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Dantas DV, Ribeiro CIR, Ito LSC, Pezzin APT, Silveira VF, Cardozo ALP, Gentil E, Monteiro IB, Ribeiro SA, Lorenzi L, Machado R. Influence of trophic overlaps and trophic niche amplitude on microplastic intake of fish species in shallow areas of a neotropical coastal lagoon. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172235. [PMID: 38582125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172235] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a global challenge that affects all marine ecosystems, and reflects all types of uses and activities of human society in these environments. In marine ecosystems, microplastics and mesoplastics interact with invertebrates and become available to higher predators, such as fish, which can ingest these contaminants. This study aimed to analyze how ecological food interactions (diet overlap and trophic niche amplitude) among fish species contribute to the ingestion of plastic particles. The gastrointestinal contents of six fish species (Atherinella brasiliensis, Eucinostomus melanopterus, Eucinostomus argenteus, Genidens genidens, Coptodon rendalli, and Geophagus brasiliensis) were analyzed to identify prey items and plastic ingestion. Based on the ontogenetic classification, A. brasiliensis, E. melanopterus, and G. genidens were divided into juveniles and adults, and the six fish species analyzed were divided into nine predator groups. Most of the plastics ingested by the fish species were blue microplastic (MP) fibers (< 0.05 mm) classified as polyester terephthalate, polyethylene, and polybutadiene. Considering all the analyzed predators, the average number and weight of plastics ingested per individual were 2.01 and 0.0005 g, respectively. We observed that predators with a high trophic overlap could present a relationship with the intake of MP fibers owing to predation on the same resources. In addition, we observed the general pattern that when a species expands its trophic diversity and niche, it can become more susceptible to plastic ingestion. For example, the species with the highest Levin niche amplitude, E. argenteus juveniles, had the highest mean number (2.9) of ingested MP fibers. Understanding the feeding ecology and interactions among species, considering how each predator uses habitats and food resources, can provide a better understanding of how plastic particle contamination occurs and which habitats are contaminated with these polluting substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- David V Dantas
- Grupo de Gestão, Ecologia e Tecnologia Marinha (GTMar), Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Planejamento Territorial e Desenvolvimento Socioambiental (PPGPLAN/UDESC), Brazil.
| | - Cristian I R Ribeiro
- Grupo de Gestão, Ecologia e Tecnologia Marinha (GTMar), Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Brazil
| | - Leticia S C Ito
- Grupo de Gestão, Ecologia e Tecnologia Marinha (GTMar), Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Brazil
| | - Ana P T Pezzin
- Grupo de Materiais Poliméricos, Universidade da Região de Joinville (UNIVILLE), Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Processos (PPGEP - UNIVILLE), Brazil
| | - Victória F Silveira
- Grupo de Materiais Poliméricos, Universidade da Região de Joinville (UNIVILLE), Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Meio Ambiente PPGSMA, UNIVILLE, Brazil
| | - Ana L P Cardozo
- Grupo de Gestão, Ecologia e Tecnologia Marinha (GTMar), Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PEA), Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Gentil
- Grupo de Gestão, Ecologia e Tecnologia Marinha (GTMar), Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Planejamento Territorial e Desenvolvimento Socioambiental (PPGPLAN/UDESC), Brazil
| | - Isabel B Monteiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Pesqueiros e Engenharia de Pesca (PREP), UNIOESTE, Brazil
| | - Sofia A Ribeiro
- Grupo de Gestão, Ecologia e Tecnologia Marinha (GTMar), Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Planejamento Territorial e Desenvolvimento Socioambiental (PPGPLAN/UDESC), Brazil
| | - Luciano Lorenzi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Meio Ambiente PPGSMA, UNIVILLE, Brazil; Grupo de Estudos de Organismos Bentônicos de Fundos Inconsolidados Vegetados e Não Vegetados, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas - Biologia Marinha, UNIVILLE, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Machado
- Grupo de Gestão, Ecologia e Tecnologia Marinha (GTMar), Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia e Biodiversidade Animal (LABAN), Museu de Zoologia Prof Morgana Cirimbelli Gaidzinski, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, Brazil
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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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Carlotti F, Gérigny O, Bienvenu D, Ravel C, Fierro-González P, Guilloux L, Makhlouf N, Onrubia JT, Pagano M. Microplastics in the maximum chlorophyll layer along a north-south transect in the Mediterranean Sea in comparison with zooplankton concentrations. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 196:115614. [PMID: 37837786 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115614] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to characterize and quantify microplastics (MPs) at the chlorophyll maximum layer (CML), around 30 to 60 m depth, during a cruise dedicated to the study of contaminants in plankton, the MERITE-HIPPOCAMPE project, along a north-south transect in the western Mediterranean Sea (Tedetti et al., 2023). Plankton were collected by horizontal net tows in this layer using a multinet Hydrobios Midi equipped with 60 μm mesh-size nets. The collected plankton were fractionated through a sieve column for various later contaminant measurements and for zooplankton analysis (Fierro-González et al., 2023). For all stations, samples were also fully examined for microplastics (MPs) for fractions >300 μm. MPs were found at all stations in the CML layer (mean: 42.9 ± 45.4 MPs m-3), of which 96 ± 4 % were fibers. The ratios of mesozooplankton/MPs and detritus/MPs in this CML were respectively 223 ± 315 and 2544 ± 2268. These data are analyzed together with MPs concentrations from sea- surface sampled with a 300 μm net-size Manta net at the same stations. Overall, our observations highlight the very high density of fibers at the CML, mainly associated with aggregates, raising the hypothesis of their interactions with marine snow. Therefore, the importance of marine snow and vertical layering will have to be considered in future MP distribution modelling efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Carlotti
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France.
| | - Olivia Gérigny
- Ifremer, Unité Littoral, Laboratoire Environnement Ressources Provence Azur Corse, Zone portuaire de Brégaillon, CS 20330, 83507 La Seyne-sur-Mer Cedex, France
| | - Dorian Bienvenu
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Ravel
- Ifremer, Unité Littoral, Laboratoire Environnement Ressources Provence Azur Corse, Zone portuaire de Brégaillon, CS 20330, 83507 La Seyne-sur-Mer Cedex, France
| | - Pamela Fierro-González
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Loïc Guilloux
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Nouha Makhlouf
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France; Université de Carthage, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Bizerte, Tunisia; Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement, Biologie et Physiologie des Organismes Aquatiques, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Javier Tesán Onrubia
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Marc Pagano
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
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Su J, Zhang F, Yu C, Zhang Y, Wang J, Wang C, Wang H, Jiang H. Machine learning: Next promising trend for microplastics study. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 344:118756. [PMID: 37573697 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), as an emerging pollutant, pose a significant threat to humans and ecosystems. However, traditional MPs characterization methods are limited by sample requirements and characterization time. Machine Learning (ML) has emerged as a vital technology for analyzing MPs pollution due to its accuracy, broad application, and powerful feature extraction. Nevertheless, environmental scientists require threshold knowledge before using ML, restricting the ML application in MPs research. Furthermore, imbalanced development of ML in MPs research is a pressing concern. In order to achieve a wide ML application in MPs research, in this review, we comprehensively discussed the size and sources of MPs datasets in relevant literature to help environmental scientists deepen their understanding of the construction of MPs datasets. Commonly used ML algorithms are analyzed from the perspective of interpretability and the need for computer facilities. Additionally, methods for improving and evaluating ML model performance, such as dataset pre-processing, model optimization, and model assessment metrics, are discussed. According to datasets and characterization techniques, MPs identification using ML was divided into three categories in this work: spectral identification, image identification, and spectral imaging identification. Finally, other applications of ML in MPs studies, including toxicity analysis, pollutants adsorption, and microbial colonization, are comprehensively discussed, which reveals the great application potential of ML. Based on the discussion above, this review suggests an algorithm selection strategy to assist researchers in selecting the most suitable ML algorithm in different situations, improving efficiency and decreasing the costs of trial and error. We believe that this work sheds light on the application of ML in MPs study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiming Su
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, PR China
| | - Fupeng Zhang
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, 518055, Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Chuanxiu Yu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, PR China
| | - Yingshuang Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xinjiang University, 830017, Urumqi, Xinjiang, PR China
| | - Jianchao Wang
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, PR China
| | - Chongqing Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, PR China.
| | - Hongru Jiang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, PR China.
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Contino M, Ferruggia G, Indelicato S, Pecoraro R, Scalisi EM, Salvaggio A, Brundo MV. Sublethal Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on the Embryonic Development of Artemia salina (Linnaeus, 1758). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3152. [PMID: 37835758 PMCID: PMC10572060 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193152] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Currents, wave motion, solar radiation, and abrasion are mechanisms responsible for the degradation of large plastic artifacts and contribute to the dispersion of micro and nanoplastics into aquatic ecosystems, which are, currently, the most dangerous threats due to their invisibility and persistence. The present work evaluated the possible lethal and sublethal effects of amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics (nPS-NH2) with diameters of 50 nm and 100 nm on Artemia salina (A. salina), an organism at the base of the trophic chain of the aquatic system, using a widely used model for the analysis of embryotoxicity from environmental pollutants. For this purpose, after evaluating the biodistribution of nanoplastics in the body of the tested animals, several endpoints such as anomalies, apoptosis, and ROS production were assessed. In addition, particular attention was dedicated to evaluating the correlation between toxicity and the particle size tested. The results reported that, despite the absence of a lethal impact, several sublethal effects involving gut and body size malformations, as well as the enhancement of apoptosis and oxidative stress in relation to an increase in tested concentration and a decrease in nanoparticle size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Contino
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (S.I.); (R.P.); (E.M.S.); (M.V.B.)
| | - Greta Ferruggia
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (S.I.); (R.P.); (E.M.S.); (M.V.B.)
| | - Stefania Indelicato
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (S.I.); (R.P.); (E.M.S.); (M.V.B.)
| | - Roberta Pecoraro
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (S.I.); (R.P.); (E.M.S.); (M.V.B.)
| | - Elena Maria Scalisi
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (S.I.); (R.P.); (E.M.S.); (M.V.B.)
| | - Antonio Salvaggio
- Zooprophylactic Institute of Sicily “A. Mirri”, Via Gino Marinuzzi, 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Maria Violetta Brundo
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (S.I.); (R.P.); (E.M.S.); (M.V.B.)
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Trindade PAA, Brabo LDM, Andrades R, Azevedo-Santos VM, Andrade MC, Candore L, Cabigliera SB, Chelazzi D, Cincinelli A, Jeffres CA, Giarrizzo T. First record of plastic ingestion by a freshwater stingray. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 880:163199. [PMID: 37004767 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The abundance and dispersion of plastic particles in aquatic ecosystems has become pervasive resulting in the incorporation of these materials into food webs. Here we describe the first record of plastic ingestion by the freshwater white-blotched river stingray Potamotrygon leopoldi (Potamotrygonidae), an endemic and threatened species in the Xingu River, Amazon basin. Potamotrygonidae stingrays inhabit exclusively Neotropical rivers, occupying rocky substrate habitats and feeding mainly on benthic macroinvertebrates. The gastrointestinal tract of 24 stingrays were analyzed, 16 (66.6 %) of which contained plastic particles. In total, 81 plastic particles were recorded and consisted of microplastics (< 5 mm, n = 57) and mesoplastics (5-25 mm, n = 24). The plastic particles found were classified into fibers (64.2 %, n = 52) and fragments (35.8 %, n = 29). The predominant color was blue (33.3 %, n = 27), followed by yellow (18.5 %, n = 15), white (14.8 %, n = 12), black (13.6 %, n = 11), green (6.2 %, n = 5), transparent (4.9 %, n = 4), pink, grey and brown (2.5 %, n = 2, each) and orange (1.2 %, n = 1). No significant correlation was observed between the number of plastic particles and the body size. Eight types of polymers were identified in the plastic particles analyzed using 2D FTIR Imaging. The most frequent polymer was artificial cellulose fiber. This is the first report of plastic ingestion by freshwater elasmobranchs in the world. Plastic waste has become an emerging problem in aquatic ecosystems globally and our results provide an important datapoint for freshwater stingrays in the Neotropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo A A Trindade
- Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Espaço Inovação do Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia Guamá (PCT Guamá), Belém, Pará, Brazil; Núcleo de Ecologia Aquática e Pesca da Amazônia-NEAP, Universidade Federal do Pará-UFPA, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
| | - Lúcio D M Brabo
- Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Espaço Inovação do Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia Guamá (PCT Guamá), Belém, Pará, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LABOMAR), Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Ryan Andrades
- Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Espaço Inovação do Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia Guamá (PCT Guamá), Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Valter M Azevedo-Santos
- Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Espaço Inovação do Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia Guamá (PCT Guamá), Belém, Pará, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade, Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Tocantins-UFT, CEP 77500-000, Porto Nacional, Tocantins, Brazil; Faculdade Eduvale de Avaré, Avaré, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo C Andrade
- Núcleo de Ecologia Aquática e Pesca da Amazônia-NEAP, Universidade Federal do Pará-UFPA, Belém, Pará, Brazil; Centro de Ciências Humanas, Naturais, Saúde e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, 65200-000 Pinheiro, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Laura Candore
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff" and CSGI, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - Serena B Cabigliera
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff" and CSGI, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - David Chelazzi
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff" and CSGI, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandra Cincinelli
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff" and CSGI, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - Carson A Jeffres
- Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tommaso Giarrizzo
- Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Espaço Inovação do Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia Guamá (PCT Guamá), Belém, Pará, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LABOMAR), Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Brazil
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7
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Baudena A, Kiko R, Jalón-Rojas I, Pedrotti ML. Low-Density Plastic Debris Dispersion beneath the Mediterranean Sea Surface. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:7503-7515. [PMID: 37125732 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Plastic is a widespread marine pollutant, with most studies focusing on the distribution of floating plastic debris at the sea surface. Recent evidence, however, indicates a significant presence of such low density plastic in the water column and at the seafloor, but information on its origin and dispersion is lacking. Here, we studied the pathways and fate of sinking plastic debris in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most polluted world seas. We used a recent Lagrangian plastic-tracking model, forced with realistic parameters, including a maximum estimated sinking speed of 7.8 m/d. Our simulations showed that the locations where particles left the surface differed significantly from those where they reached the seafloor, with lateral transport distances between 119 and 282 km. Furthermore, 60% of particles deposited on the bottom coastal strip (20 km wide) were released from vessels, 20% from the facing country, and 20% from other countries. Theoretical considerations furthermore suggested that biological activities potentially responsible for the sinking of low density plastic occur throughout the water column. Our findings indicate that the responsibility for seafloor plastic pollution is shared among Mediterranean countries, with potential impact on pelagic and benthic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Baudena
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, UMR 7093 LOV, Villefranche-sur-Mer 06230, France
| | - Rainer Kiko
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, UMR 7093 LOV, Villefranche-sur-Mer 06230, France
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research 24148 Kiel, Germany
| | - Isabel Jalón-Rojas
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Maria Luiza Pedrotti
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, UMR 7093 LOV, Villefranche-sur-Mer 06230, France
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