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Irene R, Ana J A, Oihane C B, Anna R. Modelling the distribution of fishing-related floating marine litter within the Bay of Biscay and its marine protected areas. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 292:118216. [PMID: 34626916 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sea-based sources account for 32-50 % of total marine litter found at the European basins with the fisheries sector comprising almost 65 % of litter releases. In the south-east coastal waters of the Bay of Biscay this figure approaches the contribution of just the floating marine litter fraction. This study seeks to enhance knowledge on the distribution patterns of floating marine litter generated by the fisheries sector within the Bay of Biscay and in particular on target priority Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to reinforce marine litter prevention and mitigation policies. This objective is reached by combining the data on geographical distribution and intensity of fishing activity, long-term historical met-ocean databases, Monte Carlo simulations and Lagrangian modelling with floating marine litter source and abundance estimates for the Bay of Biscay. Results represent trajectories for two groups of fishing-related items considering their exposure to wind; they also provide their concentration within 34 MPAs. Zero windage coefficient is applied for low buoyant items not subjected to wind effect. Highly buoyant items, strongly driven by winds, are forced by currents and winds, using a windage coefficient of 4 %. Results show a high temporal variability on the distribution for both groups consistent with the met-ocean conditions in the area. Fishing-related items driven by a high windage coefficient rapidly beach, mainly in summer, and are almost non-existent on the sea surface after 90 days from releasing. This underlines the importance of windage effect on the coastal accumulation for the Bay of Biscay. Only around 20 % of particles escaped through the boundaries for both groups which gives added strength to the notion that the Bay of Biscay acts as accumulation region for marine litter. MPAs located over the French continental shelf experienced the highest concentrations (>75 particles/km2) suggesting their vulnerability and need for additional protection measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiz Irene
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Herrera Kaia, Portualdea z/g, 20110, Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain.
| | - Abascal Ana J
- IHCantabria - Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Basurko Oihane C
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Herrera Kaia, Portualdea z/g, 20110, Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Rubio Anna
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Herrera Kaia, Portualdea z/g, 20110, Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
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52
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Simon-Sánchez L, Grelaud M, Franci M, Ziveri P. Are research methods shaping our understanding of microplastic pollution? A literature review on the seawater and sediment bodies of the Mediterranean Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 292:118275. [PMID: 34626717 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The lack of standardization on the definition and methods in microplastic (MP) research has limited the overall interpretation and intercomparison of published data. This has presented different solutions to assess the presence of these pollutants in the natural environment, bringing the science forward. Microplastics have been reported worldwide across different biological levels and environmental compartments. In the Mediterranean Sea, numerous research efforts have been dedicated to defining the MP pollution levels. The reported MP concentrations are comparable to those found in the convergence zone of ocean gyres, pointing to this basin as one of the world's greatest plastic accumulation areas. However, to what extent are the data produced limited by the methods? Here, we present the results of a systematic review of MP research methods and occurrence targeting the seawater and sediment bodies of the Mediterranean Sea. Based on this dataset, we 1) assess the discrepancies and similarities in the methods, 2) analyze how these differences affect the reported concentrations, and 3) identify the limitations of the data produced for the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, we reaffirm the pressing need of developing a common reporting terminology, and call for international collaboration between Mediterranean countries, especially with North African countries, to provide a complete picture of the MP pollution status in this basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Simon-Sánchez
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Michaël Grelaud
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Franci
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Patrizia Ziveri
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
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53
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González-Ortegón E, Sendra M, Sparaventi E, F Sánchez Leal R, de Los Ríos I, Baldó F, González-Fernández D, Yeste MP. Coastal gradients of small microplastics and associated pollutants influenced by estuarine sources. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 174:113292. [PMID: 35090277 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Small microplastics (SMPs) in the gulf of Cadiz was sampled at 5 m depth by pumping it through the ship's pipe system and filtered through a 45 μm mesh size net. Our study reveals that higher densities have been found (130 mg·m-3) compared to other regions worldwide and these densities decreased from the coastline to the outer stations, showing a general coastal gradient influenced by estuarine outflows. SMPs with a size range between 45 and 193 μm were predominant and most of them composed by polyethylene and polypropylene. The metals associated with the MPs were mainly Na (21.1%), K (11.3%), Fe (8.5%), Ca (2.1%), Cr (1.8%), Zr (13.3%) and Hf (0.7%). The high proportion of Zr compared to Fe, which is different from what can be found in the environment, suggests that this metal is intrinsic to the materials used in catalytic processes during plastic production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Sendra
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (CSIC), Vigo, Spain; CBET Research Group, Dept. Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology and Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology, PiE, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Basque Country, Spain
| | | | - Ricardo F Sánchez Leal
- Centro Oceanográfico de Cádiz, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Isaac de Los Ríos
- Dpto. de Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica, University of Cádiz, E-11510 Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain
| | - Francisco Baldó
- Centro Oceanográfico de Cádiz, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Daniel González-Fernández
- Departamento de Biología, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina, University of Cádiz and European University of the Seas, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - María Pilar Yeste
- Dpto. de Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica, University of Cádiz, E-11510 Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain
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54
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Peixoto D, Torreblanca A, Pereira S, Vieira MN, Varó I. Effect of short-term exposure to fluorescent red polymer microspheres on Artemia franciscana nauplii and juveniles. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:6080-6092. [PMID: 34435289 PMCID: PMC8761148 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15992-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitously present in the world's seas with unknown potential toxic effects on aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to evaluate biochemical responses caused by 1-5 μm diameter plastic fluorescent red polymer microspheres (FRM), under short-term exposure of nauplii and juveniles of Artemia franciscana, using a set of biomarkers involved in important physiological processes such as biotransformation, neuronal transmission and oxidative stress. Two FRM concentrations (0.4 and 1.6 mg mL-1) present in the water at ecologically relevant concentrations were used to study their toxicity. No significant differences were found in growth, survival and feeding behaviour of nauplii, after 2 days of exposure to both FRM concentrations. However, in juveniles, survival decreased after 5 days of exposure to FRM1.6; but no significant differences were found in either growth or feeding behaviour. It was observed that nauplii and juveniles, under short-term exposure, had the ability to ingest and egest FRM particles, although their accumulation was higher in nauplii than in juveniles, maybe related with the capacity of the latter to empty their gut content faster, in the presence of food. Regarding biomarkers responses in nauplii, all enzymatic activities increased significantly, after short-term exposure to the higher FRM concentration tested (FRM1.6), which could be related with detoxifying MPs-triggered oxidative stress. In juveniles, the inhibition of ChE and the decrease in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, after 5 days of exposure to FRM1.6, might indicate a neurotoxic effect and oxidative damage induced by FRM. This study provides further evidences that accumulation of MPs in the gut by nauplii and juveniles of A. franciscana can induce negative effects on important physiological processes with influence on their health, highlighting the general concern about the negative effects of MPs pollution on aquatic species, as well as the need to understand the mechanism of MPs toxicity and its possible impacts on environmental safety. Graphical abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo Peixoto
- CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Amparo Torreblanca
- Departament de Biología Funcional i Antropología Física, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Susana Pereira
- ICBAS-Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Natividade Vieira
- CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, Edifício FC4 2.47, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Inmaculada Varó
- Instituto de Acuicultura Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes, 12595 Castellón, Spain
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55
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Oo PZ, Boontanon SK, Boontanon N, Tanaka S, Fujii S. Horizontal variation of microplastics with tidal fluctuation in the Chao Phraya River Estuary, Thailand. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:112933. [PMID: 34534937 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution in estuarine environments is poorly characterized globally, although they are extensive buffer regions between terrestrial, freshwater and seawater environments. This research aims to investigate MP pollution levels and variations of MPs abundance with tidal fluctuation. Fourteen samples were collected from the surface water of the Chao Phraya River Estuary, Thailand using the Manta net at flood and ebb tides. The average abundance of microplastics at flood tide was 5.16 × 105 particles/km2 and at ebb tide was 3.11 × 105 particles/km2. The abundance of microplastics in the estuary was directly related to the tidal fluctuation, creating an accumulation of microplastics in the study area. Polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene were the most common polymers. The findings provide important information on the pollution status of microplastics in the Chao Phraya River Estuary and the variation of suspended microplastics with tidal fluctuation should be considered in future estuarine microplastic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phyo Zaw Oo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, 25/25 Phutthamonthon 4 Rd. Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Suwanna Kitpati Boontanon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, 25/25 Phutthamonthon 4 Rd. Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand; Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
| | - Narin Boontanon
- Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, 999 Phutthamonthon 4 Rd. Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Shuhei Tanaka
- Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shigeo Fujii
- Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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56
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Liu M, Ding Y, Huang P, Zheng H, Wang W, Ke H, Chen F, Liu L, Cai M. Microplastics in the western Pacific and South China Sea: Spatial variations reveal the impact of Kuroshio intrusion. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 288:117745. [PMID: 34243083 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Surface currents play an essential role in the worldwide distribution of microplastics in the coastal seas and open oceans. As a branch of the western boundary currents (WBCs), Kuroshio changes seawater properties and pollutant levels of the South China Sea (SCS) during its intrusion process. To study the impact of Kuroshio intrusion on microplastics, we conducted field observations on surface water from the western Pacific (WP) and SCS. Microplastic abundances in the surface water of WP (0.02-0.10 particles m-3) were generally lower than those in the SCS (0.05-0.26 particles m-3). Fragments and granules dominated their apparent characteristics, and showed spatial classifications in different areas. The abundance of fragment, granule and foam showed a similar unimodal trend, as they peaked when the Kuroshio fraction was 0.1, implying the effect of Kuroshio intrusion was a combination of the dilution and biogeochemical influence. The polymer types of microplastics, dominated by polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyester (PES), polymethacrylate (PMA) and phenoxy resin (PR), showed complicated compositions in the northern SCS, and Kuroshio intrusion was not the dominant influencing factor. Further study is needed to discover the comprehensive effect of Kuroshio intrusion on the fate of microplastics and is expected for the whole WBC system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China; College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Yongcheng Ding
- Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Peng Huang
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China; College of Ocean and Meteorology, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Haowen Zheng
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Weimin Wang
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Hongwei Ke
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Fajin Chen
- College of Ocean and Meteorology, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Lihua Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Minggang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China; College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China; Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China.
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57
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Shiu RF, Gong GC, Fang MD, Chow CH, Chin WC. Marine microplastics in the surface waters of "pristine" Kuroshio. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 172:112808. [PMID: 34388451 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in oceans. Their transboundary transport and fate have aroused global attention. Taiwan is located close to the western boundary current-Kuroshio, is an excellent location to study of MP mobility in the global current and Pacific Garbage Patch. This study is the first investigation to understand the microplastic contamination from Taiwan to the Kuroshio. MP concentrations in the area varied from N.D. to 0.15 items m-3, with an average concentration of 0.05 ± 0.03 items m-3. The majority of MPs were polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene and terephthalate. We found two MP hotspots near the coastal zone. One additional hotspot was also identified in the "pristine" Kuroshio suggesting rivers and local currents may play critical roles in transporting or injecting MPs from Taiwan into the North Pacific Gyre. These findings suggest that marine environments are altered by anthropogenic disposal and provide needed data for modelling and prediction of MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruei-Feng Shiu
- Institute of Marine Environment and Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
| | - Gwo-Ching Gong
- Institute of Marine Environment and Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.
| | - Meng-Der Fang
- Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 30011, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hoe Chow
- Department of Marine Environmental Information, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chun Chin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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58
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Khatmullina L, Chubarenko I. Thin synthetic fibers sinking in still and convectively mixing water: laboratory experiments and projection to oceanic environment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 288:117714. [PMID: 34265557 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic fibers with diameters of several tens of micrometers are the most abundant type of microplastics in the marine environment, yet the most unknown regarding dynamics in the water column. Experiments proposed here are a proof-of-concept of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of fibers' motion in still water and in the presence of thermal convection. For 12 sets of fine fibers (nylon (1.12 g/cm3) and polyester (1.35 g/cm3), 1.9-14.8 mm long, diameters 13 and 20 μm), 84 measurements of sinking velocity in still water were acquired. In still conditions, fibers settled smoothly and slowly, preserving their initial (accidental) orientation. Sinking rates of fibers with lengths <5 mm varied between 0.5 and 3.7 mm/s (the bulk mean of 1.6 mm/s). Fibers with similar properties showed 4-fold different sinking velocity, which is supposed to be the effect of their different orientation while settling: vertically oriented fibers (19% in the experiments) settled faster than those with inclined orientation (48%), and horizontally oriented fibers (33%) settled with the smallest velocities. Convective mixing of water, heated from below, principally changed the manner of sinking of fibers: their motions became unsteady and 3-dimensional. In 78 measurements for 4-mm long nylon fibers (using the "light knife" technique), only about 56% of fibers showed downward velocity component (mean 1.33 ± 0.78 mm/s), which was twice as small as in still water, however the ratio of max/min values increased up to 14. Fibers could move in different directions and follow circular motions of a convective cell. Our findings suggest two possible mechanisms retaining fibers in the water column: entrainment of some particles in horizontal and vertical motions and slowed sinking due to unsteady flow around the fiber. The retention of fibers leads to decrease in integral downward particle flux (up to 4 times in our experiments).
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliya Khatmullina
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nahimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
| | - Irina Chubarenko
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nahimovskiy Prospect, Moscow, 117997, Russia
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Xiong X, Liu Q, Chen X, Wang R, Duan M, Wu C. Occurrence of microplastic in the water of different types of aquaculture ponds in an important lakeside freshwater aquaculture area of China. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 282:131126. [PMID: 34118620 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Aquaculture ponds are exposed to numerous potential microplastic sources, but studies on their microplastic pollution are still limited. Various culture species may influence the occurrence of microplastic in ponds. In the present study, the occurrence of microplastics was studied in aquaculture ponds for fish, crayfish, and crab, as well as in the natural lake near the aquaculture area around the Honghu Lake, which is the principal freshwater aquaculture area of China. The microplastic abundances ranged from 87 items/m3 to 750 items/m3 in the aquaculture ponds, and 117 items/m3 to 533 items/m3 in the lake. The crab ponds contained higher abundances of microplastics than fish ponds and the nearby natural lakes. Microplastics that were between 100 and 500 μm and larger than 1000 μm in size were predominant in the ponds and nearby lakes, whereas the proportion of microplastics that were smaller than 100 μm was higher in crab ponds than those in other ponds. Fragments and fibers were the predominant shapes of microplastics in the ponds. The proportion of smaller microplastics in the ponds had a positive correlation with the proportion of fragment microplastics. The results of this study implied that differences in the use of plastics in various types of aquaculture ponds might affect their microplastic pollution characteristics. Microplastics discharged from ponds to nearby lakes through drainage processes require attention in further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Qian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Xianchuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; Zhejiang Zhonglan Environment Technology Co., LTD, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Renyong Wang
- School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Ming Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
| | - Chenxi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
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60
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Effect of Physical Characteristics and Hydrodynamic Conditions on Transport and Deposition of Microplastics in Riverine Ecosystem. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13192710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic disposal into riverine ecosystems is an emergent ecological hazard that mainly originated from land-based sources. This paper presents a comprehensive review on physical processes involved in microplastics transport in riverine ecosystems. Microplastic transport is governed by physical characteristics (e.g., plastic particle density, shape, and size) and hydrodynamics (e.g., laminar and turbulent flow conditions). High-density microplastics are likely to prevail near riverbeds, whereas low-density particles float over river surfaces. Microplastic transport occurs either due to gravity-driven (vertical transport) or settling (horizontal transport) in river ecosystems. Microplastics are subjected to various natural phenomena such as suspension, deposition, detachment, resuspension, and translocation during transport processes. Limited information is available on settling and rising velocities for various polymeric plastic particles. Therefore, this paper highlights how appropriately empirical transport models explain vertical and horizontal distribution of microplastic in riverine ecosystems. Microplastics interact, and thus feedback loops within the environment govern their fate, particularly as these ecosystems are under increasing biodiversity loss and climate change threat. This review provides outlines for fate and transport of microplastics in riverine ecosystems, which will help scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in better monitoring and mitigating microplastics pollution.
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61
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Vega-Moreno D, Abaroa-Pérez B, Rein-Loring PD, Presas-Navarro C, Fraile-Nuez E, Machín F. Distribution and transport of microplastics in the upper 1150 m of the water column at the Eastern North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, Canary Islands, Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 788:147802. [PMID: 34034192 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays it is widely known that pollution by microplastics (MP) at the open ocean covers immense areas. Buoyant plastics tend to accumulate in areas of convergence at the sea surface such as subtropical gyres, while non-buoyant plastics accumulate at the seafloor. However, previous studies have revealed that the total amount of plastic in the different oceans is not well correlated with the concentrations measured at the sea surface and the sea floor, evidencing a significant amount of missing plastic in the oceans. This deviation could be related to an underestimation of the role played by small fragments of plastic and fibers in the oceans. Furthermore, microplastic fragments with a density lower than the density of seawater have been gathered hundreds of meters below the sea surface in the Pacific Ocean due to their size and shape. The main objective of this study is to carry out, for the first time, an equivalent analysis along the water column for the Atlantic Ocean. In that sense, a total number of 51 samples were collected during four different oceanographic cruises between February and December 2019, from the sea surface down to 1150 m depth at the open ocean waters of the Canary Islands region (Spain). For each sample, 72 l of seawater were filtered on board with a mesh size of 100 μm, where the presence of microplastics has been clearly observed. Our results reveal the presence of microplastics at least up to 1150 m depth, at the Northeastern Atlantic Subtropical Gyre with noticeable seasonal differences. The spatial distribution of these small fragments and fibers at the water column is mainly related to the oceanic dynamics and mesoscale convective flows, overcoming the MP motion induced by their own buoyancy. Moreover, these microplastics have being transported by the ocean dynamics as passive drifters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daura Vega-Moreno
- Departamento de Química, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain.
| | - Bárbara Abaroa-Pérez
- Departamento de Química, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
| | | | - Carmen Presas-Navarro
- Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Spain
| | - Eugenio Fraile-Nuez
- Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Spain.
| | - Francisco Machín
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
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Kim SK, Lee HJ, Kim JS, Kang SH, Yang EJ, Cho KH, Tian Z, Andrady A. Importance of seasonal sea ice in the western Arctic ocean to the Arctic and global microplastic budgets. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 418:125971. [PMID: 34329003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Arctic sea ice entraps microplastics (MP) from seawater and atmosphere and is recognized as sink and transport vector of MPs. However, ice-trapped fraction in the global MP budget, contribution of atmospheric input, and linkage among Arctic basins remain unclear. To assess them, we investigated the number- and mass-based data separated by size and shape geometry for MPs in sea ice, snow, and melt pond water from the western Arctic Ocean (WAO). A significant dependency of MP data on measured cutoff size and geometry was found. For the same size range and geometry, sea ice MPs in WAO ((11.4 ± 9.12) × 103 N m-3 for ≥ 100 µm) were within comparable levels with those in other Arctic basins, but showed closer similarity in polymer and shape compositions between WAO and Arctic Central Basin, indicating the strong linkage of the two basins by the Transpolar Drift. Our budgeting shows that a significant amount of plastic particles ((3.4 ± 2.6) × 1016 N; 280 ± 701 kilotons), which are missed from the global inventory, is trapped in WAO seasonal sea ice, with < 1% snowfall contribution. Our findings highlight that WAO ice zone may play a role as a sink of global MPs as well as a source of Arctic MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Kyu Kim
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hee-Jee Lee
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Su Kim
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Ho Kang
- Division of Ocean Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Jin Yang
- Division of Ocean Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Ho Cho
- Division of Ocean Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Zhexi Tian
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Anthony Andrady
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Miyazono K, Yamashita R, Miyamoto H, Ishak NHA, Tadokoro K, Shimizu Y, Takahashi K. Large-scale distribution and composition of floating plastic debris in the transition region of the North Pacific. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 170:112631. [PMID: 34175698 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Floating plastic debris was investigated in the transition region in the North Pacific between 141°E and 165°W to understand its transportation process from Asian coast to central subtropical Pacific. Distribution was influenced primarily by the current system and the generation process of the high concentration area differed between the western and eastern areas. West of 180°, debris largely accumulated around nearshore convergent area and was transported by eddies and quasi-stationary jet from south to the subarctic region. The average was 15% higher than that previously reported in 1989, suggesting an increase in plastic debris in 30 years. East of 180°, debris concentrated in the calm water downstream of the Kuroshio Extension Bifurcation with considerably high concentration (505,032 ± 991,989 pieces km-2), due to the accumulation of small transparent film caused by calm weather conditions, suggesting a further investigation on small plastic (<1 mm) in the subsurface depth in the subtropical North Pacific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Miyazono
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Rei Yamashita
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Hiroomi Miyamoto
- Hachinohe Field Station, Fisheries Resources Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 25-269 Shimomekurakubo, Same, Hachinohe, Aomori 031-0841, Japan
| | - Nurul Huda Ahmad Ishak
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Mengabang Telipot, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Kazuaki Tadokoro
- Shiogama Field Station, Fisheries Resources Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 3-27-5 Shinhama-cho, Shiogama, Miyagi 985-0001, Japan
| | - Yugo Shimizu
- Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 2-12-4, Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Takahashi
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
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64
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Liu Y, You J, Li Y, Zhang J, He Y, Breider F, Tao S, Liu W. Insights into the horizontal and vertical profiles of microplastics in a river emptying into the sea affected by intensive anthropogenic activities in Northern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 779:146589. [PMID: 34030263 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Studies focused only on surface water may underestimate microplastic abundance in aquatic environments. This was the first survey to investigate the vertical (surface, intermediate, and bottom waters) distribution and composition of microplastics (MPs) in the water columns and surface sediments collected from an urban seagoing river in northern China. Microplastic abundance in the water columns ranged from 5.6 to 31.4 items∙L-1 and from 2141 to 10,035 items∙kg-1 dry weight (dw) in the surface sediments. Polyethylene dominated throughout the water columns to the surface sediments, in which low- and high-density polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE) were dominant in the water columns and surface sediments, respectively. The dominant shape of MPs was fibers/lines in both the water column and the surface sediment samples. Different from the estimations, the average abundance of MPs in the surface and intermediate waters was significantly lower (p < 0.01) than that in the bottom water, which may be due to the resuspension of small-sized MPs in the bottom water. As the MPs size increased, their vertical distributions in the water columns were more affected by the water depth. The results showed that MPs were detained in the water columns of river system, and the high concentrations of MPs in the bottom water could not be neglected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface and Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Central Environmental Laboratory (GR-CEL), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - JinAo You
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface and Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - YuJun Li
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface and Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - JiaoDi Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface and Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yong He
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface and Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Florian Breider
- Central Environmental Laboratory (GR-CEL), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Shu Tao
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface and Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - WenXin Liu
- Key Laboratory for Earth Surface and Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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65
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Teichert S, Löder MGJ, Pyko I, Mordek M, Schulbert C, Wisshak M, Laforsch C. Microplastic contamination of the drilling bivalve Hiatella arctica in Arctic rhodolith beds. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14574. [PMID: 34272428 PMCID: PMC8285507 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93668-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing number of studies reporting microplastic (MP) contamination in the Arctic environment. We analysed MP abundance in samples from a marine Arctic ecosystem that has not been investigated in this context and that features a high biodiversity: hollow rhodoliths gouged by the bivalve Hiatella arctica. This bivalve is a filter feeder that potentially accumulates MPs and may therefore reflect MP contamination of the rhodolith ecosystem at northern Svalbard. Our analyses revealed that 100% of the examined specimens were contaminated with MP, ranging between one and 184 MP particles per bivalve in samples from two water depths. Polymer composition and abundance differed strongly between both water depths: samples from 40 m water depth showed a generally higher concentration of MPs and were clearly dominated by polystyrene, samples from 27 m water depth were more balanced in composition, mainly consisting of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene. Long-term consequences of MP contamination in the investigated bivalve species and for the rhodolith bed ecosystem are yet unclear. However, the uptake of MPs may potentially impact H. arctica and consequently its functioning as ecosystem engineers in Arctic rhodolith beds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Teichert
- GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Martin G J Löder
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Ines Pyko
- GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marlene Mordek
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christian Schulbert
- GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Max Wisshak
- Marine Research Department, Senckenberg am Meer, 26382, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Christian Laforsch
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
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Eo S, Hong SH, Song YK, Han GM, Seo S, Shim WJ. Prevalence of small high-density microplastics in the continental shelf and deep sea waters of East Asia. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 200:117238. [PMID: 34051457 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are widely distributed throughout aquatic environments. Information about the vertical distribution and fate of microplastics in seawater remains limited. To elucidate the vertical distribution of microplastics, three to six vertical water column layers were sampled based on the thermocline depth, from which the vertical distribution and characteristics of microplastics larger than 20 μm were investigated in continental shelf and deep-sea waters around South Korea. In addition, microplastics incorporated into marine aggregates (aggregated fraction) were investigated to determine the contribution of aggregates to vertical transport of microplastics. The abundance of microplastics was in the range of 15-9,400 particles/m3. No consistent trend was observed in the overall vertical profiles. The size, shape and polymer compositions of microplastics at each station were generally comparable throughout the water column. Unexpectedly, high-density (HD; > 1.02 g/cm3) polymers accounted for an average of 73% of total microplastics. As polymer density increased, the proportion of microplastics less than 100 μm in size increased. HD polymers also accounted for 68% of the aerosol samples collected together with water samples. Due to the relatively high proportion of HD polymers in far-offshore waters, high-density solution should be used to extract microplastics, even from surface seawaters. The aggregated fraction accounted for 0-28.6% (average, 3.4%) of total microplastics. Marine aggregates are considered an important mechanism of transport for microplastics less dense than seawater to the deep-water column, but they showed lower proportions than expected in continental shelf and deep-sea waters around South Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soeun Eo
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea; Department of Ocean Science, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hee Hong
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea; Department of Ocean Science, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Kyoung Song
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea
| | - Gi Myung Han
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongbong Seo
- Ocean Circulation and Climate Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan 49111, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Joon Shim
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea; Department of Ocean Science, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea.
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67
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Weiss L, Ludwig W, Heussner S, Canals M, Ghiglione JF, Estournel C, Constant M, Kerhervé P. The missing ocean plastic sink: Gone with the rivers. Science 2021; 373:107-111. [PMID: 34210886 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Plastic floating at the ocean surface, estimated at tens to hundreds of thousands of metric tons, represents only a small fraction of the estimated several million metric tons annually discharged by rivers. Such an imbalance promoted the search for a missing plastic sink that could explain the rapid removal of river-sourced plastics from the ocean surface. On the basis of an in-depth statistical reanalysis of updated data on microplastics-a size fraction for which both ocean and river sampling rely on equal techniques-we demonstrate that current river flux assessments are overestimated by two to three orders of magnitude. Accordingly, the average residence time of microplastics at the ocean surface rises from a few days to several years, strongly reducing the theoretical need for a missing sink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Weiss
- CEFREM, UMR 5110 University of Perpignan-CNRS, F-66860 Perpignan Cedex, France.
| | - Wolfgang Ludwig
- CEFREM, UMR 5110 University of Perpignan-CNRS, F-66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Serge Heussner
- CEFREM, UMR 5110 University of Perpignan-CNRS, F-66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Miquel Canals
- CRG Marine Geosciences, Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics, University of Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Claude Estournel
- LEGOS, UMR 5566 University Toulouse III-CNRS/CNES/IRD/UPS, F-31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Mel Constant
- CEFREM, UMR 5110 University of Perpignan-CNRS, F-66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Philippe Kerhervé
- CEFREM, UMR 5110 University of Perpignan-CNRS, F-66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
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68
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Sarkar DJ, Das Sarkar S, Das BK, Praharaj JK, Mahajan DK, Purokait B, Mohanty TR, Mohanty D, Gogoi P, Kumar V S, Behera BK, Manna RK, Samanta S. Microplastics removal efficiency of drinking water treatment plant with pulse clarifier. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 413:125347. [PMID: 33601144 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are recognized as ubiquitous pollutants in aquatic environments; however, very little study is done on their occurrence and fate at drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). Though, the toxic effect of microplastics on human health is not yet well established; there is global concern about their possible ill effect on the human. Hence, the present study evaluates the occurrence of microplastics at different treatment stages of a typical DWTP with pulse clarification and its removal efficiency. In the test DWTP, raw water, sourced from river Ganga, was found to contain microplastics 17.88 items/L. Cumulative microplastic removal at key treatment stages viz. pulse clarification and sand filtration was found to be 63% and 85%, respectively. The study also revealed higher microplastic abundance on the sand filter bed due to the screening effect. The most frequently occurring microplastics were fibers and films/fragments with polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene as a major chemical type. The t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding machine learning algorithm revealed a strong association between microplastic abundance with turbidity, phosphate and nitrate. The test DWTP with a pulse clarification system was having comparable microplastics removal efficiency with previously reported advanced DWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruba Jyoti Sarkar
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India.
| | - Soma Das Sarkar
- Fisheries Resource Assessment and Informatics Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India
| | - Basanta Kumar Das
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India.
| | | | | | - Bidesh Purokait
- Indira Gandhi Water Treatment Plant, Palta, Kolkata 700120, India
| | - Trupty Rani Mohanty
- Riverine and Estuarine Fisheries Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India
| | - Debasmita Mohanty
- Riverine and Estuarine Fisheries Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India
| | - Pranab Gogoi
- Riverine and Estuarine Fisheries Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India
| | - Santhana Kumar V
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India
| | - Bijay Kumar Behera
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India
| | - Ranjan Kumar Manna
- Riverine and Estuarine Fisheries Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India
| | - Srikanta Samanta
- Riverine and Estuarine Fisheries Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata 700120, India
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69
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The Dual Role of Microplastics in Marine Environment: Sink and Vectors of Pollutants. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse9060642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This review is a follow-up to a previous review published in Journal of Marine Science and Engineeringon the issues of accumulation, transport, and the effects of microplastics (MPs) in the oceans. The review brings together experimental laboratory, mathematical, and field data on the dual role of MPs as accumulators of hydrophobic persistent organic compounds (POPs), and their release-effect in the marine ecosystem. It also examines the carrier role, besides POPs, of new emerging categories of pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). This role becomes increasingly important and significant as polymers age and surfaces become hydrophilic, increasing toxicity and effects of the new polymer-pollutant associations on marine food webs. It was not the intention to provide too many detailed examples of carriers and co-contaminants, exposed marine species, and effects. Instead, the views of two different schools of thought are reported and summarized: one that emphasizes the risks of transport, exposure, and risk beyond critical thresholds, and another that downplays this view.
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70
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Xu L, Cao L, Huang W, Liu J, Dou S. Assessment of plastic pollution in the Bohai Sea: Abundance, distribution, morphological characteristics and chemical components. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 278:116874. [PMID: 33752136 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plastics are globally distributed in oceans and can pose a threat to the environment and organisms. In this study, plastic pollution in surface water and sediments of the Bohai Sea was assessed based on plastic abundance, distribution and characteristics (shape, polymer, size and color). Water and sediment samples were collected across the sea using a plankton net (330 μm) and a grab sampler, respectively. The following conclusions were reached. 1) In surface water, large plastics were less abundant (0.14 items/m3) and showed less diverse characteristics than microplastics (0.79 items/m3) but did not significantly differ in spatial distribution. 2) Microplastics in water were more abundant (1.95 items/m3) with more diverse characteristics in Liaodong Bay than in other regions of the sea (0.26-0.59 items/m3). Plastic waste from highly concentrated agricultural, industrial and fishery activities could make large contributions to microplastics in Liaodong Bay. Additionally, low hydrodynamics and long distance to Bohai Strait are unfavorable for diffusion of particles, facilitating the retention of microplastics and increasing the abundance in this bay. 3) Microplastics in sediments were smaller in terms of dominant sizes (<0.5 mm) with less diverse characteristics than particles in water (0.5-1.5 mm). Specifically, fragments, foams and lines dominated among the microplastics in water, whereas fibers and fragments were dominant particles in sediments; alkyd resin, polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene (PP) predominated among the particles in water, but rayon, cellulose and PP were dominant particles in sediments. 4) Neither abundance nor size of microplastics in the two media was proportionally correlated and showed low similarity indexes of polymer (0.16), shape (0.29) or color (0.38). This could be related to mismatch in spatiotemporal distributions and variations in the characteristics, fate and behavior of microplastics in the two media. The findings provide knowledge for tracing the sources of plastics in the Bohai Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Liang Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics and Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Jinhu Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Shuozeng Dou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China.
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71
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Wang T, Li B, Yu W, Zou X. Microplastic pollution and quantitative source apportionment in the Jiangsu coastal area, China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 166:112237. [PMID: 33711604 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the pollution characteristics, the spatial distributions of microplastics, and the source compositions in the Jiangsu Coastal Area, China. The average abundance of microplastics in the surface water and sediment were 0.0998 ± 0.0720 items/m3 (using a trawl with 333-μm mesh)and 0.1858 ± 0.0927items/g, respectively. The concentration of microplastics showed a distribution trend of high near shore and low far shore in the east-west direction, and were the highest in the southernmost part. According to microplastics found in the surface water, the results of a quantitative source apportionment indicate that the most common source in the northernmost and southernmost regions were clothing fibers, accounting for 38.40% and 40.44% of the total source, respectively. While the major source type in the middle region was the decomposition of hard, large plastic waste. Finally, we suggested some control measures for the main types of microplastics observed in the different regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Hazards Forecasting, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Baojie Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China.
| | - Wenwen Yu
- Marine Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nantong 226007, China
| | - Xinqing Zou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Coastal and Island Development, School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
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72
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Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment: Occurrence, Persistence, Analysis, and Human Exposure. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13070973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Microplastics (MP) have recently been considered as emerging contaminants in the water environment. In the last number of years, the number of studies on MP has grown quickly due to the increasing consciousness of the potential risks for human health related to MP exposure. The present review article discusses scientific literature regarding MP occurrence and accumulation on the aquatic compartment (river, lake, wastewater, seafood), the analytical methods used to assess their concentration, their fate and transport to humans, and delineates the urgent areas for future research. To better analogize literature data regarding MP occurrence in the aquatic compartment we subdivided papers based on sampling, analytical methods, and concentration units with the aim to help the reader identify the similarities and differences of the considered research papers, thus making the comparison of literature data easier and the individuation of the most relevant articles for the reader’s interests faster. Furthermore, we argued about several ways for MP transport to humans, highlighting some gaps in analytical methods based on the reviewed publications. We suggest improving studies on developing standardized protocols to collect, process, and analyze samples.
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73
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Haberstroh CJ, Arias ME, Yin Z, Wang MC. Effects of hydrodynamics on the cross-sectional distribution and transport of plastic in an urban coastal river. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2021; 93:186-200. [PMID: 32609913 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms of plastic transport in rivers remain an important knowledge gap in global plastic pollution research and management. We investigated how river flows and plastics' properties affect transport with a five-point cross-sectional field study in the Hillsborough River in Tampa (Florida, USA) using a 500-µm Neuston net and an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler. We conducted in-depth analysis of water velocity profiles as well as plastics' concentrations and properties, determining advective, vertical, and lateral transport fluxes. Under calm flow conditions, advective fluxes were two orders of magnitude higher than lateral and vertical fluxes. Under turbulent conditions, enhanced particle exchange in the cross-section resulted in a three to tenfold increase in lateral and vertical plastic fluxes. The impact of turbulence on plastic particles depended on properties such as size, shape, and composition. This study presents a unique assessment of flow conditions driving plastic pollution in an urban coastal river setting. PRACTITIONERS POINTS: Multipoint, cross-sectional sampling and onsite flow profile collection should be adopted as a common practice for plastic field data collection to reduce uncertainty. Varying flow conditions affect the drivers of plastic transport in rivers. Advective surface fluxes govern plastic transport under calm flow conditions, while turbulent flow conditions enhance cross-sectional mixing and particle exchange. Larger and more irregular-shaped plastics are more affected by turbulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte J Haberstroh
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Mauricio E Arias
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Zhewen Yin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Michael Cai Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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74
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Abel SM, Primpke S, Int-Veen I, Brandt A, Gerdts G. Systematic identification of microplastics in abyssal and hadal sediments of the Kuril Kamchatka trench. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 269:116095. [PMID: 33257152 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of microplastics throughout marine environments worldwide, from pelagic to benthic habitats, has become serious cause for concern. Hadal zones were recently described as the "trash bins of the oceans" and ultimate sink for marine plastic debris. The Kuril region covers a substantial area of the North Pacific Ocean and is characterised by high biological productivity, intense marine traffic through the Kuril straits, and anthropogenic activity. Moreover, strong tidal currents and eddy activity, as well as the influence of Pacific currents, have the potential for long distance transport and retention of microplastics in this area. To verify the hypothesis that the underlying Kuril Kamchatka Trench might accumulate microplastics from the surrounding environments and act as the final sink for high quantities of microplastics, we analysed eight sediment samples collected in the Kuril Kamchatka Trench at a depth range of 5143-8250 m during the Kuril Kamchatka Biodiversity Studies II (KuramBio II) expedition in summer 2016. Microplastics were characterised via Micro Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. All samples were analysed in their entirety to avoid inaccuracies due to extrapolations of microplastic concentrations and polymer diversities, which would otherwise be based on commonly applied representative aliquots. The number of microplastic particles detected ranged from 14 to 209 kg-1 sediment (dry weight) with a total of 15 different plastic polymers detected. Polypropylene accounted for the largest proportion (33.2%), followed by acrylates/polyurethane/varnish (19%) and oxidized polypropylene (17.4%). By comparing extrapolated sample aliquots with in toto results, it was shown that aliquot-based extrapolations lead to severe under- or overestimations of microplastic concentrations, and an underestimation of polymer diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena M Abel
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum; Department of Marine Zoology, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Microbial Ecology, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Kurpromenade 201, 27498, Helgoland, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Ecology, Diversity and Evolution, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Primpke
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Kurpromenade 201, 27498, Helgoland, Germany
| | - Ivo Int-Veen
- Thünen-Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Herwigstraße 31, 27572, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Angelika Brandt
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum; Department of Marine Zoology, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Ecology, Diversity and Evolution, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gunnar Gerdts
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Kurpromenade 201, 27498, Helgoland, Germany
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75
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Lenaker PL, Corsi SR, Mason SA. Spatial Distribution of Microplastics in Surficial Benthic Sediment of Lake Michigan and Lake Erie. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:373-384. [PMID: 33283500 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The spatial distribution, concentration, particle size, and polymer compositions of microplastics in Lake Michigan and Lake Erie sediment were investigated. Fibers/lines were the most abundant of the five particle types characterized. Microplastic particles were observed in all samples with mean concentrations for particles greater than 0.355 mm of 65.2 p kg-1 in Lake Michigan samples (n = 20) and 431 p kg-1 in Lake Erie samples (n = 12). Additional analysis of particles with size 0.1250-0.3549 mm in Lake Erie resulted in a mean concentration of 631 p kg-1. The majority of polymers in Lake Michigan samples were poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and semisynthetic cellulose (S.S. Cellulose), and in Lake Erie samples were S.S. Cellulose, polypropylene (PP), and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Polymer density estimates indicated that 85 and 74% of observed microplastic particles have a density greater than 1.1 g cm-3 for Lake Michigan and Lake Erie, respectively. The current study provided a multidimensional dataset on the spatial distribution of microplastics in benthic sediment from Lake Michigan and Lake Erie and valuable information for assessment of the fate of microplastics in the Great Lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter L Lenaker
- Upper Midwest Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, United States
| | - Steven R Corsi
- Upper Midwest Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, United States
| | - Sherri A Mason
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, State University of New York at Fredonia, 280 Central Avenue, Science Complex 340, Fredonia, New York 14063, United States
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76
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Everaert G, De Rijcke M, Lonneville B, Janssen CR, Backhaus T, Mees J, van Sebille E, Koelmans AA, Catarino AI, Vandegehuchte MB. Risks of floating microplastic in the global ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 267:115499. [PMID: 33254632 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Despite the ubiquitous and persistent presence of microplastic (MP) in marine ecosystems, knowledge of its potential harmful ecological effects is low. In this work, we assessed the risk of floating MP (1 μm-5 mm) to marine ecosystems by comparing ambient concentrations in the global ocean with available ecotoxicity data. The integration of twenty-three species-specific effect threshold concentration data in a species sensitivity distribution yielded a median unacceptable level of 1.21 ∗ 105 MP m-³ (95% CI: 7.99 ∗ 103-1.49 ∗ 106 MP m-³). We found that in 2010 for 0.17% of the surface layer (0-5 m) of the global ocean a threatening risk would occur. By 2050 and 2100, this fraction increases to 0.52% and 1.62%, respectively, according to the worst-case predicted future plastic discharge into the ocean. Our results reveal a spatial and multidecadal variability of MP-related risk at the global ocean surface. For example, we have identified the Mediterranean Sea and the Yellow Sea as hotspots of marine microplastic risks already now and even more pronounced in future decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Everaert
- Flanders Marine Institute, Ostend, Belgium.
| | | | | | - C R Janssen
- Ghent University, Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - T Backhaus
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - J Mees
- Flanders Marine Institute, Ostend, Belgium
| | - E van Sebille
- Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - A A Koelmans
- Wageningen University, Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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77
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Tamminga M, Fischer EK. Microplastics in a deep, dimictic lake of the North German Plain with special regard to vertical distribution patterns. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 267:115507. [PMID: 32896764 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The investigation of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater has received increased attention within the last decade. To date, sampling is mainly conducted at the surface of both rivers and lakes and only a few studies assessed the vertical distribution of MPs in the water column of freshwater bodies. To contribute to the understanding of MP pollution in the water column of freshwater lakes, this study evaluated the vertical profile of MPs in Lake Tollense considering particles between 63 and 5000 μm in size. Sampling was conducted on three occasions at three depths (surface, 7 m and 10 m) along a transect including eight sampling stations. The retrieved samples were digested with hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite and investigated via Nile Red staining and fluorescence microscopy. Subsequently, a sub-sample of stained particles was verified by μRaman-spectroscopy. The vertical distribution of MPs in Lake Tollense differed considerably between particle shapes (irregular particles (IPs) and fibers). Fibers did not show a noticeable pattern with depth and ranged between 22 fibers m-³ at 0 m to 19 fibers m-³ at 10 m. In contrast, IPs were distinctly less abundant in sub-surface samples with concentrations between 50 IPs m-³ at 0 m to 29 IPs m-³ at 10 m. Concerning IPs, buoyant polymers (mainly PE and PP) and concerning fibers PET and PP dominated the polymeric composition. Besides particle inherent properties, wind-induced mixing is likely affecting the intensity of vertical concentration gradients. This study highlights the need for depth-integrated sampling approaches in order to achieve representative data without over- or underestimating the overall abundances.
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78
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Hinata H, Ohno K, Sagawa N, Kataoka T, Takeoka H. Numerical modeling of the beach process of marine plastics: 2. A diagnostic approach with onshore-offshore advection-diffusion equations for buoyant plastics. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 160:111548. [PMID: 32805535 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A model is proposed for the beach process of buoyant marine plastics, specifically its beaching and backwashing, by introducing beaching and backwashing diffusion coefficients and the onshore-offshore advection-diffusion equations of plastics for the upper layers in the beach and adjacent coastal sea. The backwashing diffusion coefficient was estimated from the average residence time of the beached plastics and the beach width, and then the beaching diffusion coefficient was estimated from the flux-balance assumption between the beaching and backwashing fluxes. Finite difference calculations in the staggered-grid system demonstrated that the amount of beached plastics responds as predicted by the linear system analysis when the beach had an exponential decay type of unit impulse response regardless of the ratio between the residence time and the period of beaching flux fluctuation from the nearshore. The condition in which the flux balance assumption holds was also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Hinata
- Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Kazuki Ohno
- Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Noa Sagawa
- Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Tomoya Kataoka
- Tokyo University of Science, 2461 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan
| | - Hidetaka Takeoka
- Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
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79
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Piarulli S, Airoldi L. Mussels facilitate the sinking of microplastics to bottom sediments and their subsequent uptake by detritus-feeders. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 266:115151. [PMID: 32673992 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MP) are omnipresent contaminants in the oceans, however little is known about the MP transfer between marine compartments and species. Three connected laboratory experiments using the filter-feeding mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the omnivorous polichaete Hediste diversicolor were conducted to evaluate whether the filtering action by mussels affects the vertical transfer of MP of different sizes (MPSMALL = 41 μm; MPLARGE = 129 μm) and densities (polyamide = 1.15 g cm-3; polypropylene = 0.92 g cm-3) across compartments and species with different feeding modes. Mussels significantly removed MP from the water column by incorporating them into biodeposits. This effect was particularly evident for the MPSMALL, whose deposition from the water column to the bottom was enhanced (about 15%) by the action of mussels. The incorporation of MP into faecal pellets increased the particles' sinking velocity by about 3-4 orders of magnitude. Conversely, the MP presence significantly decreased the depositional velocities of faecal pellets, and the magnitude of this effect was greater with increasing MP size and decreasing density. The MP incorporation into mussels' biodeposits also more than doubled the amount of MP uptake by H. diversicolor. We conclude that detrital pathways could be a transfer route of MP across marine compartments and food webs, potentially affecting the distribution of MP in sediments and creating hot-spots of bioavailable MP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Piarulli
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences and Interdepartmental Research Centre for Environmental Sciences, UO CoNISMa, University of Bologna, Via S. Alberto 163, 48123, Ravenna, Italy.
| | - Laura Airoldi
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences and Interdepartmental Research Centre for Environmental Sciences, UO CoNISMa, University of Bologna, Via S. Alberto 163, 48123, Ravenna, Italy; Department of Biology, Chioggia Hydrobiological Station Umberto D'Ancona, University of Padova, 30015, Chioggia, Italy.
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80
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Abstract
Every year, about four percent of the plastic waste generated worldwide ends up in the ocean. What happens to the plastic there is poorly understood, though a growing body of evidence suggests it is rapidly spreading throughout the global ocean. The mechanisms of this spread are straightforward for buoyant larger plastics that can be accurately modelled using Lagrangian particle models. But the fate of the smallest size fractions (the microplastics) are less straightforward, in part because they can aggregate in sinking marine snow and faecal pellets. This biologically-mediated pathway is suspected to be a primary surface microplastic removal mechanism, but exactly how it might work in the real ocean is unknown. We search the parameter space of a new microplastic model embedded in an earth system model to show that biological uptake can significantly shape global microplastic inventory and distributions and even account for the budgetary “missing” fraction of surface microplastic, despite being an inefficient removal mechanism. While a lack of observational data hampers our ability to choose a set of “best” model parameters, our effort represents a first tool for quantitatively assessing hypotheses for microplastic interaction with ocean biology at the global scale.
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81
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Lindeque PK, Cole M, Coppock RL, Lewis CN, Miller RZ, Watts AJR, Wilson-McNeal A, Wright SL, Galloway TS. Are we underestimating microplastic abundance in the marine environment? A comparison of microplastic capture with nets of different mesh-size. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 265:114721. [PMID: 32806407 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic debris is ubiquitous and yet sampling, classifying and enumerating this prolific pollutant in marine waters has proven challenging. Typically, waterborne microplastic sampling is undertaken using nets with a 333 μm mesh, which cannot account for smaller debris. In this study, we provide an estimate of the extent to which microplastic concentrations are underestimated with traditional sampling. Our efforts focus on coastal waters, where microplastics are predicted to have the greatest influence on marine life, on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean. Microplastic debris was collected via surface trawls using 100, 333 and 500 μm nets. Our findings show that sampling using nets with a 100 μm mesh resulted in the collection of 2.5-fold and 10-fold greater microplastic concentrations compared with using 333 and 500 μm meshes respectively (P < 0.01). Based on the relationship between microplastic concentrations identified and extrapolation of our data using a power law, we estimate that microplastic concentrations could exceed 3700 microplastics m-3 if a net with a 1 μm mesh size is used. We further identified that use of finer nets resulted in the collection of significantly thinner and shorter microplastic fibres (P < 0.05). These results elucidate that estimates of marine microplastic concentrations could currently be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew Cole
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, UK
| | - Rachel L Coppock
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, UK
| | - Ceri N Lewis
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | | | - Andrew J R Watts
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Alice Wilson-McNeal
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, UK; College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Stephanie L Wright
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Tamara S Galloway
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
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82
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Abstract
Atmospheric plastic pollution is now a global problem. Microplastics (MP) have been detected in urban atmospheres as well as in remote and pristine environments, showing that suspension, deposition and aeolian transport of MP should be included and considered as a major transport pathway in the plastic life cycle. This work reports an up to date review of the experimental estimation of deposition rate of MP in rural and urban environment, also analyzing the correlation with meteorological factors. Due to the limitations in sampling and instrumental methodology, little is known about MP and nanoplastics (NP) with sizes lower than 50 µm. In this review, we describe how NP could be transported for longer distances than MP, making them globally present and potentially more concentrated than MP. We highlight that it is crucial to explore new methodologies to collect and analyze NP. Future research should focus on the development of new technologies, combining the existent knowledge on nanomaterial and atmospheric particle analysis.
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83
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A Practical Overview of Methodologies for Sampling and Analysis of Microplastics in Riverine Environments. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12176755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have recently been stated as being remarkable contaminants of all environmental matrices. The lack of consistent and standardised methods and protocols used to evaluate and quantify microplastics present in riverine systems made a comparison among different studies a critical issue. Based on literature research and the practical expertise of the authors, this work presents a complete collection and analysis of procedures concerning the monitoring of microplastics in riverine environments, focusing on their sampling and analytical protocols to identify, quantify, and characterise them. Further details regarding the advantages and disadvantages of each analytical technique described, such as general recommendations and suggestions, are provided to give practical support for analytical procedures. In particular, microplastics studies consist firstly of their sampling from the aquatic compartment (aqueous and solid phase). Based on the goal of the research, specific devices can be used to collect particles from different matrices. It follows their quantification after extraction from the environmental matrix, adopting different protocols to isolate microplastics from a large amount of organic matter present in a riverine system. In the end, additional qualitative analyses (e.g., RAMAN and FTIR spectroscopy, GC-MS) are required to identify the chemical composition of particles for a better image regarding the abundance of polymer types, their origin, or other information related to manufacturing processes.
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84
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High concentrations of plastic hidden beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4073. [PMID: 32811835 PMCID: PMC7434887 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17932-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Concern over plastic pollution of the marine environment is severe. The mass-imbalance between the plastic litter supplied to and observed in the ocean currently suggests a missing sink. However, here we show that the ocean interior conceals high loads of small-sized plastic debris which can balance and even exceed the estimated plastic inputs into the ocean since 1950. The combined mass of just the three most-littered plastics (polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene) of 32–651 µm size-class suspended in the top 200 m of the Atlantic Ocean is 11.6–21.1 Million Tonnes. Considering that plastics of other sizes and polymer types will be found in the deeper ocean and in the sediments, our results indicate that both inputs and stocks of ocean plastics are much higher than determined previously. It is thus critical to assess these terms across all size categories and polymer groups to determine the fate and danger of plastic contamination. The risks posed by plastic contamination of the ocean cannot be assessed as their amount and location remain largely unknown. Here the authors show that large quantities of microplastics exist below the ocean surface over the entire Atlantic in quantities greater than previously estimated.
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85
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Woods MN, Hong TJ, Baughman D, Andrews G, Fields DM, Matrai PA. Accumulation and effects of microplastic fibers in American lobster larvae (Homarus americanus). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 157:111280. [PMID: 32658664 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The effects of microplastic fibers (MPF) on the survival, molting and oxygen consumption rates of larval (I-III) and post-larval (IV) stages of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, were quantified as a function of MPF concentration and food availability. Only the highest MPF concentration decreased early larval survival. MPF did not affect the timing or rate of molting across MPF treatments. While all larval and post-larval stages accumulated MPF under the cephalothorax carapace, stage II larvae and stage IV post-larvae showed the highest and lowest accumulation, respectively. MPF ingestion increased with larval stage and with MPF concentration; under starvation conditions, stage I larvae only ingested them at low MPF concentrations. Oxygen consumption rates were lower only in later larval stages when exposed to high MPF concentrations. Combined, our results indicate that MPF interactions and effects on American lobster larvae are dependent on larval stage, MPF concentration, and presence of food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelyn N Woods
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Dr., East Boothbay, ME 04544, USA; University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5790, USA.
| | - Theresa J Hong
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Dr., East Boothbay, ME 04544, USA; Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus, 201 Old Main, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Donaven Baughman
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Dr., East Boothbay, ME 04544, USA; Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount St, Wichita, KS 67260, USA
| | - Grace Andrews
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Dr., East Boothbay, ME 04544, USA; Colby College, 4000 Mayflower Hill, Waterville, ME 04901, USA
| | - David M Fields
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Dr., East Boothbay, ME 04544, USA.
| | - Patricia A Matrai
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Dr., East Boothbay, ME 04544, USA.
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86
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von Friesen LW, Granberg ME, Pavlova O, Magnusson K, Hassellöv M, Gabrielsen GW. Summer sea ice melt and wastewater are important local sources of microlitter to Svalbard waters. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 139:105511. [PMID: 32278193 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Human activities leave traces of marine litter around the globe. The Arctic is, despite its remoteness, emerging as an area of no exception to this environmental issue. Arctic sea ice has previously been found to constitute a temporal sink of microplastics, but the potential release and subsequent fate of microplastics in the marine environment are yet unknown. Furthermore, the relative importance of local sources of microplastics in the Arctic marine environment is under discussion. In this study, the concentration and distribution of anthropogenic microparticles (AMPs, <5 mm, including microplastics) have been investigated in marine waters and sea ice of Svalbard. Seawater samples throughout the water column and floating sea ice samples were collected along a transect originating in Rijpfjorden, reaching northwards to the sea ice-edge. Seawater samples were also collected along a transect extending westwards from head to mouth of Kongsfjorden. Samples were collected throughout the water column with stations positioned to enable detection of potential AMP emissions from the wastewater outlet in Ny-Ålesund. Along both transects, environmental parameters were measured to explore potential correlations with AMP distribution. High concentrations of AMPs were detected in sea ice (158 ± 155 AMPs L-1). Based on both AMP concentrations and characteristics, AMPs identified in seawater of the marginal ice zone are to a large extent likely released during the melting of sea ice. The release of AMPs during summer melting of sea ice was concomitantly taking place with the ice-edge bloom, suggesting increased bioavailability to Arctic marine biota. Concentrations of AMPs were up to an order of magnitude higher in Kongsfjorden (up to 48.0 AMPs L-1) than in Rijpfjorden (up to 7.4 AMPs L-1). The distribution and composition of AMPs in Kongsfjorden suggest the wastewater outlet in Ny-Ålesund to be a likely source. Our results emphasize the importance of local point- and diffuse sources of AMPs in the Arctic and stress the urgency of considering their associated environmental impact. Implementation of regulatory policy is of importance, particularly since human activities and environmental pressures are increasing in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa W von Friesen
- IVL, Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Kristineberg 566, SE-45178 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden.
| | - Maria E Granberg
- IVL, Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Kristineberg 566, SE-45178 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden.
| | - Olga Pavlova
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, P.O. Box 6606 Langnes, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Kerstin Magnusson
- IVL, Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Kristineberg 566, SE-45178 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden.
| | - Martin Hassellöv
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Marine Sciences. Kristineberg 566, SE-45178 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden.
| | - Geir W Gabrielsen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, P.O. Box 6606 Langnes, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
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87
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A Deep Learning Model for Automatic Plastic Mapping Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Data. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12091515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Although plastic pollution is one of the most noteworthy environmental issues nowadays, there is still a knowledge gap in terms of monitoring the spatial distribution of plastics, which is needed to prevent its negative effects and to plan mitigation actions. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can provide suitable data for mapping floating plastic, but most of the methods require visual interpretation and manual labeling. The main goals of this paper are to determine the suitability of deep learning algorithms for automatic floating plastic extraction from UAV orthophotos, testing the possibility of differentiating plastic types, and exploring the relationship between spatial resolution and detectable plastic size, in order to define a methodology for UAV surveys to map floating plastic. Two study areas and three datasets were used to train and validate the models. An end-to-end semantic segmentation algorithm based on U-Net architecture using the ResUNet50 provided the highest accuracy to map different plastic materials (F1-score: Oriented Polystyrene (OPS): 0.86; Nylon: 0.88; Polyethylene terephthalate (PET): 0.92; plastic (in general): 0.78), showing its ability to identify plastic types. The classification accuracy decreased with the decrease in spatial resolution, performing best on 4 mm resolution images for all kinds of plastic. The model provided reliable estimates of the area and volume of the plastics, which is crucial information for a cleaning campaign.
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88
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Enfrin M, Lee J, Le-Clech P, Dumée LF. Kinetic and mechanistic aspects of ultrafiltration membrane fouling by nano- and microplastics. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.117890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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89
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Ryan PG, Suaria G, Perold V, Pierucci A, Bornman TG, Aliani S. Sampling microfibres at the sea surface: The effects of mesh size, sample volume and water depth. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 258:113413. [PMID: 31862120 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Microfibres are one of the most ubiquitous particulate pollutants, occurring in all environmental compartments. They are often assumed to be microplastics, but include natural as well as synthetic textile fibres and are perhaps best treated as a separate class of pollutants given the challenges they pose in terms of identification and contamination. Microfibres have been largely ignored by traditional methods used to sample floating microplastics at sea, which use 300-500 μm mesh nets that are too coarse to sample most textile fibres. There is thus a need for a consistent set of methods for sampling microfibres in seawater. We processed bulk water samples through 0.7-63 μm filters to collect microfibres in three ocean basins. Fibre density increased as mesh size decreased: 20 μm mesh sampled 41% more fibres than 63 μm, and 0.7 μm filters sampled 44% more fibres than 25 μm mesh, but mesh size (20-63 μm) had little effect on the size of fibres retained. Fibre density decreased with sample volume when processed through larger mesh filters, presumably because more fibres were flushed through the filters. Microfibres averaged 2.5 times more abundant at the sea surface than in water sampled 5 m sub-surface. However, the data were noisy; counts of replicate 10-L samples had low repeatability (0.15-0.36; CV = 56%), suggesting that single samples provide only a rough estimate of microfibre abundance. We propose that sampling for microfibres should use a combination of <1 μm and 20-25 μm filters and process multiple samples to offset high within-site variability in microfibre densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter G Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa.
| | - Giuseppe Suaria
- CNR-ISMAR, (Institute of Marine Sciences - Italian Research Council), Forte S. Teresa, 19032, La Spezia, Italy
| | - Vonica Perold
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Andrea Pierucci
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Cagliari, Via T. Fiorelli 1, 09126, Italy
| | - Thomas G Bornman
- SAEON (Elwandle Coastal Node) and Coastal and Marine Research Institute, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa
| | - Stefano Aliani
- CNR-ISMAR, (Institute of Marine Sciences - Italian Research Council), Forte S. Teresa, 19032, La Spezia, Italy
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90
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Huang Y, Xiao X, Xu C, Perianen YD, Hu J, Holmer M. Seagrass beds acting as a trap of microplastics - Emerging hotspot in the coastal region? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 257:113450. [PMID: 31679874 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics is an emerging environmental problem in the world. However, presence and fate of microplastics in seagrass meadows are barely known. In this study, the abundance and diversity of microplastic from Enhalus acodoides vegetated sites and bare sites were quantified and characterized in Xincun bay and Li'an bay, Hainan, China. Microplastics ranged from 80.0 to 884.5 particles per kg of dry sediment, and fibers were the dominant shape. The most frequent colors of microplastics were blue, transparent and black. The dominant size of microplastics was in the range of 125-250 μm. And the seagrass sediments were enriched in microplastics 2.1 and 2.9 times for Xincun bay and Li'an bay, respectively. The trap effect of seagrass was non-selective regarding the shape, color and size of microplastics. High anthropogenic pollution and poor beach management may contribute to higher concentrations of microplastics in Li'an bay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhou Huang
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, 1 Zheda Road, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, China
| | - Xi Xiao
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, 1 Zheda Road, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR, HangZhou, 310012, China; Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark.
| | - Caicai Xu
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, 1 Zheda Road, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, China
| | - Yuvna Devi Perianen
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, 1 Zheda Road, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, China
| | - Jing Hu
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, 1 Zheda Road, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, China
| | - Marianne Holmer
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, 1 Zheda Road, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316021, China; Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark
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91
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Thomas M, Jon B, Craig S, Edward R, Ruth H, John B, Dick VA, Heather LA, Matthew S. The world is your oyster: low-dose, long-term microplastic exposure of juvenile oysters. Heliyon 2020; 6:e03103. [PMID: 31909270 PMCID: PMC6938840 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bivalve filter feeders, such as oysters, filter large volumes of water and are particularly exposed to microplastics (MP). Consequently, these animals digest and assimilate high levels of MP in their bodies that may likely impact their physiology, and potentially affect shellfish stocks, benthic habitats and, indirectly, the health status of the marine ecosystem and human consumers. In this study we exposed juvenile oysters, Crassostrea gigas, to 3 different MP concentrations (104, 105 and 106 particles L-1), represented by 6μm Polystyrene (PS) microbeads, compared to a control treatment receiving no MP. The study ran for a period of 80 days to test for the impacts of MP on growth, Condition Index and Lysosomal Stability. From histological analysis, microbeads were detected in the intestines of exposed oysters and in the digestive tubules, but no cellular inflammatory features were observed over time. Weight and shell length remained comparable between the different treatments and control. We found that Condition Index in the highest concentration increased initially but significantly reduced over time. The oysters in the highest MP exposure also showed the lowest mean Lysosomal Stability score throughout the experiment. Lysosomes play a vital role in the cells defense mechanisms and breakdown of constituents, crucial for the oysters' wellbeing. Most importantly, we detected an increased mortality in those oysters who were chronically exposed to the highest loads of MP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maes Thomas
- Cefas, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Barry Jon
- Cefas, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Stenton Craig
- Cefas, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UK
- Edinburgh Napier University, School of Applied Science, Sighthill Campus, 9 Sighthill Court, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN, UK
- St Abbs Marine Station, The Harbour, St Abbs, Berwickshire, TD14 5PW, UK
| | - Roberts Edward
- Cefas, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UK
| | - Hicks Ruth
- Cefas, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UK
| | - Bignell John
- Cefas, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UK
| | - Vethaak A. Dick
- Deltares, Department of Marine and Coastal Systems, P.O. Box 177, Delft, 2600 MH, The Netherlands
- Vrije Universiteit, Department of Environment and Health, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Leslie A. Heather
- Deltares, Department of Marine and Coastal Systems, P.O. Box 177, Delft, 2600 MH, The Netherlands
| | - Sanders Matthew
- Cefas, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UK
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92
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Sea Waves Transport of Inertial Micro-Plastics: Mathematical Model and Applications. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse7120467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution in seas and oceans has recently been recognized as one of the most impacting threats for the environment, and the increasing number of scientific studies proves that this is an issue of primary concern. Being able to predict plastic paths and concentrations within the sea is therefore fundamental to properly face this challenge. In the present work, we evaluated the effects of sea waves on inertial micro-plastics dynamics. We hypothesized a stationary input number of particles in a given control volume below the sea surface, solving their trajectories and distributions under a second-order regular wave. We developed an exhaustive group of datasets, spanning the most plausible values for particles densities and diameters and wave characteristics, with a specific focus on the Mediterranean Sea. Results show how the particles inertia significantly affects the total transport of such debris by waves.
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93
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Macias D, Cózar A, Garcia-Gorriz E, González-Fernández D, Stips A. Surface water circulation develops seasonally changing patterns of floating litter accumulation in the Mediterranean Sea. A modelling approach. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 149:110619. [PMCID: PMC6891234 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Marine litter and, particularly, plastics are a growing concern at global scale. The Mediterranean Sea is among the zones in the world with the highest concentration of floating plastic debris. However, our knowledge remains limited on the spatial distribution of litter across this basin. Here, a set of different numerical model simulations were conducted to examine the dynamic conditions of the surface layer of the Mediterranean and how this drives the circulation and accumulation of floating litter. Seasonal dynamics of surface water circulation led to contrasting distribution patterns of floating litter along the year. Multiple hot spots of litter zones appeared across the basin in summer, while litter disperses and moves towards the Eastern Mediterranean and nearshore waters in winter. Taking into account such seasonal variability in the spatial patterns of litter in the Mediterranean seems to be key in the design of further sampling surveys and management strategies. Surface current dynamics shows marked seasonality in the Mediterranean. Accumulation and distribution of floating particles follow currents patterns. Floating litter accumulates in diverse areas during different seasons. Lagrangian model helps to identify beaches impacted by floating litter.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Macias
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027, Ispra, Varese, Italy
- Corresponding author.
| | - A. Cózar
- Departamento de Biología, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEIMAR), Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Marinas (INMAR), Universidad de Cádiz, E-11510, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - E. Garcia-Gorriz
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027, Ispra, Varese, Italy
| | - D. González-Fernández
- Departamento de Biología, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEIMAR), Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Marinas (INMAR), Universidad de Cádiz, E-11510, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - A. Stips
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027, Ispra, Varese, Italy
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94
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Lenaker PL, Baldwin AK, Corsi SR, Mason SA, Reneau PC, Scott JW. Vertical Distribution of Microplastics in the Water Column and Surficial Sediment from the Milwaukee River Basin to Lake Michigan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:12227-12237. [PMID: 31618011 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b03850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic contamination was studied along a freshwater continuum from inland streams to the Milwaukee River estuary to Lake Michigan and vertically from the water surface, water subsurface, and sediment. Microplastics were detected in all 96 water samples and 9 sediment samples collected. Results indicated a gradient of polymer presence with depth: low-density particles decreased from the water surface to the subsurface to sediment, and high-density particles had the opposite result. Polymer identification results indicated that water surface and subsurface samples were dominated by low-density polypropylene particles, and sediment samples were dominated by more dense polyethylene terephthalate particles. Of the five particle-type categories (fragments, films, foams, pellets/beads, and fibers/lines), fibers/lines were the most common particle-type and were present in every water and sediment sample collected. Fibers represented 45% of all particles in water samples and were distributed vertically throughout the water column regardless of density. Sediment samples were dominated by black foams (66%, identified as styrene-butadiene rubber) and to a lesser extent fibers/lines (29%) with approximately 89% of all of the sediment particles coming from polymers with densities greater than 1.1 g cm-3. Results demonstrated that polymer density influenced partitioning between the water surface and subsurface and the underlying surficial sediment and the common practice of sampling only the water surface can result in substantial bias, especially in estuarine, harbor, and lake locations where water surface concentrations tend to overestimate mean water column concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter L Lenaker
- Upper Midwest Water Science Center , U.S. Geological Survey , 8505 Research Way , Middleton , Wisconsin 53562 , United States
| | - Austin K Baldwin
- Idaho Water Science Center , U.S. Geological Survey , 230 Collins Road , Boise , Idaho 83702 , United States
| | - Steven R Corsi
- Upper Midwest Water Science Center , U.S. Geological Survey , 8505 Research Way , Middleton , Wisconsin 53562 , United States
| | - Sherri A Mason
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , State University of New York at Fredonia , 280 Central Avenue, Science Complex 340 , Fredonia , New York 14063 , United States
| | - Paul C Reneau
- Upper Midwest Water Science Center , U.S. Geological Survey , 8505 Research Way , Middleton , Wisconsin 53562 , United States
| | - John W Scott
- Illinois Sustainable Technology Center/Prairie Research Institute , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign , One Hazelwood Road , Champaign , Illinois 61820 , United States
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95
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Akdogan Z, Guven B. Microplastics in the environment: A critical review of current understanding and identification of future research needs. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 254:113011. [PMID: 31404735 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 275] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (plastic particles <5 mm) are a contaminant of increasing ecotoxicological concern in aquatic environments, as well as for human health. Although microplastic pollution is widespread across the land, water, and air, these environments are commonly considered independently; however, in reality are closely linked. This study aims to review the scientific literature related microplastic research in different environmental compartments and to identify the research gaps for the assessment of future research priorities. Over 200 papers involving microplastic pollution, published between 2006 and 2018, are identified in the Web of Science database. The original research articles in 'Environmental Sciences', 'Marine/Freshwater Biology', 'Toxicology', 'Multidisciplinary Sciences', 'Environmental Studies', 'Oceanography', 'Limnology' and 'Ecology' categories of Web of Science are selected to investigate microplastic research in seas, estuaries, rivers, lakes, soil and atmosphere. The papers identified for seas, estuaries, rivers and lakes are further classified according to (i) occurrence and characterization (ii) uptake by and effects in organisms, and (iii) fate and transport issues. The results reveal that whilst marine microplastics have received substantial scientific research, the extent of microplastic pollution in continental environments, such as rivers, lakes, soil and air, and environmental interactions, remains poorly understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Akdogan
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Boğaziçi University, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Basak Guven
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Boğaziçi University, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey.
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96
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Abstract
Plastic packaging accounts for 36% of all plastics made, but amounts to 47% of all plastic waste; 90% of all plastic items are used once and then discarded, which corresponds to around 50% of the total mass of plastics manufactured. Evidence for the ubiquity of microplastic pollution is accumulating rapidly, and wherever such material is sought, it seems to be found. Thus, microplastics have been identified in Arctic ice, the air, food and drinking water, soils, rivers, aquifers, remote maintain regions, glaciers, the oceans and ocean sediments, including waters and deep sea sediments around Antarctica, and within the deepest marine trenches of the Earth. They have also been detected in the bodies of animals, including humans, and as being passed along the hierarchy of food chains, up to marine top predators. Evidence has also been presented that microplastics are able to cross different life stages of mosquito that use different habitats - larva (feeding) to pupa (non-feeding) to adult terrestrial (flying) - and therefore can be spread from aquatic systems by flying insects. The so-called 'missing plastic problem' appears to be, in part, due to limitations in sampling methods, that is, many of the very small microplastic particles may simply escape capture in the trawl nets that are typically employed to collect them, but have been evidenced in grab-sampling experiments. Moreover, it is simply not possible to measure entirely through the vast, oceanic volumes of the oceans. It can, however, be concluded with some confidence that the majority of the plastic is not located at the sea surface, and indeed, several different sinks have been proposed for microplastics, including the sea floor and sediments, the ocean column itself, ice sheets, glaciers and soils. The treatment of land with sewage sludge is also thought to make a significant contribution of microplastics to soil. A substantial amount of airborne microparticulate pollution is created by the abrasion of tyres on road surfaces (and other 'non-exhaust' sources), meaning that even electric vehicles are not 'clean' in this regard, despite their elimination of tailpipe PM2.5 and PM10 emissions. The emergence of nanoplastics in the environment poses a new set of potential threats, although any impacts on human health are not yet known, save, as indicated from model studies. While improved design, manufacture, collection, reuse, repurposing and reprocessing/recycling of plastic items are necessary, overwhelmingly, a curbing in the use of plastic materials in the first place is demanded, particularly from single-use packaging. However, plastic pollution is just one element in the overall matrix of a changing climate ('the world's woes') and must be addressed as part of an integrated consideration of how we use all resources, fossil and otherwise, and the need to change our expectations, goals and lifestyles. In this effort, the role of deglobalisation/relocalisation may prove critical: thus, food and other necessities might be produced more on the local than the global scale, with smaller inputs of fossil fuels for transportation and other purposes, water and fertilisers, along with a marked reduction in the need for plastic packaging.
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97
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Varó I, Perini A, Torreblanca A, Garcia Y, Bergami E, Vannuccini ML, Corsi I. Time-dependent effects of polystyrene nanoparticles in brine shrimp Artemia franciscana at physiological, biochemical and molecular levels. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 675:570-580. [PMID: 31030162 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Micro- (<5 mm) and nanoplastics (<1 μm) are emerging threats for marine ecosystems worldwide. Brine shrimp Artemia is recognized as a suitable model among planktonic species for studying the impact of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) through short and long-term bioassays. Our study aims to evaluate the time-dependent effects of cationic amino-modified PS-NH2 (50 nm) in A. franciscana after short- (48 h) and long-term exposure (14 days). For this purpose, nauplii were exposed to a concentration range of PS-NH2 (0.1, 1, 3 and 10 μg/mL) in natural sea water (NSW), and physiological, biochemical and molecular responses were investigated. Short-term exposure to PS-NH2 caused a decrease in nauplii growth and affected the development in a concentration-dependent manner, long-term exposure impaired the survival, but not the growth and feeding behavior. Oxidative stress was detected after short term exposure as the decrease in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and was fully evident in the long-term as lipid peroxidation, suggesting an accumulative effect. The decrease in Cholinesterase (ChE) activity observed indicates possible neurotoxic action of PS-NH2. Also, Carboxylesterase (CbE) inhibition by PS-NH2, described for the first time in this study, anticipates potential effects in biotransformation of exogenous and endogenous compounds, being the crustacean juvenile hormone methyl farnesoate (MF) that regulates development and molting, one candidate. Furthermore, short- and long-term exposure to PS-NH2 affect the expression of genes involved in cell protection, development and molting. Overall, our results reveal that low PS-NH2 concentrations induce physiological, biochemical and molecular (changes in gene expression) alterations in Artemia, and point at their potential risk for this model organism, supporting the general concern about nanoplastics occurrences in aquatic environments and their ability to represent an ecological threat for aquatic zooplanktonic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inmaculada Varó
- Institute of Aquaculture Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), 12595 Ribera de Cabanes, Castellón, Spain.
| | - Aurora Perini
- Institute of Aquaculture Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), 12595 Ribera de Cabanes, Castellón, Spain; Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences (DSFTA), University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Amparo Torreblanca
- Department of Cell Biology, Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of Valencia, Spain
| | - Yaiza Garcia
- Institute of Aquaculture Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), 12595 Ribera de Cabanes, Castellón, Spain; Facultad de Veterinaria y Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Spain
| | - Elisa Bergami
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences (DSFTA), University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Maria L Vannuccini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences (DSFTA), University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Ilaria Corsi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences (DSFTA), University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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98
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Covernton GA, Pearce CM, Gurney-Smith HJ, Chastain SG, Ross PS, Dower JF, Dudas SE. Size and shape matter: A preliminary analysis of microplastic sampling technique in seawater studies with implications for ecological risk assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 667:124-132. [PMID: 30826673 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic particles (MPs) are widely distributed in seawater. Fibrous MPs (microfibres) are often reported as the most commonly encountered shape of particle. To estimate MP concentrations in seawater, samples are often collected using towed nets (generally 300-350-μm mesh) and may underestimate the amount of microfibres present, which may pass through the mesh due to their narrow width. We compared the potential microplastic particle (PMP) concentration estimates provided by two different seawater sampling methods conducted at three commercial shellfish farms and three unfarmed sites in Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada. The methods were: 10-L bucket samples sieved through 63-μm mesh in situ and subsequently filtered through an 8-μm polycarbonate membrane; and 1-L bulk samples collected in jars and subsequently filtered to 8 μm. The jar samples yielded PMP concentrations averaging approximately 8.5 times higher than the bucket samples per L of water (at the site level), largely driven by differences in the number of microfibres. There was no significant difference in PNP concentration between shellfish farms and unfarmed sites. An analysis of MP concentrations and mesh sizes reported in the literature suggests that using a 300-350-μm mesh may underestimate total MP concentrations by one to four orders of magnitude compared with samples that are filtered through much smaller mesh sizes (e.g. <100 μm), despite the effect of sample volume. Particles <300 μm in diameter make up a large component of MPs commonly found in fish and invertebrates. As such, common sampling practices fail to adequately measure a biologically relevant class of MPs, thereby undermining the ability to quantify ecological risk. We suggest that seawater sampling methods be designed to filter to <10 μm (the approximate width of many microfibres), either using pressurized pumps for large-volume samples, or by using sufficient replication of small-volume discrete samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garth A Covernton
- University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8P 5C2, Canada,.
| | - Christopher M Pearce
- University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8P 5C2, Canada,; Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9T 6N7, Canada
| | - Helen J Gurney-Smith
- University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8P 5C2, Canada,; Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. Andrews Biological Station, St. Andrews, New Brunswick E5B 0E4, Canada
| | - Stephen G Chastain
- Coastal Ocean Research Institute, Ocean Wise Conservation Association, Vancouver, British Columbia V7V 1H2, Canada
| | - Peter S Ross
- Coastal Ocean Research Institute, Ocean Wise Conservation Association, Vancouver, British Columbia V7V 1H2, Canada
| | - John F Dower
- University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Sarah E Dudas
- University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8P 5C2, Canada,; Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9T 6N7, Canada
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99
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Schwarz AE, Ligthart TN, Boukris E, van Harmelen T. Sources, transport, and accumulation of different types of plastic litter in aquatic environments: A review study. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 143:92-100. [PMID: 31789171 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Schwarz
- Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), PO Box 80015, 3508 TA Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - T N Ligthart
- Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), PO Box 80015, 3508 TA Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - E Boukris
- Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), PO Box 80015, 3508 TA Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - T van Harmelen
- Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), PO Box 80015, 3508 TA Utrecht, the Netherlands
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100
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Erni-Cassola G, Zadjelovic V, Gibson MI, Christie-Oleza JA. Distribution of plastic polymer types in the marine environment; A meta-analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2019; 369:691-698. [PMID: 30826562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.02.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 386] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Despite growing plastic discharge into the environment, researchers have struggled to detect expected increases of marine plastic debris in sea surfaces, sparking discussions about "missing plastics" and final sinks, which are hypothesized to be coastal and deep-sea sediments. While it holds true that the highest concentrations of plastic particles are found in these locations (103-104 particles m-3 in sediments vs. 0.1-1 particles m-3 in the water column), our meta-analysis also highlights that in open oceans, microplastic polymer types segregated in the water column according to their density. Lower density polymers, such as polypropylene and polyethylene, dominated sea surface samples (25% and 42%, respectively) but decreased in abundance through the water column (3% and 2% in the deep-sea, respectively), whereas only denser polymers (i.e. polyesters and acrylics) were enriched with depth (5% in surface seawater vs. 77% in deep-sea locations). Our meta-analysis demonstrates that some of the most abundant and recalcitrant manufactured plastics are more persistent in the sea surface than previously anticipated and that further research is required to determine the ultimate fate of these polymers as current knowledge does not support the deep sea as the final sink for all polymer types.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vinko Zadjelovic
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Matthew I Gibson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK; Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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