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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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2
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Le PT, Hardesty BD, Auman HJ, Fischer AM. Frontal processes as drivers of floating marine debris in coastal areas. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 200:106654. [PMID: 39053211 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106654] [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: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
The influence of floating marine debris (FMD) on coastal and marine communities and ecosystems is undeniable, and attention is increasingly focused on ecologically and biologically important coastal areas. To protect marine life and valuable resources from FMD pollution, identifying FMD accumulation zones is recognized as a priority. One of the coastal ocean processes found governing the distribution of FMD is water convergence (frontal zones). These fronts are driven by various oceanographical factors. To date, the transport and accumulation of FMD in relation to fronts in coastal areas is poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we reviewed various types of ocean fronts as well as FMD accumulation along frontal zones in coastal areas defined as the region between the coastline and the shelf break. Frontogenesis (physical processes related to frontal formation) were reviewed alongside studies on FMD accumulation in frontal zones to identify physical factors that drive the pathways and accumulation in these areas. This review will contribute to our understanding of accumulation hotspots of FMD within ocean fronts and identify gaps for further research on developing a proxy for FMD hotspot identification in ecologically important coastal areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuc Td Le
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
| | - Britta Denise Hardesty
- The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia, Hobart, TAS, Australia; Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Heidi J Auman
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Andrew M Fischer
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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3
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Weiss L, Estournel C, Marsaleix P, Mikolajczak G, Constant M, Ludwig W. From source to sink: part 1-characterization and Lagrangian tracking of riverine microplastics in the Mediterranean Basin. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34635-6. [PMID: 39153065 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34635-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most critically polluted areas due to its semi-enclosed structure and its highly anthropized shoreline. Rivers are significant vectors for pollutant transfers from the continental to the marine environment. In this context, a 3D Lagrangian simulation of the dispersion of riverine microplastics (MPs) was performed, which included the application of a recently developed model that reassessed the MP fluxes discharged by rivers. MP physical properties from river samples were further investigated to approximate vertical displacement in modeled ocean currents. The use of a high-resolution circulation model, integrating Stokes drift, turbulent diffusion, and MP sinking and rising velocities, enabled us to establish stock balances. Our simulation suggested that 65% of river inputs may be made of floating MPs drifting in the surface layer and 35% of dense MPs sinking to deeper layers. The Eastern Mediterranean tends to accumulate floating MPs, primarily originating from the Western Mediterranean Basin, where major river sources are concentrated. After 2 years of simulation, modeled stranding sequestered 90% of the MP inputs, indicating relatively short average residence times from a few days to months at most for particles at sea. Although spatial distribution patterns stabilized after this period and a steady state may have been approached, the surface concentrations we modeled generally remained below field observations. This suggested either an underestimation of sources (rivers and unaccounted sources), by a factor of 6 at most, or an overestimation of MP withdrawal through stranding, to be reduced from 90 to around 60% or less if unaccounted sinks were considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Weiss
- Univ. Toulouse, IRD, CNRS, CNES, UPS, Laboratoire d'Etudes en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales (LEGOS), Toulouse, 31400, France.
- Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens (CEFREM), Perpignan, 66000, France.
| | - Claude Estournel
- Univ. Toulouse, IRD, CNRS, CNES, UPS, Laboratoire d'Etudes en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales (LEGOS), Toulouse, 31400, France
| | - Patrick Marsaleix
- Univ. Toulouse, IRD, CNRS, CNES, UPS, Laboratoire d'Etudes en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales (LEGOS), Toulouse, 31400, France
| | - Guillaume Mikolajczak
- Univ. Toulouse, IRD, CNRS, CNES, UPS, Laboratoire d'Etudes en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales (LEGOS), Toulouse, 31400, France
| | - Mel Constant
- Univ. Lille, Institut Mines-Télécom, Univ. Artois, Junia, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et géo-Environnement (LGCgE), Lille, 59000, France
| | - Wolfgang Ludwig
- Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens (CEFREM), Perpignan, 66000, France
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4
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Luo W, Fu H, Lu Q, Li B, Cao X, Chen S, Liu R, Tang B, Yan X, Zheng J. Microplastic pollution differences in freshwater river according to stream order: Insights from spatial distribution, annual load, and ecological assessment. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 366:121836. [PMID: 39018841 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121836] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution has become a pressing concern in global freshwater ecosystems because rivers serve as essential channels for the transport of terrestrial debris to the ocean. The current researches mostly focus on the large catchments, but the impact on the small catchments remains underexplored. In this study, we employed Strahler's stream order classification to delineate the catchment structure of the Beijiang River in South China. The distribution pattern of MP contamination and the factors influencing the distribution pattern, were assessed across the streams at different orders. We found that the Beijiang River was moderately polluted compare to other rivers in China, with an average MP abundance of 2.15 ± 1.65 items/L. MP abundance ranged from 3.17 to 1.45 items/L in the streams at different orders, and significantly decreased with increasing stream order (R2 = 0.93). This highlights the key role of small rivers as the channels for the transport of MPs from watersheds to main streams. The high abundance of PP and PE fibers, the high correlation between the stream order and the resin proportion (R2 = 0.89), and the significant correlation between MP abundance and proximity to urban centers (P = 0.02), indicated that MP pollution across the streams at different orders was predominantly influenced by anthropogenic activities, rather than natural environmental factors. By integrating MP data with hydrographic information, the annual MP loads for the streams at Orders 1 to Order 5 were estimated to be 4.63, 39.38, 204.63, 503.06, and 1137.88 tons/yr, respectively. Additionally, an ecological risk assessment indicates that MP pollution led to a low risk in the Beijiang River. Our findings deepen the understanding of MP pollution within freshwater river networks, and emphasize the crucial role of tributary systems in transporting MPs to main river channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weikeng Luo
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, PR China; Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Hongyu Fu
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China
| | - Qiyuan Lu
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China.
| | - Bowen Li
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China.
| | - Xue Cao
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China
| | - Sifan Chen
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China
| | - Ruijuan Liu
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China
| | - Bin Tang
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China
| | - Xiao Yan
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China
| | - Jing Zheng
- Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510530, PR China
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Bertin S, Rubio A, Hernández-Carrasco I, Solabarrieta L, Ruiz I, Orfila A, Sentchev A. Coastal current convergence structures in the Bay of Biscay from optimized high-frequency radar and satellite data. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 947:174372. [PMID: 38960183 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The southeastern Bay of Biscay has been described as a "dead end" for floating marine litter, often accumulating along small-scale linear streaks. Coastal Current Convergence Structures (CCS), often associated with vertical motions at river plume edges, estuarine fronts, or other physical processes, can be at the origin of the accumulation. Understanding the formation of CCS and their role in the transport of marine litter is essential to better quantify and to help mitigate marine litter pollution. The Lagrangian framework, used to estimate the absolute dispersion, and the finite-size Lyapunov exponents (FSLE), have proved very effective for identifying CCS in the current velocity field. However, the quality of CCS identification depends strongly on the Eulerian fields. Two surface current velocity data sets were used in the analysis: the remotely sensed velocities from the EuskOOS High-Frequency Radar (HFR) network and velocities from three-dimensional model outputs. They were complemented by drifting buoy velocity measurements. An optimization method, involving the fusion of drifting buoys and HFR velocities is proposed to better reconstruct the fine-scale structure of the current velocity field. Merging these two sources of velocity data reduced the mean Lagrangian error and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) by 50 % and 30 % respectively, significantly improving velocity reconstruction. FSLE ridgelines obtained from the Lagrangian analysis of optimized velocities were compared with remotely sensed concentrations of Chlorophyll-a. It was shown that ridgelines control the spatial distribution of phytoplankton. They fundamentally represent the CCS which can potentially affect marine litter aggregation. Analysis of the absolute dispersion revealed large stirring in the alongshore direction which was also confirmed by spatial distribution of FSLE ridgelines. The alignment between FSLE ridgelines and patterns of high Chlorophyll-a concentration was observed, often determining the limits of river plume expansion in the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Bertin
- Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, LOG, UMR 8187, Wimereux, France; AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain.
| | - A Rubio
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | | | - L Solabarrieta
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - I Ruiz
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - A Orfila
- Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançat (IMEDEA), Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - A Sentchev
- Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, LOG, UMR 8187, Wimereux, France
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6
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Honorato-Zimmer D, Escobar-Sánchez G, Deakin K, De Veer D, Galloway T, Guevara-Torrejón V, Howard J, Jones J, Lewis C, Ribeiro F, Savage G, Thiel M. Macrolitter and microplastics along the East Pacific coasts - A homemade problem needing local solutions. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116440. [PMID: 38718548 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116440] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
The East Pacific (EP) region, especially the central and southern EP, has been fairly less studied than other world's regions with respect to marine litter pollution. This comprehensive literature review (257 peer-reviewed publications) showed that both macrolitter (mostly plastics) and microplastics tend to accumulate on EP shorelines. Moreover, they were also reported in all the other compartments investigated: sea surface, water column, seafloor and 'others'. Mostly local, land-based sources (e.g., tourism, poor waste management) were identified across the region, especially at continental sites from low and mid latitudes. Some sea-based sources (e.g., fisheries, long-distance drifting) were also identified at high latitudes and on oceanic islands, likely enhanced by the oceanographic dynamics of the EP that affect transport of floating litter. Our results suggest that effective solutions to the problem require local and preventive strategies to significantly reduce the levels of litter along the EP coasts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriela Escobar-Sánchez
- Coastal and Marine Management Group, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany; Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, Universiteto Ave. 17, LT-92294, Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Katie Deakin
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Diamela De Veer
- Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
| | - Tamara Galloway
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | | | - Jessica Howard
- Galapagos Conservation Trust, 7-14 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4YR, UK
| | - Jen Jones
- Galapagos Conservation Trust, 7-14 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4YR, UK
| | - Ceri Lewis
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | | | - Georgie Savage
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Martin Thiel
- Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile; Millennium Nucleus Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Island (ESMOI), Coquimbo, Chile; MarineGEO, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA.
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7
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Garrard SL, Clark JR, Martin N, Nelms SE, Botterell ZLR, Cole M, Coppock RL, Galloway TS, Green DS, Jones M, Lindeque PK, Tillin HM, Beaumont NJ. Identifying potential high-risk zones for land-derived plastic litter to marine megafauna and key habitats within the North Atlantic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171282. [PMID: 38412875 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171282] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The pervasive use of plastic in modern society has led to plastic litter becoming ubiquitous within the ocean. Land-based sources of plastic litter are thought to account for the majority of plastic pollution in the marine environment, with plastic bags, bottles, wrappers, food containers and cutlery among the most common items found. In the marine environment, plastic is a transboundary pollutant, with the potential to cause damage far beyond the political borders from where it originated, making the management of this global pollutant particularly complex. In this study, the risks of land-derived plastic litter (LDPL) to major groups of marine megafauna - seabirds, cetaceans, pinnipeds, elasmobranchs, turtles, sirenians, tuna and billfish - and a selection of productive and biodiverse biogenic habitats - coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, saltmarsh and kelp beds - were analysed using a Spatial Risk Assessment approach. The approach combines metrics for vulnerability (mechanism of harm for megafauna group or habitat), hazard (plastic abundance) and exposure (distribution of group or habitat). Several potential high-risk zones (HRZs) across the North Atlantic were highlighted, including the Azores, the UK, the French and US Atlantic coasts, and the US Gulf of Mexico. Whilst much of the modelled LDPL driving risk in the UK originated from domestic sources, in other HRZs, such as the Azores archipelago and the US Gulf of Mexico, plastic originated almost exclusively from external (non-domestic) sources. LDPL from Caribbean islands - some of the largest generators of marine plastic pollution in the dataset of river plastic emissions used in the study - was noted as a significant input to HRZs across both sides of the Atlantic. These findings highlight the potential of Spatial Risk Assessment analyses to determine the location of HRZs and understand where plastic debris monitoring and management should be prioritised, enabling more efficient deployment of interventions and mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Garrard
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom.
| | - James R Clark
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Martin
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E Nelms
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Zara L R Botterell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Cole
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel L Coppock
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Tamara S Galloway
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Dannielle S Green
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, United Kingdom
| | - Megan Jones
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, United Kingdom
| | - Pennie K Lindeque
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Heidi M Tillin
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J Beaumont
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
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8
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Kumar M, Bhujbal SK, Kohli K, Prajapati R, Sharma BK, Sawarkar AD, Abhishek K, Bolan S, Ghosh P, Kirkham MB, Padhye LP, Pandey A, Vithanage M, Bolan N. A review on value-addition to plastic waste towards achieving a circular economy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171106. [PMID: 38387564 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Plastic and mixed plastic waste (PW) has received increased worldwide attention owing to its huge rate of production, high persistency in the environment, and unsustainable waste management practices. Therefore, sustainable PW management and upcycling approaches are imperative to achieve the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Numerous recent studies have shown the application and feasibility of various PW conversion techniques to produce materials with better economic value. Within this framework, the current review provides an in-depth analysis of cutting-edge thermochemical technologies such as pyrolysis, gasification, carbonization, and photocatalysis that can be used to value plastic and mixed PW in order to produce energy and industrial chemicals. Additionally, a thorough examination of the environmental impacts of contemporary PW upcycling techniques and their commercial feasibility through life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economical assessment are provided in this review. Finally, this review emphasizes the opportunities and challenges accompanying with existing PW upcycling techniques and deliver recommendations for future research works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Kumar
- Amity Institute of Environmental Sciences, Amity University, Noida, India.
| | - Sachin Krushna Bhujbal
- Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Kirtika Kohli
- Distillate and Heavy Oil Processing Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun 248005, India
| | - Ravindra Prajapati
- Prairie Research Institute-Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | - Brajendra K Sharma
- Prairie Research Institute-Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA; United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Eastern Regional Research Center Sustainable Biofuels and Co-Products Research Unit, 600 E. Mermaid Ln., Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
| | - Ankush D Sawarkar
- Department of Information Technology, Shri Guru Gobind Singhji Institute of Engineering and Technology (SGGSIET), Nanded, Maharashtra 431 606, India
| | - Kumar Abhishek
- Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Bihar, Patna, India
| | - Shiv Bolan
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, Australia; The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, Australia
| | - Pooja Ghosh
- Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India; Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211, Finland
| | - M B Kirkham
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Lokesh P Padhye
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Ashok Pandey
- Centre for Innovation and Translational Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow 226 001, India; Kyung Hee University, Kyung Hee Dae Ro 26, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248 007, Uttarakhand, India; Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Lucknow 226029, India
| | - Meththika Vithanage
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, Australia; Ecosphere Resilience Research Center, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda 10250, Sri Lanka
| | - Nanthi Bolan
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, Australia; The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, Australia.
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9
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Irfan T, Isobe A, Matsuura H. A particle tracking model approach to determine the dispersal of riverine plastic debris released into the Indian Ocean. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 199:115985. [PMID: 38184858 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115985] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Although the Indian Ocean receives a large amount of land-based plastic waste, the studies on pathways of riverine plastic debris are limited to date. Therefore, a particle tracking model that included ocean surface currents, horizontal diffusion, Stokes drift, windage, and beaching/re-drifting processes was developed to reproduce the behavior of riverine plastic debris in the Indian Ocean. The modeled particles were released in the model domain based on riverine plastic debris database. The maximum abundance of beached particles occurred during the southwesterly monsoon season, particularly in the Bay of Bengal. The particles released from the rivers were trapped in the northern Indian Ocean unless both Stokes drift and windage were excluded from transportation velocity. These results suggest that the riverine plastic debris was trapped in the northern Indian Ocean until it fragmented into less buoyant small microplastics drifting in the subsurface layer, free from windage and Stokes drift at increasing depths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahira Irfan
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan.
| | - Atsuhiko Isobe
- Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan
| | - Hiromi Matsuura
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan
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10
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Le PTD, Fischer AM, Hardesty BD, Auman HJ, Wilcox C. Relationship between floating marine debris accumulation and coastal fronts in the Northeast coast of the USA. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115818. [PMID: 38000263 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115818] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Floating marine debris (FMD) is one of the world's most concerning issues due to its potential impact on biodiversity, communities, and ecosystem services. FMD transport and concentrations are driven by fronts, generated by oceanographic processes, and the accumulation of FMD has been reported in gyres, eddies, tidal fronts, salinity fronts, and coastal fronts. This study explores the relationship between fronts and FMD accumulation in the Gulf of Maine (GoM) and the surrounding coastal areas (USA). Frontal edge detection algorithms were applied to sea surface temperature (SST) imagery from the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) between 2002 and 2012. Frontal location is spatially correlated with FMD concentrations collected by the Sea Education Association. Higher concentrations of FMD are associated with frontal frequencies (FF) of 5-10 %. FMD is trapped between fronts and the coastline in accumulation zones. These results highlight the need to consider coastal FMD hotspots, given these are areas of high biodiversity value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuc T D Le
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
| | - Andrew M Fischer
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Britta D Hardesty
- The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia, Hobart, TAS, Australia; Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Heidi J Auman
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Chris Wilcox
- The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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11
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Hu S, Johnson DM, Jiang M, Zhang J, Huang Y, Xi Y, Xu T. The effect of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) color on biofilm development and biofilm-heavy metal chemodynamics in the aquatic environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166924. [PMID: 37704145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166924] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastic surfaces are colonized by microorganisms and biofilms are formed in the natural aquatic environment. As the biofilm develops, it changes the density and buoyancy of the plastic-biofilm complex, results in plastic sinking, and increases the heavy metals accumulated by biofilm's mobility and availability in aquatic ecosystems. In this experiment, biofilms were cultured on five colors of polyvinyl chloride (PVC; transparent, green, blue, red, black) in an aquatic environment to investigate the effects of plastic color on biofilm formation and development (Phase 1) and to study the effects of being sunk below the photic zone on biofilm (Phase 2). The PVC color significantly affected the biofilm formation rate but had no impact on the final biofilm biomass. After sinking the biofilm-PVC below the photic zone in Phase 2, the layer of diatoms on the biofilm surface began to disintegrate, and the biomass and Chlorophyll-a (Chla) content of the biofilm decreased, except on the red PVC. Below the photic zone, the microbial community of the biofilm changed from primarily autotrophic microbes to mostly heterotrophic microbes. Microbial diversity increased and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content decreased. The primary factor leading to microbial diversity and community structure changes was water depth rather than PVC color. The changes induced in the biofilm led to an increase in the concentration of all heavy metals in the biofilm, related to the increase in microbial diversity. This study provides new insights into the biofilm formation process and the effects on a biofilm when it sinks below the photic zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Hu
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - David M Johnson
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Menghan Jiang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Junjie Zhang
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Yingping Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Ying Xi
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Tao Xu
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China.
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12
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De Veer D, Baeza-Álvarez J, Bolaños S, Cavour Araya S, Darquea JJ, Díaz Poblete MA, Domínguez G, Holtmann-Ahumada G, Honorato-Zimmer D, Gaibor N, Gallardo MDLÁ, Guevara Torrejón V, León Chumpitaz A, Marcús Zamora L, Mora V, Muñoz Araya JM, Pernía B, Purca S, Rivadeneira MM, Sánchez OA, Sepúlveda JM, Urbina M, Vásquez N, Vélez Tacuri J, Villalobos V, Villanueva Brücher B, Thiel M. Citizen scientists study beach litter along 12,000 km of the East Pacific coast: A baseline for the International Plastic Treaty. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 196:115481. [PMID: 37857060 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115481] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic Marine Litter (AML) accumulating on beaches causes damage to coastal ecosystems and high costs to local communities. Volunteers sampled AML on 130 beaches along the central and southern East Pacific coasts, with AML densities ranging from 0.46 to 2.26 items m-2 in the different countries. AML composition was dominated by plastics and cigarette butts, the latter especially in Mexico and Chile. The accumulation of AML in the upper zones of the beaches and substantial proportions of cigarette butts, glass and metal pointed mainly to local sources. Statistical modelling of litter sources on continental beaches revealed that tourism, access and related infrastructure (e.g. parking lots) best explained AML densities, while plastic densities were also influenced by the distance from river mouths and national Gross Domestic Product. Large-scale monitoring can be a useful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of public policies that should primarily focus on land sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diamela De Veer
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Jostein Baeza-Álvarez
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Solange Bolaños
- Reserva Marina El Pelado, Ministerio del Ambiente Agua y Transición Ecológica de Ecuador, Km 21,5 Ruta de la Spondylus, Valdivia 240110, Ecuador
| | - Sebastián Cavour Araya
- Laboratorio de Estudios Algales (ALGALAB), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile; Fundación Valve, Concepción, Chile
| | - Jodie J Darquea
- Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena, Avda. Principal La Libertad, Santa Elena, 240204 La Libertad, Ecuador
| | - Manuel A Díaz Poblete
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Gustavo Domínguez
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | | | | | - Nikita Gaibor
- Instituto Publico de Investigación de Acuicultura y Pesca, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Universidad del Pacífico, Vía a la Costa, Av. José Rodríguez Bonín, Guayaquil 090904, Ecuador
| | - María de Los Ángeles Gallardo
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Center of Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands (ESMOI), Coquimbo, Chile
| | | | - Alejandra León Chumpitaz
- Fundación Valve, Concepción, Chile; Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Biológicas, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Lara Marcús Zamora
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Lago Panguipulli 1390, 5501842 Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Valentina Mora
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Juan Manuel Muñoz Araya
- Programa Parque Marino del Pacífico, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional (UNA), Heredia 40101, Costa Rica; Parque Marino del Pacífico, Paseo de los Turistas, Puntarenas 60101, Costa Rica
| | - Beatriz Pernía
- Facultad Ciencias Naturales, Universidad de Guayaquil, Av. Raúl Gómez Lince s/n y Av. Juan Tanca Marengo, Guayaquil 090150, Ecuador
| | - Sara Purca
- Área Funcional de Investigaciones Marino Costeras (AFIMC), Dirección General de Investigaciones en Acuicultura (DGIA), Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE), Esquina Gamarra y Gral. Valle S/N, Chucuito-Callao, Peru
| | - Marcelo M Rivadeneira
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Osmel Alberto Sánchez
- Universidad Gerardo Barrios, Campus San Miguel Calle Las Flores y Avenida Las Magnolias Colonia Escolán, San Miguel, El Salvador
| | - José Miguel Sepúlveda
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Colegio Eusebio Lillo, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Mauricio Urbina
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile; Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía (IMO), Universidad de Concepción, PO Pox 1313, Concepción, Chile
| | - Nelson Vásquez
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - José Vélez Tacuri
- Fundación Red de Agentes por la Conservación y Sostenibilidad de los Ecosistemas (RACSE), Villas del Seguro Av. Florencia y Calle Oliva Miranda 130204, Manta, Manabí, Ecuador
| | - Vieia Villalobos
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | | | - Martin Thiel
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Center of Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands (ESMOI), Coquimbo, Chile; Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo, Chile.
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13
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You Y, Della Penna A, Thrush SF. Modelled broad-scale shifts on seafloor ecosystem functioning due to microplastic impacts on bioturbation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17121. [PMID: 37816828 PMCID: PMC10564913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44425-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioturbating species play an essential role in regulating nutrient cycling in marine sediments, but their interaction with microplastics (MP) remains poorly understood. Here we investigated the linkage between MP and ecosystem functioning using experimental observations of luminophore distribution in the sediment to parametrize bioturbation coefficients (Db). this information as fed into a simplified transport-reaction model, allowing us to upscale our experimental results. We found that the composition of bioturbators modulated shifts in the ecosystem functioning under microplastic stress. Maldanid worms (Macroclymenella stewartensis), functionally deep burrowing and upward-conveyor belt feeders, became less active. The Db of M. stewartensis reduced by 25% with the addition of 0.002 g MP cm-2 at surface sediment, causing accumulation of organic matter in the oxic sediment zone and stimulating aerobic respiration by 18%. In contract, the tellinid bivalve Macomona liliana, functionally a surface -deposit feeder that excretes at depth, maintained particle mixing behaviour in MP-contaminated systems. This study provides a mechanistic insight into the impacts of MP and indicates that the functional role of bioturbating species should be involved in assessing the global impact of MP. The model allowed us to understand the broad-scale impact of MP on seafloor habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi You
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand.
| | - Alice Della Penna
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
- School of Biology Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Simon Francis Thrush
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
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14
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Rech S, Arias RM, Vadell S, Gordon D, Thiel M. Daily accumulation rates of floating debris and attached biota on continental and oceanic island shores in the SE Pacific: testing predictions based on global models. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15550. [PMID: 37525658 PMCID: PMC10387232 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Long-distance rafting on anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) is thought to have a significant impact on global marine biogeography and the dispersal of non-indigenous species. Therefore, early identification of arrival sites of AMD and its epibionts is crucial for the prioritization of preventive measures. As accumulation patterns along global coastlines are largely unstudied, we tested if existing oceanographic models and knowledge about upstream sources of litter and epibionts can be used as a simple and cost-efficient approach for predicting probable arrival sites of AMD-rafting biota in coastal zones. Methods Using the Southeast Pacific as a model system, we studied daily accumulation rates, composition, and minimum floating times of AMD with and without epibionts on seven sandy beaches, covering the oceanic environment (Rapa Nui/Easter Island) and three regions (south, centre, north) along the Chilean continental coast, over a minimum of 10 consecutive days, and we contrast our results with predictions from published models. Results Total AMD accumulation rates varied from 56 ± 36 (mean ± standard deviation) to 388 ± 433 items km-1 d-1 and differed strongly between regions, in accordance with local geomorphology and socioeconomic conditions (presence of larger cities and rivers upstream, main economic activities, etc.). Daily accumulation of items with pelagic epibionts (indicators of a pelagic trajectory) ranged from 46 ± 29 (Rapa Nui) to 0.0 items km-1 d-1 (northern continental region). Minimum floating times of rafts, as estimated from the size of pelagic epibionts, were longest in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre's (SPSG) centre region, followed by the high-latitude continental region under the influence of the onshore West Wind Drift, and decreased along the continental alongshore upwelling current, towards lower latitudes. Apart from pelagic rafters, a wide range of benthic epibionts, including invasive and cryptogenic species, was found on rafts at the continental beaches. Similarly, we present another record of local benthic corals Pocillopora sp., on Rapa Nui rafts. Discussion Our results agree with the predictions made by recent models based on the prevailing wind and surface current regimes, with high frequencies of long-distance rafting in the oceanic SPSG centre and very low frequencies along the continental coast. These findings confirm the suitability of such models in predicting arrival hotspots of AMD and rafting species. Moreover, storm surges as well as site-related factors seem to influence AMD arrival patterns along the Chilean continental coast and might cause the observed high variability between sampling sites and days. Our results highlight the possible importance of rafting as a vector of along-shore dispersal and range expansions along the SE Pacific continental coast and add to the discussion about its role in benthic species dispersal between South Pacific oceanic islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Rech
- Departamento de Biologia Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Center for Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands ESMOI, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Rene Matias Arias
- Departamento de Biologia Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Simón Vadell
- Departamento de Biologia Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Dennis Gordon
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Kilbirnie, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Martin Thiel
- Departamento de Biologia Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Center for Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands ESMOI, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo, Chile
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15
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Fulfer VM, Walsh JP. Extensive estuarine sedimentary storage of plastics from city to sea: Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10195. [PMID: 37353683 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36228-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Plastics are an important new component of the global sedimentary system, and much concern exists about their transport, fate and impact. This study presents the first system-scale assessment of sedimentary storage of microplastic for an estuary, Narragansett Bay, RI (USA), and the measurements of shoreline and seabed sediments add to the growing body of literature demonstrating high coastal concentrations. Microplastic concentrations in sediments ranged from 396 to over 13,000 MP particles kg-1 dry sediment (DW), comparable to other shoreline and seafloor sites located near urban centers. As previously reported for fine sediment and other pollutants, estuarine plastic storage is extensive in Narragansett Bay, especially within the upper urbanized reaches. Over 16 trillion pieces of plastic weighing near 1000 tonnes is calculated to be stored in surface sediments of the Bay based on a power-law fit. This work highlights that estuaries may serve as a significant filter for plastic pollution, and this trapping may have negative consequences for these valuable, productive ecosystems but offer potential for efficient removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M Fulfer
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, 02882, USA.
- Coastal Resources Center, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, 02882, USA.
| | - J P Walsh
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, 02882, USA
- Coastal Resources Center, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, 02882, USA
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16
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Born MP, Brüll C, Schaefer D, Hillebrand G, Schüttrumpf H. Determination of Microplastics' Vertical Concentration Transport (Rouse) Profiles in Flumes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:5569-5579. [PMID: 36976958 PMCID: PMC10132703 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The transport behavior of microplastics (MPs) in the fluvial environment is scarcely researched. Besides settling velocities and critical shear stress for erosion, only a few investigations aim at MPs' vertical concentration profile and the underlying theory required. Therefore, this paper's experiments investigate vertical concentration profiles of approximately spherical MP particles (d = 1-3 mm) with densities close to water (0.91-1.13 g/cm3) in flow channels, coupling them with fundamental theory for the first time. The experiments were conducted in a tiling flume (slope of 0-2.4%) at 67 and 80 mm water depth, with a turbulent flow, velocities ranging from 0.4 to 1.8 m/s, and turbulence kinetic energy from 0.002 to 0.08 m2/s2. The measured profiles confirm the assumption that the concentration profile shapes of settling plastics are similar to those of sediments and running reversed for buoyant plastics. Furthermore, the hypothesis of the Rouse formula's applicability for floating and sinking plastics could be confirmed for approximately uniform flows. Future studies tying in with this research should increase particle properties and hydraulic parameter variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian P. Born
- Institute
of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, RWTH-Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Straße 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Catrina Brüll
- Institute
of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, RWTH-Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Straße 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Dirk Schaefer
- Federal
Institute for Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Gudrun Hillebrand
- Federal
Institute for Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Holger Schüttrumpf
- Institute
of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, RWTH-Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Straße 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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17
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Pasqualini V, Garrido M, Cecchi P, Connès C, Couté A, El Rakwe M, Henry M, Hervio-Heath D, Quilichini Y, Simonnet J, Rinnert E, Vitré T, Galgani F. Harmful algae and pathogens on plastics in three mediterranean coastal lagoons. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13654. [PMID: 36895393 PMCID: PMC9988496 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Plastic is now a pervasive pollutant in all marine ecosystems. The microplastics and macroplastic debris were studied in three French Mediterranean coastal lagoons (Prevost, Biguglia and Diana lagoons), displaying different environmental characteristics. In addition, biofilm samples were analyzed over the seasons to quantify and identify microalgae communities colonizing macroplastics, and determine potentially harmful microorganisms. Results indicate low but highly variable concentrations of microplastics, in relation to the period and location of sampling. Micro-Raman spectroscopy analyses revealed that the majority of macroplastic debris corresponded to polyethylene (PE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and to a far lesser extent to polypropylene (PP). The observations by Scanning Electron Microscopy of microalgae communities colonizing macroplastic debris demonstrated differences depending on the seasons, with higher amounts in spring and summer, but without any variation between lagoons and polymers. Among the Diatomophyceae, the most dominant genera were Amphora spp., Cocconeis spp., and Navicula spp.. Cyanobacteria and Dinophyceae such as Prorocentrum cordatum, a potentially toxic species, were also found sporadically. The use of Primer specific DNA amplification tools enabled us to detect potentially harmful microorganisms colonizing plastics, such as Alexandrium minutum or Vibrio spp. An additional in situ experiment performed over one year revealed an increase in the diversity of colonizing microalgae in relation to the duration of immersion for the three tested polymers PE, LDPE and polyethylene terephthalates (PET). Vibrio settled durably after two weeks of immersion, whatever the polymer. This study confirms that Mediterranean coastal lagoons are vulnerable to the presence of macroplastic debris that may passively host and transport various species, including some potentially harmful algal and bacterial microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanina Pasqualini
- UMR SPE CNRS - UMS Stella Mare CNRS, University of Corsica, BP 52, 20250, Corte, France
| | - Marie Garrido
- Environmental Agency of Corsica, 7 Avenue Jean Nicoli, 20250, Corte, France
| | - Philippe Cecchi
- UMR MARBEC, IRD CNRS IFREMER, University of Montpellier, CC093, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Coralie Connès
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Environnement Ressources Provence-Azur-Corse (LER/PAC), Station de Bastia, Zone Industrielle de Furiani, 20600, Bastia, France
| | - Alain Couté
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Département RDDM, FRE 3206, USM 505, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Maria El Rakwe
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Détection, Capteurs et Mesures (LDCM), Centre Bretagne, ZI de la Pointe du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Maryvonne Henry
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Environnement Ressources Provence-Azur-Corse (LER/PAC), Station de Toulon, Zone Portuaire de Brégaillon, CS 20330, 83507, La Seyne sur Mer, France
| | - Dominique Hervio-Heath
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Adaptation, Reproduction et Nutrition des Poissons (LARN), Centre Bretagne, ZI de la Pointe du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Yann Quilichini
- UMR SPE CNRS - UMS Stella Mare CNRS, University of Corsica, BP 52, 20250, Corte, France
| | - Jérémy Simonnet
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Santé, Environnement et Microbiologie (LSEM), Centre Bretagne, ZI de la Pointe du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Emmanuel Rinnert
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Cycle Géochimique et Ressources (LCG), Centre Bretagne, ZI de la Pointe du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Thomas Vitré
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Adaptation, Reproduction et Nutrition des Poissons (LARN), Centre Bretagne, ZI de la Pointe du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - François Galgani
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Environnement Ressources Provence-Azur-Corse (LER/PAC), Station de Bastia, Zone Industrielle de Furiani, 20600, Bastia, France
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18
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Brandler KG, Carlton JT. First report of marine debris as a species dispersal vector in the temperate Northwest Atlantic Ocean. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 188:114631. [PMID: 36706547 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We provide the first report of the role of marine debris in transporting native and introduced species in the temperate Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Plastic was the most frequent biofouled material. Thirty-three attached species (five non-native) were found on rafted debris, 16 of which have not been previously reported as rafters. Forty-six percent of the attached invertebrate rafters (including three of the introduced species, the bryozoans Fenestrulina delicia and Tricellaria inopinata and the spirorbid Janua heterostropha) detected in this study reproduce by either direct development or produce larvae of short-term planktonic existence, suggesting that rafting on long-term, non-biodegradable debris may enhance their dispersal potential. We suggest that a prominent non-native species, the green alga Codium fragile fragile, may play a previously undetected role in the transport of marine debris and associated biofouling. Marine debris may further be a potentially significant source of biodiversity records; we detected two bryozoan species in our study region that were either previously unknown or had not been found for >75 years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James T Carlton
- Ocean & Coastal Studies Program, Williams College-Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT 06355, USA.
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Bajon R, Huck T, Grima N, Maes C, Blanke B, Richon C, Couvelard X. Influence of waves on the three-dimensional distribution of plastic in the ocean. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 187:114533. [PMID: 36610301 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The world's oceans are facing plastic pollution, 80 % of which of terrestrial origin flowing from the mismanaged waste of coastal populations and from river discharge. To study the fate of this pollution, the three-dimensional trajectories of neutral plastic particles continuously released for 24 years according to realistic source scenarios are computed using currents from a global ocean-wave coupled model at 14∘ resolution and from a reference ocean-only model. These Lagrangian simulations show that neutral particles accumulate at the surface in the subtropical convergence zones from where they penetrate to about 250 m depth and strongly disperse over 40∘ of latitude. About 5.3 % of the particles remain at the surface with the wave-coupled model currents, whereas only 2 % for the uncoupled model, with some modulation in the location of the convergence zones. Increased surface retention results from upward vertical velocities induced by widespread divergence of waves-induced Stokes transport in the surface layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Bajon
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Thierry Huck
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Nicolas Grima
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Christophe Maes
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Bruno Blanke
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Camille Richon
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Xavier Couvelard
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
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Merlino S, Locritani M, Guarnieri A, Delrosso D, Bianucci M, Paterni M. Marine Litter Tracking System: A Case Study with Open-Source Technology and a Citizen Science-Based Approach. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:935. [PMID: 36679731 PMCID: PMC9863889 DOI: 10.3390/s23020935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
It is well established that most of the plastic pollution found in the oceans is transported via rivers. Unfortunately, the main processes contributing to plastic and debris displacement through riparian systems is still poorly understood. The Marine Litter Drifter project from the Arno River aims at using modern consumer software and hardware technologies to track the movements of real anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) from rivers. The innovative "Marine Litter Trackers" (MLT) were utilized as they are reliable, robust, self-powered and they present almost no maintenance costs. Furthermore, they can be built not only by those trained in the field but also by those with no specific expertise, including high school students, simply by following the instructions. Five dispersion experiments were successfully conducted from April 2021 to December 2021, using different types of trackers in different seasons and weather conditions. The maximum distance tracked was 2845 km for a period of 94 days. The activity at sea was integrated by use of Lagrangian numerical models that also assisted in planning the deployments and the recovery of drifters. The observed tracking data in turn were used for calibration and validation, recursively improving their quality. The dynamics of marine litter (ML) dispersion in the Tyrrhenian Sea is also discussed, along with the potential for open-source approaches including the "citizen science" perspective for both improving big data collection and educating/awareness-raising on AMD issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Merlino
- CNR-ISMAR (Istituto di Scienze Marine-Sede di La Spezia), 19032 La Spezia, Italy
| | - Marina Locritani
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Roma 2, 00143 Roma, Italy
| | - Antonio Guarnieri
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Damiano Delrosso
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Bianucci
- CNR-ISMAR (Istituto di Scienze Marine-Sede di La Spezia), 19032 La Spezia, Italy
| | - Marco Paterni
- CNR-IFC (Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica-Pisa), 56124 Pisa, Italy
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21
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Courtene-Jones W, van Gennip S, Penicaud J, Penn E, Thompson RC. Synthetic microplastic abundance and composition along a longitudinal gradient traversing the subtropical gyre in the North Atlantic Ocean. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 185:114371. [PMID: 36423567 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114371] [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: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution has been reported in the North Atlantic Ocean since the 1970s, yet limited data over subsequent decades pose challenges when assessing spatio-temporal trends in relation to global leakages and intervention strategies. This study quantified microplastics within the upper ocean along a longitudinal transect of the North Atlantic and its subtropical gyre. Microplastics were sampled from surface and subsurface (-25 m) water using a manta trawl and NIKSIN bottle respectively. The surface water polymer community varied significantly between geographic positions ('inshore', 'gyre', 'open ocean'), and was significantly influenced by fragment quantity. Compared to other positions, the North Atlantic gyre was associated with high concentrations of polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic and polyamide fragments. Subsurface water was dominated by polyamide and polyester fibres. Backtracked 2-year Lagrangian simulations illustrated connectivity patterns. Continued monitoring of microplastics throughout the water column of the North Atlantic Ocean is required to address knowledge gaps and assess spatio-temporal trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winnie Courtene-Jones
- International Marine Litter Research Unit, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK.
| | | | | | | | - Richard C Thompson
- International Marine Litter Research Unit, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK
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22
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Uhrin AV, Hong S, Burgess HK, Lim S, Dettloff K. Towards a North Pacific long-term monitoring program for ocean plastic pollution: A systematic review and recommendations for shorelines. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 310:119862. [PMID: 35961575 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119862] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Increased organized monitoring is key to improving our understanding of marine debris on shorelines. Shorelines are demonstrated sinks for marine debris but efforts to quantify debris often fail to capture and report core variables and survey design techniques necessary to ensure study repeatability, comparability and to provide meaningful results. Here, we systematically review the available literature regarding marine debris distribution and abundance on shorelines of countries bordering the North Pacific Ocean (NPO), which are demonstrated to have unusually high marine debris abundance and diversity both at the ocean surface and stranded on shorelines. The majority of the 81 papers documenting shoreline debris in the NPO were studies that took place for less than one year (76.5%). Additionally, most sampling sites were visited only once (57.3%). Precise site locations (GPS coordinates) were provided in only 44.4% of the evaluated studies. Debris quantities were reported using nine different measurement units, with item counts per area and item counts per mass being most commonly reported for macro- and microplastics, respectively. Taken together, most of the reviewed studies could not be repeated by others given the information provided. We propose a series of guidelines with regard to marine debris shoreline sampling metrics, indicators, methods, and target goals in the NPO in order to improve comparability and repeatability. These follow the basic tenets of environmental survey design, which when not accounted for, can limit the applicability and value of large-scale shoreline monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy V Uhrin
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Response and Restoration, Marine Debris Division, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
| | - Sunwook Hong
- Korea Marine Litter Institute, Our Sea of East Asia Network, 210 Daimsolcounty 23-57, Jukrim 3 -ro, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, 650-826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hillary K Burgess
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Response and Restoration, Marine Debris Division, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA; Genwest Systems, Inc.; Edmonds, WA, USA
| | - Sehan Lim
- Department of Oceanography, Faculty of Science, Republic of Korea Naval Academy, Jungwon-ro 1, Jinhae-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, 51704, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyle Dettloff
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Statistics Division, Miami, FL, 33149, USA
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23
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Pinho I, Amezcua F, Rivera JM, Green-Ruiz C, Piñón-Colin TDJ, Wakida F. First report of plastic contamination in batoids: Plastic ingestion by Haller's Round Ray (Urobatis halleri) in the Gulf of California. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 211:113077. [PMID: 35276199 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113077] [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: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The presence of microplastics has been reported in the marine environment and these pollutants have also been reported in food webs. Information about the presence of microplastics in the Haller's Round Ray (Urobatis halleri) and bottom sediments off the east coast of the Gulf of California is non-existent. The digestive tracts of individuals of this species and sediment samples were examined for plastic particles in this region. In total, 107 plastic particles were found in the sediment. All were fibers and 94.4% were microplastics, the rest were mesoplastics. The gastrointestinal tracts of 142 rays were analysed, and it was determined that this is a benthic feeder. A total of 386 plastic particles were recovered from 46 individuals (32.4%). On average 10.2 (±7.4) plastic particles were found per specimen, with plastic lengths ranging from 0.00821 mm to 0.953 mm. The FTIR-ATR analysis revealed the presence of six types of polymers: polyamide or nylon polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyacrylic were found in both sediments and gastrointestinal tracts of Haller's Round Ray. Polyethylene terephthalate and polyacrylamide were only found in the gastrointestinal tracts of the ray. These polymers are consistent with the human activities undertaken in this area, specifically intensive small-scale and industrial fisheries, as they are used for the elaboration of fishing nets, plastic bags, storage containers, clothing, and fishing boats maintenance. Our results show that benthic feeders are exposed to plastic debris, and its presence is another potential threat to batoids, which are already threatened by bycatch, overfishing, and other pollutants. However, studies on the ingestion of plastic debris in batoids and its presence in the sediment are still scarce or non-existent for this region. As such, these studies are necessary to help in the preservation of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Pinho
- International MSc in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Ghent University, Marine Biology Research Group, Krijgslaan 281/S8, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Felipe Amezcua
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Joel Montes Camarena S/N, Mazatlán, Sin, 82040, Mexico.
| | - Jessica M Rivera
- Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Ramón Padilla Sánchez 2100, Las Agujas, 44600, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Carlos Green-Ruiz
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Joel Montes Camarena S/N, Mazatlán, Sin, 82040, Mexico
| | - Teresita de Jesus Piñón-Colin
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Calzada Universidad 14418, Parque Industrial Internacional Tijuana, C.P. 22390, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Fernando Wakida
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Calzada Universidad 14418, Parque Industrial Internacional Tijuana, C.P. 22390, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
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On the Fate of Floating Marine Debris Carried to the Sea through the Main Rivers of Indonesia. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10081009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Plastic debris has become an acute marine pollution concern worldwide in modern times. Indonesia is particularly impacted because of its high population density, heavy rainfall rate and numerous coastlines. A Lagrangian analysis was performed to simulate the fate of fictive marine debris drifting along surface currents, including tides and Stokes drift. The fictive particles were released according to the discharge rate of 21 Indonesian rivers and advected over 4 years. Most of the particles were stranded along Indonesian coasts (60%), before 6 months had elapsed (84%) and within a range of 1000 km (76%). The time variability exhibited two seasonal peaks, one centered on January-February and one on June-July, consistent with in situ observations. However, the results underline the complexity of performing direct comparisons between in situ observations and numerical simulations for stranded waste due to limited measurements and the heterogeneity of field methods and protocols.
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25
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Yin J, Li JY, Craig NJ, Su L. Microplastic pollution in wild populations of decapod crustaceans: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 291:132985. [PMID: 34801569 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Along with the increasing amount of plastic production and waste disposal, the presence of microplastics has been confirmed in all compartments of ecosystems. The microplastics in biota is of particular concern due to the potential eco-risks associated with long term exposure and the potential for transportation along food webs. Decapoda represents a diverse taxonomic group within the subphylum Crustacea, and some of which are highly valued in fishery and biological production. The interaction between microplastic pollution and wild populations of decapod crustaceans have been documented less than fish or bivalves but are critical to understand the fates of microplastics in marine eco-systems and enrich the baselines for consumption analyses. Our review systematically summarizes the occurrence, abundance and characteristics of microplastics detected in edible and non-edible sections of decapod crustaceans from field observations. Sub-groups between crabs and shrimps were also included for comparison. The occurrence of microplastics in the edible sections were less than those in non-edible sections, and there are differences between crabs and shrimps. Fibrous microplastics and items with a size category less than 1 mm were dominant pollutants across all available literature. The methodology selection, biological features and uptake pathways play roles in the microplastic body burden in Decapoda. Our work enriches the understanding of microplastic pollution in wild populations of decapod crustaceans but their contribution to the human exposure to microplastics needs to be addressed with more accurate measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yin
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Juan-Ying Li
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Nicholas J Craig
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lei Su
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200142, China.
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Daily J, Onink V, Jongedijk CE, Laufkötter C, Hoffman MJ. Incorporating terrain specific beaching within a lagrangian transport plastics model for Lake Erie. MICROPLASTICS AND NANOPLASTICS 2021; 1:19. [PMID: 34966899 PMCID: PMC8700324 DOI: 10.1186/s43591-021-00019-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Mass estimates of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes based on surface samples differ by orders of magnitude from what is predicted by production and input rates. It has been theorized that a potential location of this missing plastic is on beaches and in nearshore water. We incorporate a terrain dependent beaching model to an existing hydrodynamic model for Lake Erie which includes three dimensional advection, turbulent mixing, density driven sinking, and deposition into the sediment. When examining parameter choices, in all simulations the majority of plastic in the lake is beached, potentially identifying a reservoir holding a large percentage of the lake's plastic which in previous studies has not been taken into account. The absolute amount of beached plastic is dependent on the parameter choices. We also find beached plastic does not accumulate homogeneously through the lake, with eastern regions of the lake, especially those downstream of population centers, most likely to be impacted. This effort constitutes a step towards identifying sinks of missing plastic in large bodies of water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Daily
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY United States
| | - Victor Onink
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cleo E. Jongedijk
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Laufkötter
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthew J. Hoffman
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY United States
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Maclean K, Weideman EA, Perold V, Ryan PG. Buoyancy affects stranding rate and dispersal distance of floating litter entering the sea from river mouths. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:113028. [PMID: 34872166 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are a major source of litter entering the sea but our understanding of the transport and fate of plastics in estuarine environments is poor. Marked blocks of varying buoyancy were released at three river mouths in South Africa. Of the 1400 blocks released, 80% were recovered on nearby beaches, with a higher recovery rate for more buoyant blocks. Dispersal distances increased with decreasing buoyancy at all sites; median dispersal distance of stranded items ranged from 20 to 90 m for expanded polystyrene (EPS) to 70-90 m for wood and 60-1042 m for high density polyethylene (HDPE) blocks. Floating litter in estuaries is subject to bidirectional flow and export is largely controlled by hydrodynamic conditions such as tides, winds, and wave action, as well as coastal structure and vegetation. Cleaning beaches around river mouths will help to reduce leakage of plastic and other litter into the sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Maclean
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa.
| | - Eleanor A Weideman
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Vonica Perold
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Peter G Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
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28
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Connan M, Perold V, Dilley BJ, Barbraud C, Cherel Y, Ryan PG. The Indian Ocean 'garbage patch': Empirical evidence from floating macro-litter. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 169:112559. [PMID: 34116371 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Marine litter has become a global issue with 'garbage patches' documented in all ocean gyres. The Pacific and Atlantic garbage patches have been well described, but there are few empirical data for the Indian Ocean. In the austral summer 2019-2020, we conducted an at-sea survey of macro-litter in the rarely investigated south-west Indian Ocean. Over 24 days, 1623 man-made items were observed including plastic fragments, packaging and fishing-related items during 216 h of observations covering 5464 km. More than 99% of the litter items were plastics of which almost 60% were white. Floating litter was patchily distributed with only five items (0.2%) recorded south of 40°S (0.1 items·km-2). Half of the items were encountered over a two-day period south-east of Madagascar (30°S; 59-67°E; 75.2 items·km-2). Our survey detected an accumulation of litter in the southern Indian Ocean and demonstrated that this area warrants more research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maëlle Connan
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
| | - Vonica Perold
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Ben J Dilley
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Christophe Barbraud
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Peter G Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
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29
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Thepwilai S, Wangritthikraikul K, Chawchai S, Bissen R. Testing the factors controlling the numbers of microplastics on beaches along the western Gulf of Thailand. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 168:112467. [PMID: 33989955 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112467] [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: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is one of the most significant global environmental concerns. This study represents a first attempt to establish connections between the concentration of microplastics and both ocean surface circulation direction and land-based sources along the western Gulf of Thailand. Microplastics at the high-tide line from 25 beaches in 5 provinces were quantified. Observed amounts range from 20 to 273 (max. 5741) pieces/kg. Sheets were the most common shape and black the most common color of microplastics. Our study showed a significant, positive correlation between the number of microplastics and land-based sources (e.g., aquatic industries). While human activities were the dominant factor affecting microplastic concentrations, the newly designed surface circulation direction (SCD) index reflected relative changes in microplastic amounts. Our study identified several locations with substantial microplastic pollution which require a proper management system with appropriate laws and regulations, and a public awareness campaign about effects of microplastics on ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supakorn Thepwilai
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | | | - Sakonvan Chawchai
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
| | - Raphael Bissen
- Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
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