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Andriolo U, Gonçalves G. How much does marine litter weigh? A literature review to improve monitoring, support modelling and optimize clean-up activities. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 361:124863. [PMID: 39216667 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The weight of marine litter has been marginally considered in comparison to counting and categorizing items. However, weight determines litter dynamics on water and coasts, and it is an essential parameter for planning and optimizing clean-up activities. This work reviewed 80 publications that reported both the number and weight of beached macro-litter worldwide. On average, a litter item weighed 19.5 ± 20.3 g, with a median weight of 13.4 g. Plastics composed 80% by number and 51% by weight of the global litter bulk. A plastic item weighed 12.9 ± 13.8 g on average, with a median weight of 9 g. The analysis based on continents and on water bodies returned similar values, which can be used to estimate litter weight on beaches from past and future visual census surveys, and from remote sensing imagery. Overall, this work can improve litter monitoring reports and support dynamics modelling, thereby contributing for environmental protection and mitigation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umberto Andriolo
- INESC Coimbra, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Polo 2, 3030 - 290, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Gil Gonçalves
- INESC Coimbra, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Polo 2, 3030 - 290, Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Mathematics, Coimbra, Portugal.
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He M, Tian F, Zhai X, Zhou K, Zhang L, Guo X, Tang Z, Chen H. Distribution and typologies of anthropogenic seafloor litter in the Pearl River Estuary and adjacent coastal waters, China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116505. [PMID: 38772172 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116505] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Marine litter pollution poses a significant threat to offshore ecosystems, eliciting widespread concern. We investigated seafloor litter patterns in the Pearl River Estuary and adjacent coastal waters of China in 2023 via bottom trawl survey. Average number and weight densities were found to be 154.34 ± 30.95 n/km2 and 2384.63 ± 923.98 g/km2, respectively. Plastic was the most abundant material by number density (79.07 %), and rubber the highest by weight density (22.93 %). Overall number density varied from 40.50 ± 22.50 to 221.13 ± 52.44 n/km2, with the highest in Daya Bay and the lowest in Guanghai Bay. Weight density varied from 189.93 ± 71.94 to 5386.70 ± 3050.30 g/km2, with the highest in Qiao Island and the lowest in Honghai Bay. The main source was plastic bags and wrappers. The Pearl River Delta and Daya Bay were identified as seafloor litter distribution hotspots. Controlling plastic waste input is crucial for reducing seafloor litter in the Pearl River Estuary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingqiao He
- College of Fisheries and Life, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Ranching, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of South China Sea Fishery Resource and Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Scientific Observation and Research Field Station of Pearl River Estuary Ecosystem, Guangdong Province, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Fei Tian
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ranching, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of South China Sea Fishery Resource and Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Scientific Observation and Research Field Station of Pearl River Estuary Ecosystem, Guangdong Province, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhai
- Shenzhen Marine Development & Promotion Center, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Kai Zhou
- Shenzhen Marine Development & Promotion Center, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Linbao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ranching, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of South China Sea Fishery Resource and Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Scientific Observation and Research Field Station of Pearl River Estuary Ecosystem, Guangdong Province, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Xiangyu Guo
- Shenzhen Marine Development & Promotion Center, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Zhenzhao Tang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ranching, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of South China Sea Fishery Resource and Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Scientific Observation and Research Field Station of Pearl River Estuary Ecosystem, Guangdong Province, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, Guangzhou 510300, China.
| | - Haigang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ranching, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of South China Sea Fishery Resource and Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Scientific Observation and Research Field Station of Pearl River Estuary Ecosystem, Guangdong Province, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, Guangzhou 510300, China.
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Wang J, Zhang J, Zhao Y, Sun S, Wang X, He X, Wan R, Ma Y, You L. Distribution and pollution assessment of marine debris off-shore Shandong from 2014 to 2022. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 195:115470. [PMID: 37677977 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115470] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
This study analysed marine debris monitoring data for Shandong from 2014 to 2022 to obtain a better understanding of marine debris stocking off-shore Shandong in order to reduce marine debris pollution and improving the ecological environment of ocean. The results indicated that the abundance of coastal marine debris was 45,832 items/km2 (1118.5 kg/km2); the abundance of small/medium sized floating marine debris was 8976 items/km2 (1.38 kg/km2); and the abundance of large floating marine debris was 35 items/km2; the abundance of seafloor debris was 104 item/km2 (0.22 kg/km2). Compared with the nationwide abundance of marine debris, the quantity density of floating marine debris in Shandong was higher; the abundance of coastal marine debris and quality density of floating marine debris were lower. The majority of the Shandong marine debris was small/medium plastic, mostly from human activities. And we found no significant correlation between precipitation and the abundance of marine debris by statistical analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Wang
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China
| | - Yuting Zhao
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China
| | - Shan Sun
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China
| | - Xiaoxia Wang
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China
| | - Xin He
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China
| | - Rongqiang Wan
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China
| | - Yuanqing Ma
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China
| | - Liping You
- Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resources and Environment Research Institute, No. 216 Changjiang Rd., Yantai 264006, China.
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Viejo J, Cózar A, Quintana R, Martí E, Markelain G, Cabrera-Castro R, Arroyo GM, Montero E, Morales-Caselles C. Artisanal trawl fisheries as a sentinel of marine litter pollution. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 191:114882. [PMID: 37054479 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Systematic seafloor surveys are a highly desirable method of marine litter monitoring, but the high costs involved in seafloor sampling are not a trivial handicap. In the present work, we explore the opportunity provided by the artisanal trawling fisheries to obtain systematic data on marine litter in the Gulf of Cadiz between 2019 and 2021. We find that plastic was the most frequent material, with a prevalence of single-use and fishing-related items. Litter densities decreased with increasing distance to shore with a seasonal migration of the main litter hotspots. During pre-lockdown and post-lockdown stages derived from COVID-19, marine litter density decreased by 65 %, likely related to the decline in tourism and outdoor recreational activities. A continuous collaboration of 33 % of the local fleet would imply a removal of hundreds of thousands of items each year. The artisanal trawl fishing sector can play a unique role of monitoring marine litter on the seabed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué Viejo
- Departamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Spain
| | - Andrés Cózar
- Departamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Spain; Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Spain
| | - Rocío Quintana
- Departamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Spain; Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Spain
| | - Elisa Martí
- Departamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Spain; Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Spain
| | - Gorka Markelain
- Departamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Spain
| | - Remedios Cabrera-Castro
- Departamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Spain
| | - Gonzalo M Arroyo
- Departamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Spain
| | | | - Carmen Morales-Caselles
- Departamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Spain; Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Spain.
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