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Abimbola I, McAfee M, Creedon L, Gharbia S. In-situ detection of microplastics in the aquatic environment: A systematic literature review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173111. [PMID: 38740219 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173111] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and have emerged as a significant environmental issue due to their potential impacts on human health and the ecosystem. Current laboratory-based microplastic detection methods suffer from various drawbacks, including a lack of standardisation, limited spatial and temporal coverage, high costs, and time-consuming procedures. Consequently, there is a need for the development of in-situ techniques to detect and monitor microplastics to effectively identify and understand their sources, pathways, and behaviours. Herein, we adopt a systematic literature review method to assess the development and application of experimental and field technologies designed for the in-situ detection and monitoring of aquatic microplastics, without the need for sample preparation. Four scientific databases were searched in March 2023, resulting in a review of 62 relevant studies. These studies were classified into seven sensor categories and their working principles were discussed. The sensor classes include optical devices, digital holography, Raman spectroscopy, other spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, remote sensing, and other methods. We also looked at how data from these technologies are integrated with machine learning models to develop classifiers capable of accurately characterising the physical and chemical properties of microplastics and discriminating them from other particles. This review concluded that in-situ detection of microplastics in aquatic environments is feasible and can be achieved with high accuracy, even though the methods are still in the early stages of development. Nonetheless, further research is still needed to enhance the in-situ detection of microplastics. This includes exploring the possibility of combining various detection methods and developing robust machine-learning classifiers. Additionally, there is a recommendation for in-situ implementation of the reviewed methods to assess their effectiveness in detecting microplastics and identify their limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismaila Abimbola
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Atlantic Technological University, Sligo, Ireland.
| | - Marion McAfee
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Intelligent Systems for Health and Environment (MISHE), Atlantic Technological University, Sligo, Ireland
| | - Leo Creedon
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Intelligent Systems for Health and Environment (MISHE), Atlantic Technological University, Sligo, Ireland
| | - Salem Gharbia
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Atlantic Technological University, Sligo, Ireland
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2
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Rathore C, Saha M, de Boer J, Desai A, Gupta P, Naik A, Subha HY. Unraveling the land-based discharge of microplastics from sewers to oceans - A comprehensive study and risk assessment in wastewaters of Goa, India. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169621. [PMID: 38157900 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Owing to their pervasive dispersion in the environment and their potential ramifications on both marine life and human health, microplastics (MPs) are of increasing concern. However, there is still a lack of research on the release of MPs from different land-based pathways like creeks, drainage outfalls, and conduits into coastal water systems in India. This study represents comprehensive research into the attribution of MPs in the estuarine system, specifically those emanating from wastewater sources in Panjim City, Goa, India. Urban wastewater collected from different locations in and around Panjim City exhibited values ranging from 79 ± 21 to 338 ± 7 MPs/L, with a prevalence of fibrous and black MP particles. The size range of the MPs at all sampling sites was 100-300 μm. Analysis by μ-FTIR revealed 35 distinct polymeric compositions in wastewater, with a dominance of polyacrylamide (PAM), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyamide (PA). Additionally, primary and secondary MPs were studied to unravel the contributions from land-based sources. This included the quantification of MPs in ten samples from personal care products (PCPs) and twenty samples from washing machine effluents (WMEs). MPs in PCPs ranged from 1.8 to 1554 MPs/g. Microfibres and fragments were predominant in WMEs (3986 to 4898 MPs/L). This study suggests a strong relation between polymers found in wastewater effluent and those present in PCPs and WMEs. The identified polymers showed high polymer hazard indices (IV and V), posing a significant threat to the ecosystem and a potential risk to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chayanika Rathore
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Mahua Saha
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Jacob de Boer
- Vrije University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Aniket Desai
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Priyansha Gupta
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Akshata Naik
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
| | - Haritha Yespal Subha
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Department of Marine Chemistry, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi 682506, India
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Liu K, Zhu L, Wei N, Li D. Underappreciated microplastic galaxy biases the filter-based quantification. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132897. [PMID: 37935065 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Long-term environmental loading of microplastics (MPs) causes alarming exposure risks for a variety of species worldwide, considered a planetary threat to the well-being of ecosystems. Robust quantitative estimates of MP extents and featured diversity are the basis for comprehending their environmental implications precisely, and of these methods, membrane-based characterizations predominate with respect to MP inspections. However, though crucial to filter-based MP quantification, aggregation statuses of retained MPs on these substrates remain poorly understood, leaving us a "blind box" that exaggerates uncertainty in quantitive strategies of preselected areas without knowing overview loading structure. To clarify this uncertainty and estimate their impacts on MP counting, using MP imaging data assembled from peer-reviewed studies through a systematic review, here we analyze the particle-specific profiles of MPs retained on various substrates according to their centre of mass with a fast-random forests algorithm. We visualize the formation of distinct galaxy-like MP aggregation-similar to the solar system and Milky Way System comprised of countless stars-across the pristine and environmental samples by leveraging two spatial parameters developed in this study. This unique pattern greatly challenges the homogeneously or randomly distributed MP presumption adopted extensively for simplified membrane-based quantification purposes and selective ROI (region of interest) estimates for smaller-sized plastics down to the nano-range, as well as the compatibility theory using pristine MPs as the standard to quantify the presence of environmental MPs. Furthermore, our evaluation with exemplified numeration cases confirms these location-specific and area-dependent biases in many imaging analyses of a selective filter area, ascribed to the minimum possibility of reaching an ideal turnover point for the selective quantitive strategies. Consequently, disproportionate MP schemes on loading substrates yield great uncertainty in their quantification processing, highlighting the prompt need to include pattern-resolved calibration prior to quantification. Our findings substantially advance our understanding of the structure, behavior, and formation of these MP aggregating statuses on filtering substrates, addressing a fundamental question puzzling scientists as to why reproducible MP quantification is barely achievable even for subsamples. This study inspires the following studies to reconsider the impacts of aggregating patterns on the effective counting protocols and target-specific removal of retained MP aggregates through membrane separation techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Lixin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Norwegian Institute for Water Research, 94 Økernveien, Oslo 0579, Norway
| | - Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
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Baudena A, Kiko R, Jalón-Rojas I, Pedrotti ML. Low-Density Plastic Debris Dispersion beneath the Mediterranean Sea Surface. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:7503-7515. [PMID: 37125732 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Plastic is a widespread marine pollutant, with most studies focusing on the distribution of floating plastic debris at the sea surface. Recent evidence, however, indicates a significant presence of such low density plastic in the water column and at the seafloor, but information on its origin and dispersion is lacking. Here, we studied the pathways and fate of sinking plastic debris in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most polluted world seas. We used a recent Lagrangian plastic-tracking model, forced with realistic parameters, including a maximum estimated sinking speed of 7.8 m/d. Our simulations showed that the locations where particles left the surface differed significantly from those where they reached the seafloor, with lateral transport distances between 119 and 282 km. Furthermore, 60% of particles deposited on the bottom coastal strip (20 km wide) were released from vessels, 20% from the facing country, and 20% from other countries. Theoretical considerations furthermore suggested that biological activities potentially responsible for the sinking of low density plastic occur throughout the water column. Our findings indicate that the responsibility for seafloor plastic pollution is shared among Mediterranean countries, with potential impact on pelagic and benthic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Baudena
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, UMR 7093 LOV, Villefranche-sur-Mer 06230, France
| | - Rainer Kiko
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, UMR 7093 LOV, Villefranche-sur-Mer 06230, France
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research 24148 Kiel, Germany
| | - Isabel Jalón-Rojas
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Maria Luiza Pedrotti
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, UMR 7093 LOV, Villefranche-sur-Mer 06230, France
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Defontaine S, Jalón-Rojas I. Physical processes matters! Recommendations for sampling microplastics in estuarine waters based on hydrodynamics. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 191:114932. [PMID: 37087826 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in estuarine waters is crucial for understanding the fate of microplastics at the land-sea continuum, and for developing policies and legislation to mitigate associated risks. However, if protocols to monitor microplastic pollution in ocean waters or beach sediments are well established, they may not be adequate for estuarine environments, due to the complex 3D hydrodynamics. In this note, we review and discuss sampling methods and strategies in relation to the main environmental forcing, estuarine hydrodynamics, and their spatio-temporal scales of variability. We propose recommendations about when, where and how to sample microplastics to capture the most representative picture of microplastic pollution. This note opens discussions on the urgent need for standardized methods and protocols to routinely monitor microplastics in estuaries which should, at the same time, be easily adaptable to the different systems to ensure consistency and comparability of data across different studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Defontaine
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France; Ifremer - DYNECO/DHYSED, Centre de Bretagne, CS 10070, 29280 Plouzan, France.
| | - Isabel Jalón-Rojas
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
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Zhu Z, Hossain KB, Wei H, Jia R, Gao X, Jin H, Cai M. Distribution and sources of microplastics in the Beibu Gulf using in-situ filtration technique. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 188:114614. [PMID: 36736250 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The Beibu Gulf is a vital link between China and the ASEAN nations, and microplastic contamination is rising due to fast growth, coastal life, fisheries, and mariculture. The abundance, distribution, and source analyses were conducted at 25 sample points for this study. According to this study, the average MPs was 0.25 ± 0.05 items/m3, ranging from 0.01 items/m3 to 0.89 items/m3. Fibers, white, cellulose, and 0.33-1 mm were abundant in shape, color, composition, and size, respectively. Multi-statistics-based source analysis indicated land-based inputs (packing materials, textile materials, fisheries, and mariculture) were dominant in the Beibu Gulf. In this study, we also acknowledged a comprehensive comparison and convenience between plankton pumps and other conventional designs to collect microplastic samples from water. We suggested that using a uniform design could elevate the data quality of microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuhao Zhu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Resources, Environment and Sustainable Development, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, PR China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Ecosystem and Bioresource, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, PR China
| | - Kazi Belayet Hossain
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China; Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China; College of Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China
| | - Huihua Wei
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Resources, Environment and Sustainable Development, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, PR China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Ecosystem and Bioresource, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, PR China
| | - Renming Jia
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Resources, Environment and Sustainable Development, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, PR China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Ecosystem and Bioresource, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Gao
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400045, China
| | - Haiyan Jin
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Resources, Environment and Sustainable Development, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, PR China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Ecosystem and Bioresource, Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, PR China; Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Minggang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China; College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China; Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China; College of Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China.
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7
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Nousheen R, Hashmi I, Rittschof D, Capper A. Comprehensive analysis of spatial distribution of microplastics in Rawal Lake, Pakistan using trawl net and sieve sampling methods. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136111. [PMID: 35995190 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater environments, particularly reservoir and lakes, is an emerging concern. There are limited studies in Pakistan on microplastic pollution in the lacustrine environments and those that exist do not provide sufficient information on the spatial distribution of MPs in offshore surface water. The aims of this study were to determine microplastic abundance in Rawal Lake, Pakistan and to ascertain if sampling methodology influences microplastic counts. Surface water samples were collected from 10 sites; 5 tributaries, 2 human settlement and 3 fishing and boating areas using two different sampling techniques: 100 μm mesh trawl and 20 L sample through a 45 μm mesh sieve. A significant difference was observed in the abundance of MPs across two methods with the sieve method yielding 2.8 ± 1.44 particles/L and trawl yielding 0.025 ± 0.024 particles/L. Tributaries and boating/fishing area had higher microplastic abundance than the residential area regardless of sampling method. Filaments were the dominant shape of MPs in both type of samples followed by fragments in trawl samples and films in sieved samples. Microbeads were only detected in trawl samples. MPs within size range 0.1-0.9 mm were mostly fragments (82%). MPs were diverse in colors with white/transparent and black MPs common. Polypropylene was the main type of microplastic in Rawal Lake (40-74%). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of MPs showed cracks, roughness and striations on the particles. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) detected heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Co and Cr) in MPs. Findings suggest that microplastic pollution in Rawal Lake may pose great risk to aquatic and human life through leaching of inherent/adsorbed heavy metals and therefore requires future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Nousheen
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12 Sector, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Imran Hashmi
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12 Sector, Islamabad, Pakistan.
| | - Daniel Rittschof
- Duke Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
| | - Angela Capper
- CQUniversity, Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC), Gladstone, QLD 4680, Australia
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Yin M, Cao H, Zhao W, Wang T, Huang W, Cai M. Tide-driven microplastics transport in an elongated semi-closed bay: A case study in Xiangshan Bay, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 846:157374. [PMID: 35843328 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coastal bays are important containers for plastic wastes before they enter the ocean. Based on field samples, this study presents the main characteristics of microplastics and uses a numerical model to study the distribution and movement of microplastics as they are driven by tidal flows in an extended semi-closed bay in Xiangshan Bay, China. The laboratory analyses of microplastic samples from 27 pollutant source samples collected in three batches provided fundamental data on microplastics. Our results show that the local microplastics are prevalent (mean abundance: 890.6 ± 419.4 particles/m3) in the water. A higher quantity of fibre- and fragment-type microplastics was identified and compared to other plastic types. The detected microplastics varied in colour and composition. The simulation suggests that the bay can trap microplastics inside it, with only 16.92 % discharged into the open ocean. A series of single-source numerical tests at nine typical observation sites were conducted to examine tide-driven microplastic transport. Our results suggest that the release location is crucial to microplastic distribution. Specifically, the microplastics tended to accumulate near the bay mouth and the Tie inlet; the microplastics released from the north shore generally evacuated the bay more easily; and the inner harbour tended to accumulate microplastics during spring tide, as opposed to the departure of microplastics at the outer bay, while the effect was reversed during neap tide. We further considered the deposit effect, which significantly reduces the discharging rate to 0.04 % with a settling velocity of 0.05 mm/s. These results may have great importance to decision-making, management, and control of microplastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingchao Yin
- College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, PR China
| | - Haijin Cao
- College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, PR China.
| | - Wenlu Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China
| | - Teng Wang
- College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, PR China
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou 310012, PR China
| | - Minggang Cai
- College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, PR China
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Helmberger MS, Grieshop MJ. Characterizing Fragmentation of Polystyrene Foam Debris by Isopods Oniscus asellus (Isopoda: Oniscidae) and Trachelipus rathkii (Isopoda: Trachelipodidae). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:710-715. [PMID: 35834266 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics present a novel and potentially unique threat to soil ecosystems, one whose effects may be mediated by soil organisms themselves. We investigated fragmentation of polystyrene (PS) foam into microplastic particles by two isopods, Oniscus asellus L. and Trachelipus rathkii Brandt, in laboratory arena experiments. First, we examined the temporal dynamics of fragmentation across a time span of 96 h. O. asellus produced more fragments than T. rathkii, and neither species significantly fragmented the PS foam until 48 h had passed. Second, we asked whether O. asellus would still fragment PS foam in the presence of an alternate, more natural substrate like wood. Wood did not significantly affect fragmentation rates, in line with the few other studies examining the effect of alternate food on soil invertebrates' propensity to consume and/or fragment plastics. Our results provide additional characterization of PS foam fragmentation by isopods and indicate that laboratory experiments involving soil invertebrates and plastic debris can take place over relatively short timespans of four or fewer days, but do not necessarily need to provide alternate food to prove that plastic consumption would still occur in its presence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew J Grieshop
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
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Spindola Vilela CL, Damasceno TL, Thomas T, Peixoto RS. Global qualitative and quantitative distribution of micropollutants in the deep sea. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 307:119414. [PMID: 35598814 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119414] [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: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Micropollutants (MPs) include a wide range of biological disruptors that can be toxic to wildlife and humans at very low concentrations (<1 μg/L). These mainly anthropogenic pollutants have been widely detected in different areas of the planet, including the deep sea, and have impacts on marine life. Because of this potential toxicity, the global distribution, quantity, incidence, and potential impacts of deep-sea MPs were investigated in a systematic review of the literature. The results showed that MPs have reached different zones of the ocean and are more frequently reported in the Northern Hemisphere, where higher concentrations are found. MPs are also concentrated in depths up to 3000 m, where they are also more frequently studied, but also extend deeper than 10,000 m. Potentially toxic metals (PTMs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDTs), organotins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were identified as the most prevalent and widely distributed MPs at ≥200 m depth. PTMs are widely distributed in the deep sea in high concentrations; aluminum is the most prevalent up to 3000 m depth, followed by zinc and copper. PCBs, organotins, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), PAHs, and phenols were detected accumulated in both organisms and environmental samples above legislated thresholds or known toxicity levels. Our assessment indicated that the deep sea can be considered a sink for MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caren Leite Spindola Vilela
- Department of General Microbiology, Paulo de Goes Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Taissa Lopes Damasceno
- Department of General Microbiology, Paulo de Goes Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Torsten Thomas
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation & School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Raquel Silva Peixoto
- Department of General Microbiology, Paulo de Goes Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
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11
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Liu S, Pan YF, Li HX, Lin L, Hou R, Yuan Z, Huang P, Cai MG, Xu XR. Microplastic pollution in the surface seawater in Zhongsha Atoll, South China Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 822:153604. [PMID: 35114230 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of microplastics in the marine environment has attracted extensive attention. So far, no information is known regarding the temporal and spatial variations of microplastics in Zhongsha Atoll. This study, for the first time, comprehensively investigated the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in the surface seawater in Zhongsha Atoll based on two ocean cruises. The abundances of microplastics measured in the surface seawater of Zhongsha Atoll were in the ranges of not detected (ND) to 67 items/m3, and ND to 160 items/m3 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. All microplastics detected in Zhongsha Atoll were fibers, most of which were transparent and less than 2 mm. Polyethylene terephthalate was the dominating composition of microplastics. These results suggested that sewage, surface runoff, atmospheric deposition by neighboring land, and fishing activities may be the primary pollution sources. This study provides critical information on microplastic pollution in Zhongsha Atoll for the first time, calling for more research in the management of marine plastic debris in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Yun-Feng Pan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Heng-Xiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Lang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Rui Hou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Zhen Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peng Huang
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Ming-Gang Cai
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xiang-Rong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China.
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12
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De-la-Torre GE, Pizarro-Ortega CI, Dioses-Salinas DC, Castro Loayza J, Smith Sanchez J, Meza-Chuquizuta C, Espinoza-Morriberón D, Rakib MRJ, Ben-Haddad M, Dobaradaran S. Are we underestimating floating microplastic pollution? A quantitative analysis of two sampling methodologies. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 178:113592. [PMID: 35349867 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are widespread in the water column of several aquatic ecosystems. Thus, the sampling methodology is considered as a basic factor influencing MPs abundance. In this baseline, a total of 67 investigations were chosen to conduct a quantitative analysis between two sampling methods: Trawl and bulk. The aim is to report a general overview of the MPs abundance and characteristic differences based on the sampling procedures and provide methodological recommendations. MPs abundance reported by bulk studies is 3500 higher than trawl studies. Furthermore, the morphological types and polymers abundances were statistically affected by the type of sampling tool. Conversely, MPs size ranges were significantly different between sampling procedures, suggesting that trawling underestimates the smaller MPs fractions. The analysis confirms that the sampling methods should be selected based on the research objectives. In this sense, it is recommended to combine both types of sampling procedures to obtain comprehensive data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Carolina Meza-Chuquizuta
- Unidad de Investigación de Ecosistemas Marinos-Grupo Aves Marinas, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Dante Espinoza-Morriberón
- Facultad de Ingeniería Ambiental y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional del Callao (UNAC), Av. Juan Pablo II 306, Bellavista 07011, Provincia Constitucional del Callao, Peru; Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Tecnológica del Perú (UTP), Jirón Hernán Velarde 260, Cercado de Lima, 15046 Lima, Peru
| | - Md Refat Jahan Rakib
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Mohamed Ben-Haddad
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems, Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Morocco
| | - Sina Dobaradaran
- Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry and Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, Germany
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13
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Zhang F, Peng G, Xu P, Zhu L, Li C, Wei N, Li D. Ecological risk assessment of marine microplastics using the analytic hierarchy process: A case study in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent marine areas. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 425:127960. [PMID: 34896726 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution is ubiquitous in the terrestrial and marine environments, even in the air. However, ecological risk assessment studies of microplastics are scarce. In the present study, an ecological risk assessment model was built to evaluate the risks of microplastics in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent marine areas. A basic index database of the impacts of MP pollution on the ecosystem was constructed around three types of indices, namely, the pressure, status, and response indices. While the expert scoring method was used to determine the weights of these indices, in view of the complexity of the ecosystem in the Yangtze River Estuary, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used to evaluate its ecological risk. According to the model, microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent marine areas was within a lower risk state, indicating that its risks for the marine ecosystem were still within a controllable range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 200062 Shanghai, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Guyu Peng
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Pei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 200062 Shanghai, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Lixin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 200062 Shanghai, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Changjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 200062 Shanghai, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Nian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 200062 Shanghai, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 200062 Shanghai, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, Shanghai 200241, China.
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14
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Li C, Zhu L, Wang X, Liu K, Li D. Cross-oceanic distribution and origin of microplastics in the subsurface water of the South China Sea and Eastern Indian Ocean. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 805:150243. [PMID: 34534870 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Marine microplastic (MP) pollution is a global environmental problem that has received attention from scientific researchers and the public for the past several decades. However, without a suitably large-volume sampling method, the presence of MPs in subsurface water (< 5 m) is poorly understood. Here, MP content in subsurface water was determined using a pump-underway ship intake system along the cross-oceanic transect from the Pearl River Estuary to the Indian Ocean. The study regions have always been considered as one of the major MPs hotspots in the global oceans and still lack of study. Generally, MP abundance ranged between 0 and 4.97 items m-3, with an overall mean value of 0.40 ± 0.62 items m-3. A total of 679 MP particles were identified using μ-FT-IR. These collections identified polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyester (PET) as the major polymers represented (73.14-88.81%). The presence of MPs in coastal regions was significantly higher than that in the open ocean, revealing the contribution of land-based sources to marine MPs and the ocean dynamics. Therefore, an effective and feasible way to retard the penetration of MPs into the marine environment is to exhibit controls at the source. No significant correlation was found between the MP abundance and the physical and chemical properties of water. The results of the analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) also showed that MP communities in different environments were significantly greater than the differences in different sites within the same environment. These findings of this study provide reliable information on MP distribution and characterization in cross-oceanic region of South China Sea and Eastern Indian Ocean, which will help to improve our understanding about the fate of MPs in the ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Region Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 200241, China
| | - Lixin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Region Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 200241, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Region Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 200241, China
| | - Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Region Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 200241, China
| | - Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Region Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 200241, China.
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15
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Helmberger MS, Miesel JR, Tiemann LK, Grieshop MJ. Soil Invertebrates Generate Microplastics From Polystyrene Foam Debris. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2022; 22:6528469. [PMID: 35157762 PMCID: PMC8843084 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
To fully understand microplastics' impact on soil ecosystems, one must recognize soil organisms as not just passively enduring their negative effects, but potentially contributing to microplastics' formation, distribution, and dynamics in soil. We investigated the ability of four soil invertebrates, the cricket Acheta domesticus L. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), the isopod Oniscus asellus L. (Isopoda: Oniscidae), larvae of the beetle Zophobas morio Fabricius (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), and the snail Cornu aspersum Müller (Stylommatophora: Helicidae) to fragment macroscopic pieces of weathered or pristine polystyrene (PS) foam. We placed invertebrates into arenas with single PS foam pieces for 24 h, then collected and assessed the microplastic content of each invertebrate's fecal material, its cadaver, and the sand substrate of its arena via hydrogen peroxide digestion, filtration, and fluorescent staining. All taxa excreted PS particles, though snails only to a tiny extent. Beetle larvae produced significantly more microplastics than snails, and crickets and isopods fragmented the weathered PS foam pieces more than the pristine pieces, which they left untouched. A follow-up experiment with pristine PS foam assessed the effect of different treatments mimicking exposure to the elements on fragmentation by isopods. PS foam pieces soaked in a soil suspension were significantly more fragmented than untreated pieces or pieces exposed to UV light alone. These findings indicate that soil invertebrates may represent a source of microplastics to the environment in places polluted with PS foam trash, and that the condition of macroplastic debris likely affects its palatability to these organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica R Miesel
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Lisa K Tiemann
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Matthew J Grieshop
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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17
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Liu K, Zhang Z, Wu H, Wang J, Wang R, Zhang T, Feng Z, Li D. Accumulation of microplastics in a downstream area of a semi-enclosed bay: Implications of input from coastal currents. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 791:148280. [PMID: 34119789 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coastal beaches are a vital transitional zone in which terrestrial microplastics (MPs) enter the oceans. However, little is known about the impact of coastal currents on the dispersion and accumulation of MPs, especially in semi-enclosed bays. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the spatiotemporal variation of MPs in the coastal sediments of Haizhou Bay. The abundance of MPs ranged from 10.94 n/kg to 1309.02 n/kg. Overall, a higher amount of MPs was found in intertidal sediment than in the supratidal zone. Significant seasonal variation was observed only in the intertidal areas of Haizhou Bay, suggesting that hydrodynamics plays a critical role shaping MP abundance. Statistical analyses revealed a roughly exponential increase of MP abundance with distance from the coast, and that a relatively higher abundance of MPs would be found at offshore sites in downstream areas. These results suggest that coastal currents are important contributors of MPs. A numerical model of vertical profiles estimated the total inventory of MPs in coastal areas to be 13.83-580 trillion pieces. Our results suggest a neglected sink of MPs in the sedimentary environments of coastal regions. As a result, the amount of MPs in coastal regions in previous studies could have been underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Hui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jiaxuan Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Environment, Jiangsu Ocean University, 59 Cangwu Road, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Environment, Jiangsu Ocean University, 59 Cangwu Road, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Environment, Jiangsu Ocean University, 59 Cangwu Road, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Zhihua Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Environment, Jiangsu Ocean University, 59 Cangwu Road, Lianyungang 222005, China; Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, 59 Cangwu Road, Lianyungang 222005, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, 59 Cangwu Road, Lianyungang 222005, China.
| | - Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China.
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18
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Zheng Y, Li J, Sun C, Cao W, Wang M, Jiang F, Ju P. Comparative study of three sampling methods for microplastics analysis in seawater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 765:144495. [PMID: 33385818 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics, as an emerging pollutant, are widely spread in the oceans. The sampling method is the most basic and important factor affecting the reported microplastic abundance data. Three sampling methods, most commonly used for microplastic collection, including direct filtration with 0.45 μm pore size membrane, 20 μm sieve pre-concentration followed by 0.45 μm filtration and Manta trawling with a 150 μm mesh size net were studied. The results showed that there were orders of magnitude difference in abundance of microplastic across the three methods with 0.45 μm direct filtration yielding 1600.0-4000.0 items/m3, 20 μm sieve pre-concentration yielding 10.0-50.0 items/m3, and 150 μm trawl net yielding 0.13-0.24 items/m3. The polymer types of microplastic collected by the three methods were similar, but polymer proportions were different. PES and rayon dominated in the samples collected by direct filtration and sieve pre-concentration. PES and PP accounted for a higher proportion in the trawling samples. The abundance and polymer types of microplastics had a clear correlation between direct filtration and sieve pre-concentration (p < 0.05). More microplastic shapes were found in trawling samples. The average and median sizes of microplastics increased with increasing pore or mesh size. According to the size fraction and standard deviation of microplastic size in different samples of each method, the stability of method decreased with increasing pore or mesh size. The trawling method had a higher sampling efficiency, but its stability was weaker than the other two methods. Our results suggested that an appropriate method should be selected upon actual sampling condition and available tools during the research process to improve the credibility of the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zheng
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Lab of Ecological Environment Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jingxi Li
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Lab of Ecological Environment Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Chengjun Sun
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Lab of Ecological Environment Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; Laboratory of Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China.
| | - Wei Cao
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Lab of Ecological Environment Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Menghui Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Fenghua Jiang
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Lab of Ecological Environment Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Peng Ju
- Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, Key Lab of Ecological Environment Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
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Song Z, Liu K, Wang X, Wei N, Zong C, Li C, Jiang C, He Y, Li D. To what extent are we really free from airborne microplastics? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:142118. [PMID: 32911154 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Quality assurance and quality control (QA&QC) procedures are vital for ensuring data reliability, but little is known about the use of such procedures in reducing airborne microplastic (MP) contamination. To address this issue, we tried to determine the efficiency of two common methods (washing and ashing experimental glassware) for removing airborne MPs and identified airborne contamination during MP analytical procedure. The results showed the removal efficiencies of washing and ashing were an average of 88%-98% and 100%, respectively, indicating that both methods could eliminate most of the spiked airborne MPs with no significant difference noted between the two methods. Although rigorous measures were taken to prevent contamination from ambient air, trace amounts of airborne MPs were still detected, which is an issue that has not been adequately investigated in previous studies. All of the procedural contaminants detected in this study were fibrous. Approximately 88% of these fibers were cotton-like (cotton, cellulose, and cellophane) fibers, and 13% of them were plastic. Surprisingly, cotton-like fibers and MPs had a similar size distribution, suggesting that they may have undergone a similar weathering process. In the end, to cope with inevitable airborne contamination, several measures were proposed for further research. Such measures will provide the necessary methodological assistance for accurate quantification of MP pollution in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangyu Song
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Nian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Changxing Zong
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Changjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Chunhua Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yinan He
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China.
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20
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Sun C, Ding J, Gao F. Methods for microplastic sampling and analysis in the seawater and fresh water environment. Methods Enzymol 2021; 648:27-45. [PMID: 33579407 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2020.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Microplastic (plastic smaller than 5mm in size) is ubiquitous around the world both in the ocean and the freshwater system. Due to their potential serious negative impact on marine organisms and human beings, marine microplastics have attracted worldwide attention in the past decade. Information and knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of marine microplastics are crucial for accurately assessing our current and future environmental health conditions. This is also important for developing mitigation plans and measures to protect our environment. Since the measured microplastic pollution level is closely related to the sampling methods and identification techniques, it is important to employ standardized sampling and analysis operation procedures for cross-comparison. In this chapter, we present the basic sampling, sample pretreatment and microplastic identification techniques involved in microplastic pollution assessment and discuss the adaptability of different sampling and pretreatment methods. The pros and cons of different techniques are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengjun Sun
- Key Lab of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China; Laboratory of Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
| | - Jinfeng Ding
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Fenglei Gao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
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21
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Liu K, Wang X, Song Z, Wei N, Li D. Terrestrial plants as a potential temporary sink of atmospheric microplastics during transport. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 742:140523. [PMID: 32721722 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric transport is an important pathway by which terrestrial microplastics (MPs, with sizes less than 5 mm) can move long distances to remote areas. However, little is known about the environmental behaviors of atmospheric MPs during movement. To address this issue, deposits of MPs on the leaves of plants were studied in two regions, with abundance ranging from 0.07 n/cm2 (pieces per area of leaves) to 0.19 n/cm2. The attached substances were mainly natural materials, but 28% of the total substances were plastics. There was a similar physical-chemical composition of the attached MPs in the two regions suggesting a similar origin. Leaves, regardless of plant species, can indiscriminately retain atmospheric MPs. About 0.13 trillion pieces of MPs are estimated to be attached to leaf surfaces in the top 11 green countries. Leaves of terrestrial plants could be a temporal sink and a source of MPs pollution to remote areas. This is not fully recognized and merits further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Zhangyu Song
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Nian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China.
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22
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Liu K, Courtene-Jones W, Wang X, Song Z, Wei N, Li D. Elucidating the vertical transport of microplastics in the water column: A review of sampling methodologies and distributions. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 186:116403. [PMID: 32932095 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116403] [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: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
There have been numerous studies that have investigated floating microplastics (MPs) in surface water, yet little data are currently available regarding the vertical distribution in the water column. This lack constrains our ability to comprehensively assess the ecological effects of MPs and develop further policy controls. In this study, we reviewed current progress of sampling methodologies, the distribution patterns, and the physiochemical properties of MPs throughout the water column. Three sampling protocols were identified in this study: bulk, net and submersible pump/in-situ sampling. In different regions, the vertical patterns of MPs in the water column varied with depth, which is possibly related to the morphological characteristics, polymeric densities, and biofouling of the MPs. The results of this review revealed that fibrous and fragmented MPs comprised over 90% of the total MPs by quantity, of which fibrous MPs constituted the majority (43%-100%). In addition, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene have been widely identified in previous studies. To minimize the impact caused by various sampling protocols, the use of a volume gradient trail experiment and a unified mesh size of 60-100 μm for the initial concentration are recommended according to the results of this review. Given the limited knowledge regarding the vertical transport of MPs in the water column, harmonized sampling methods should first be developed. The mechanisms of this process can be separately considered for different water bodies, such as freshwater systems, coastal waters, and pelagic zones. The presence of these anthropogenic pollutants in the water column poses a threat to the largest but most vulnerable habitats of life on earth, and hence they merit further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Winnie Courtene-Jones
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science and Engineering, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Zhangyu Song
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Nian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China; Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China.
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23
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Li D, Liu K, Li C, Peng G, Andrady AL, Wu T, Zhang Z, Wang X, Song Z, Zong C, Zhang F, Wei N, Bai M, Zhu L, Xu J, Wu H, Wang L, Chang S, Zhu W. Profiling the Vertical Transport of Microplastics in the West Pacific Ocean and the East Indian Ocean with a Novel in Situ Filtration Technique. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:12979-12988. [PMID: 32966052 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A new technique involving large-volume (10 m3) samples of seawater was used to determine the abundance of microplastics (MPs) in the water column in the West Pacific Ocean and the East Indian Ocean. Compared to the conventional sampling methods based on smaller volumes of water, the new data yielded abundance values for the deep-water column that were at least 1-2 orders of magnitude lower. The data suggested that limited bulk volumes currently used for surface sampling are insufficient to obtain accurate estimates of MP abundance in deep water. Size distribution data indicated that the lateral movement of MPs into the water column contributed to their movement from the surface to the bottom. This study provides a reliable dataset for the water column to enable a better understanding of the transport and fate of plastic contamination in the deep-ocean ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Changjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Guyu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Anthony L Andrady
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Tianning Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Zhangyu Song
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Changxing Zong
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Nian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Mengyu Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Lixin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Jiayi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Hui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Lu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Siyuan Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Wenxi Zhu
- Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific, IOC-UNESCO, 120 Chaengwattana Road, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
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24
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Ryan PG, Pichegru L, Perold V, Moloney CL. Monitoring marine plastics – will we know if we are making a difference? S AFR J SCI 2020. [DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2020/7678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In the context of marine anthropogenic debris management, monitoring is essential to assess whether mitigation measures to reduce the amounts of waste plastic entering the environment are being effective. In South Africa, baselines against which changes can be assessed include data from the 1970s to the 1990s on microplastics floating at sea, on macro- and microplastic beach debris, and interactions with biota. However, detecting changes in the abundance of microplastics at sea is complicated by high spatial and temporal heterogeneity in net samples. Beach debris data are easier to gather, but their interpretation is complicated by the dynamic nature of debris fluxes on beaches and the increase in beach cleaning effort over time. Sampling plastic ingested by biota is a powerful approach, because animals that retain ingested plastic for protracted periods integrate plastics over space and time, but there are ethical issues to using biota as bioindicators, particularly for species that require destructive sampling (e.g. turtles, seabirds). Bioindicators could be established among fish and invertebrates, but there are technical challenges with sampling microplastics smaller than 1 mm. Fine-scale debris accumulation on beaches provides an index of macroplastic abundance in coastal waters, and offers a practical way to track changes in the amounts and composition of debris in coastal waters. However, upstream flux measures (i.e. in catchments, rivers and storm-water run-off) provide a more direct assessment of mitigation measures for land-based sources. Similarly, monitoring refuse returned to port by vessels is the best way to ensure compliance with legislation prohibiting the dumping of plastics at sea. Significance: • Monitoring is required to assess whether mitigation measures to reduce waste plastics at sea are making a difference. • Monitoring the leakage of plastic from land-based sources is best addressed on land (e.g. in storm drains and river run-off) before the plastic reaches the sea. • Illegal dumping from ships is best addressed by monitoring the use of port waste reception facilities. • Sampling plastic ingested by biota is a powerful approach, using fish and invertebrates as bioindicators for larger microplastic fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter G. Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lorien Pichegru
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Vonica Perold
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Coleen L. Moloney
- Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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25
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What Is the Minimum Volume of Sample to Find Small Microplastics: Laboratory Experiments and Sampling of Aveiro Lagoon and Vouga River, Portugal. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12041219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Small microplastics (<1 mm) comprise a great fraction of microplastics (<5 mm) found in the environment and are often overlooked due to the constrains of transporting and filtering large volumes of water in grab samplings. The objective of this work was to determine the minimum volume for reliable quantification of small microplastics in the environment. Different volumes (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2.5 L) of laboratory spikes (fresh and saltwater) and environmental samples were filtered. Sampling volumes of 0.5 L or 1 L are a good compromise between drawbacks, such as effort, time, organic and mineral matter, potential contamination, and reliability of results, evaluated by interquartile range, accuracy, coefficient of variation, and recovery rates. Moreover, the observation of Nile Red-stained environmental samples under 470 nm produced six-times higher concentrations than samples under 254 nm, namely, 18 microplastics L−1 and 3 microplastics L−1 for the Aveiro Lagoon and 1 microplastics L−1 and 0 microplastics L−1 for the Vouga River, Portugal. This work also raises concerns about the underreporting of environmental concentrations of microplastics.
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26
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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: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [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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27
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Liu K, Wang X, Wei N, Song Z, Li D. Accurate quantification and transport estimation of suspended atmospheric microplastics in megacities: Implications for human health. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 132:105127. [PMID: 31487610 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 08/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Although atmospheric microplastics have been found to be ubiquitous even on untraversed mountains and have potential impacts on human health, little information concerning their sampling methodology and transport is currently available. Until a realistic quantification of suspended atmospheric microplastics (SAMPs) is obtained, however, any potential health risk assessment for this pollutant will be open to criticism for using an ambiguous dataset. To address this knowledge gap, in May 2019 a trial experiment was performed to explore the potential relationship between sampling volume and SAMP abundance. A significant logarithmic regression between SAMP abundance and the sampling volume of filtrated air was found and the sufficient volume of filtrated air for accurate SAMP quantification was recommended. Investigation results indicated that fibrous and fragment-shaped SAMPs comprised 91% of all of the identified synthetic particles. Interestingly, for the first time, plastic microbeads were also observed in the collected air, constituting 9% of the all of the SAMPs by quantity. Spectral analysis revealed that these SAMPs consisted of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), epoxy resin (EP), polyethylene (PE), alkyd resin (ALK), rayon (RY), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), and polystyrene (PS). PET, EP, PE, and ALK constituted the majority (90%) of all of the polymer types, with quantitative percentages of 51%, 19%, 12%, and 8%, respectively. Based on our numerical modeling simulation, the approximate transport flux of SAMPs during June in Shanghai was estimated, ranging from 9.94 × 104 n/(m·d) to 6.52 × 105 n/(m·d), with a mean of 3.00 ± 1.58 × 105 n/(m·d). The goal of our study was to provide an essential methodological aid for the accurate determination of SAMPs in the environment and a better understanding of terrestrial microplastic transport in megacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Nian Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Zhangyu Song
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Daoji Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200062, China.
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