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Lucie T, Philippe A, Laura DF, Arnaud H, Matthieu W, Julien G, Ika PP. The largest estuary on the planet is not spared from plastic pollution: Case of the St. Lawrence River Estuary. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 206:116780. [PMID: 39083914 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116780] [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: 07/04/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
The St. Lawrence River, one of the world's largest estuaries, drains >25 % of the world's freshwater reserves and is affected by various anthropogenic effluents. Although previous studies reported micro- and nanoplastics contamination in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (EGSL), this study provides a first evaluation of macroplastic pollution along the north and south shores of the EGSL. Plastic debris categorization was performed according to the OSPAR protocol completed by polymer identification using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The EGSL appeared ubiquitously contaminated by plastic debris, dominated by single-use plastics primarily made of polypropylene (28 %), polyethylene (25 %) and polystyrene (17 %). The EGSL shores exhibited a mean contamination level of 0.17 ± 0.11 items/m2 and distance to Montreal significantly influenced the distribution of plastic debris. This study provides an essential baseline for implementing local waste reduction and management actions in the St. Lawrence watershed to reduce plastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toussaint Lucie
- Univ Brest (UBO), IFREMER, CNRS, IRD, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France; TAKUVIK CNRS/Univ Laval, UMI3376, Québec Océan, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
| | - Archambault Philippe
- TAKUVIK CNRS/Univ Laval, UMI3376, Québec Océan, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Del Franco Laura
- TAKUVIK CNRS/Univ Laval, UMI3376, Québec Océan, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Huvet Arnaud
- Univ Brest (UBO), IFREMER, CNRS, IRD, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Waeles Matthieu
- Univ Brest (UBO), IFREMER, CNRS, IRD, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Gigault Julien
- TAKUVIK CNRS/Univ Laval, UMI3376, Québec Océan, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Paul-Pont Ika
- Univ Brest (UBO), IFREMER, CNRS, IRD, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
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Selvakumar U, Wijesinghe RDN, Arulananthan A. Abundance of Marine Macrodebris on the Northern Coast of Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34771-z. [PMID: 39207614 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34771-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Marine plastic debris has emerged as a pressing concern along the northern coast of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, posing a significant threat to marine resources. A preliminary study was conducted to investigate the abundance and characteristics of marine plastic debris at four major fish landing sites in the northern coast of Jaffna, using the Clean Coast Index (CCI) and Plastic Abundance Index (PAI). The results revealed that the average abundance of marine debris and plastic debris were 1.71 ± 0.42 items/m2 and 1.66 ± 0.57 items/m2, respectively. The most common types of plastic debris represented plastic rope and net pieces (23.2%), followed by unidentified weathered plastic fragments (16.7%), beverage bottles (16.2%), bottle caps and lids (13%), and styrofoam (14.1%). The recognized sources of plastic debris were mainly fishing-based activities, recreation activities, transboundary sources, and unidentified sources. The fish landing sites were classified as exceptionally polluted, with a CCI exceeding 10 and a PAI value exceeding 8. Myliddy had the highest debris density, indicating substantial pollution levels, followed by Point Pedro, Mathagal, and Valveddithurai. These findings underscore the urgency of establishing a comprehensive plastic waste management framework for the northern coast of Jaffna and devising strategies to address buoyant debris within the northern Indian Ocean. Furthermore, this study carries significant implications for the local marine ecosystem, coastal communities, and Sri Lanka's broader environmental policies and practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmila Selvakumar
- Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science and Technology, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Wallamadama, Sri Lanka.
| | | | - Ashani Arulananthan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Division of Urban Pollution Research Group, Aalborg University, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
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Herrera A, Rivera JA, Moreno T, Martínez I, Gómez M. First inventory of marine debris on Alegranza, an uninhabited island in the Northeast Atlantic. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 178:113604. [PMID: 35366546 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113604] [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: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Alegranza is the most northerly island of the Canary Islands archipelago, the first obstacle crossed by the Canary Current. From July to October 2020, six expeditions were led to the island to make a first inventory of marine debris and its possible source and origin. In total, 3667 objects weighing 321 kg were removed, excluding wooden objects. Of these, 97.7% were plastics, the most abundant being drink bottles (25.4%). While knowing the origin, source and pathway of debris is difficult, legible labels provided valuable information. In Alegranza, 66.7% of the legible bottle labels indicated Asian countries of manufacture, which is evidence that the source is maritime traffic in the region. The lobster trap license labels from the east coast of the United States and Canada were dated from 1999 to 2018, supporting both the exogenous origin and long lifetime in the ocean of these debris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Herrera
- Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), Iu-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Campus Universitario de Tafira, Canary Islands, Spain; Asociación para la Conservación Medioambiental Latitud Azul, Spain.
| | | | - Teresa Moreno
- Instituto Politécnico de Formación Profesional Marítimo-Pesquero de Canarias, Spain
| | - Ico Martínez
- Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), Iu-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Campus Universitario de Tafira, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - May Gómez
- Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), Iu-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Campus Universitario de Tafira, Canary Islands, Spain
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Skirtun M, Sandra M, Strietman WJ, van den Burg SWK, De Raedemaecker F, Devriese LI. Plastic pollution pathways from marine aquaculture practices and potential solutions for the North-East Atlantic region. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 174:113178. [PMID: 34864468 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113178] [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: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aquaculture practices at sea are far from impact neutral and remain an important source of marine plastic pollution. With projected rapid continual growth in the sector, if left unmanaged, aquaculture pollution can have detrimental environmental and social implications. Using the DPSIR framework, the paper examines current practices and pathways of plastic pollution from marine aquaculture in the NE-Atlantic, drawing on findings from literature, stakeholder consultations and beach litter assessments. Pathways for aquaculture-related litter identified include rough weather, farmer behavior, inadequate access to recycling facilities, low price of consumable plastics and high cost of recycling. Beach litter analyses conducted as part of the study exposed serious issues of under quantification, resulting from difficulties in source identification and a lack of detailed categorization in official monitoring systems. The paper makes recommendations to improve litter quantification and waste management, including the use of local knowledge and experts to identify sources of marine litter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Skirtun
- Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Matthias Sandra
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean campus, Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Ostend, Belgium
| | - Wouter Jan Strietman
- Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Sander W K van den Burg
- Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Fien De Raedemaecker
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean campus, Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Ostend, Belgium
| | - Lisa I Devriese
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean campus, Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Ostend, Belgium
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Barría-Herrera J, Vergara-Cortés H, Contreras-López M, Rangel-Buitrago N. A seasonal comparison of litter impacts along the Viña del Mar - Concón coastal strip, Valparaiso region of Chile. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 172:112854. [PMID: 34418713 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The Vina del Mar - Concón Coastal strip is well known for its urban beaches, which play an essential role in the national economy. With extreme urban development, these beaches have become more polluted by litter. This paper evaluates the abundance, spatio-temporal distribution, typology, and sources of beach litter in 14 sectors located inside this coastal strip. A total of 19,886 litter items were collected and grouped into 50 different categories (11 litter typologies). Overall average litter abundance was 0.21 items/m2 while during the fall and winter averages were 0.25 items/m2 and 0.17 items/m2. Values changed along the area and between seasons. Plastics, cigarette butts and paper-cardboard typologies dominated the samples with 42% (0.088 items/m2), 25.4% (0.053 items/m2) and 20.8% (0.043 items/m2).
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Affiliation(s)
- José Barría-Herrera
- Escuela de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Hernán Vergara-Cortés
- Escuela de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Manuel Contreras-López
- Escuela de Ingeniería Civil Oceánica, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile; Programa Doctorado Interdisciplinario en Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Chile
| | - Nelson Rangel-Buitrago
- Programas de Física - Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Atlántico, Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia.
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Garcés-Ordóñez O, Espinosa LF, Cardoso RP, Issa Cardozo BB, Meigikos Dos Anjos R. Plastic litter pollution along sandy beaches in the Caribbean and Pacific coast of Colombia. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 267:115495. [PMID: 33254720 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a global problem that poses a threat to coastal and marine ecosystems and human livelihoods and requires effective solutions adaptable to local conditions. In Colombia, the knowledge about marine plastic pollution is still limited and the development of effective strategies for managing marine and coastal environments is crucial. Therefore, plastic pollution was assessed on 43 Colombian sandy beaches on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Amounts of macroplastic ranged from 35 ± 15 to 81 ± 23 items 100 m-1, being product's packaging the most common. Microplastic densities ranged from 3 to 1387 items m-2. The highest microplastic concentrations were found on the beaches from Caribbean cities and in rural areas of Pacific municipalities. Fragments and polyethylene were the most commonly observed shape and polymer categories, respectively. Tourism and poor waste management practices are the primary plastic sources on the studied beaches. Plastic litter on Colombian beaches are a problem that requires prevention, mitigation, and control actions to help conserve this ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ostin Garcés-Ordóñez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, José Benito Vives de Andrés -INVEMAR, Santa Marta, Colombia; Red de vigilancia para La Conservación y Protección de Las Aguas Marinas y Costeras de Colombia, REDCAM, Colombia; Red de Investigación de Los Estresores Marino Costeros de Latinoamérica y El Caribe, REMARCO, Colombia.
| | - Luisa F Espinosa
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, José Benito Vives de Andrés -INVEMAR, Santa Marta, Colombia; Red de vigilancia para La Conservación y Protección de Las Aguas Marinas y Costeras de Colombia, REDCAM, Colombia; Red de Investigación de Los Estresores Marino Costeros de Latinoamérica y El Caribe, REMARCO, Colombia
| | - Renan Pereira Cardoso
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Física, Laboratório de Radioecologia e Alterações Ambientais (LARA). Niterói, RJ, Brazil; Red de Investigación de Los Estresores Marino Costeros de Latinoamérica y El Caribe, REMARCO, Colombia
| | - Bárbara Barroso Issa Cardozo
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Física, Laboratório de Radioecologia e Alterações Ambientais (LARA). Niterói, RJ, Brazil; Red de Investigación de Los Estresores Marino Costeros de Latinoamérica y El Caribe, REMARCO, Colombia
| | - Roberto Meigikos Dos Anjos
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Física, Laboratório de Radioecologia e Alterações Ambientais (LARA). Niterói, RJ, Brazil; Red de Investigación de Los Estresores Marino Costeros de Latinoamérica y El Caribe, REMARCO, Colombia
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