers (26.2 ± 3%), granule (13.1 ± 3.8%) and films (9.8 ± 5.1%). We suggest that the generation of these microplastics was likely due to physicochemical processes, including biological degradation in this tropical ecosystem. Environmental implication of microplastics in this area increases the problems associated with ingestion, bioaccumulation and biomagnification across trophic levels and co-pollutants absorbed onto microplastics.

Marine debris in Trindade Island, a remote island of the South Atlantic

Marine debris is widespread in oceans worldwide, including the most remote locations. Here, for the first time, we report macro-debris accumulation on beaches of Trindade Island, a remote island 1160 km from mainland Brazil. High debris density was recorded on windward, east-coast beaches, which are exposed to wind-driven currents. Small-sized plastic fragments were the most abundant debris. Polyethylene (67%), polypropylene (30%) and polyamide (3%) were the most prevalent polymeric materials identified by ATR-FTIR. Identified debris show that interaction with Trindade fauna, mainly with seabirds and endangered terrestrial crabs, exists and already has some impact. This study provides baseline information on Trindade macro-debris demonstrating that the island, located on the edge of the South Atlantic Gyre, acts as a sink for gyre debris, exposing the island fauna to the threats related to plastic contamination.