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Zeng Y, Wang H, Liang D, Yuan W, Li S, Xu H, Chen J. Navigating the difference of riverine microplastic movement footprint into the sea: Particle properties influence. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:134888. [PMID: 38897117 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
As a critical source of marine microplastics (MPs), estuarine MPs community varied in movement due to particle diversity, while tide and runoff further complicated their transport. In this study, a particle mass gradient that represents MPs in the surface layer of the Yangtze River estuary was established. This was done by calculating the masses of 16 particle types using the particle size probability density function (PDF), with typical shapes and polymers as classifiers. Further, Aschenbrenner shape factor and polymer density were embedded into drag coefficients to categorically trace MP movement footprints. Results revealed that the MPs in North Branch moved northward and the MPs in South Branch moved southeastward in a spiral oscillation until they left the model boundary under Changjiang Diluted Water front and the northward coastal currents. Low-density fibrous MPs are more likely to move into the open ocean and oscillate more than films, with a single PE fiber trajectory that reached a maximum oscillatory width of 16.7 km. Over 95 % of the PVC fiber particles settled in nearshore waters west of 122.5°E. Elucidating the aggregation and retention of different MPs types can provide more accurate environmental baseline reference for more precise MP exposure levels and risk dose of ingestion for marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichuan Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Hua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Dongfang Liang
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK
| | - Weihao Yuan
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Siqiong Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Haosen Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Jingwei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
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2
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Mendes DS, Silva DNN, Santiago LEP, Gomes VJC, Beasley CR, Fernandes MEB. Comprehensive risk assessment of microplastics in tidal channel sediments in amazonian mangroves (northern Brazil). JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 366:121826. [PMID: 39008928 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121826] [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: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Pollution by microplastics (MPs) in mangroves is a growing concern, given its potential ecological and human health impacts. The characteristics of microplastic pollution and a risk assessment of MPs in the Amazon region's coastal sediments are still insufficient, and information about MP pollution in the benthic component of the mangrove ecosystem is lacking. We analyzed MP concentrations in the surface sediment of 9 stations in three tidal channels along the Ajuruteua Peninsula connected to the Caeté River estuary, aiming to assess the hazard level on the environment based on the Pollution Load Index (PLI). Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy determined the MP's chemical composition. The results showed that the abundance of sediment MPs ranged from 100 to 1200 items kg-1, with an average of 433 ± 261.6 items kg-1. The MPs were mainly composed of transparent and blue fragments and fibers, ranging in size from 100 to 5000 μm. Six types of polymers were identified, including alkyd varnish (AV), resin dispersion (RD), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), polyethylene-polypropylene (PE-PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and hostaperm blue (HB). Hydrodynamic processes within estuaries and tidal channels play a crucial role in explaining the concentrations found, as circulation determines the pattern of sediment deposition and the particles adhered to it. PLI risk assessment showed that all sampling sites were at hazard level I: a low level of contamination in the mangrove sediments. However, a more comprehensive and systematic monitoring campaign is needed to expand our knowledge about pollution and contamination by MPs in Amazon mangrove areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayene Santiago Mendes
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Manguezal (LAMA), Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança 68600-000, PA, Brazil.
| | - Daniel Nobre Nunes Silva
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Ciência e Engenharia de Meios Porosos (GCEMP), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Salinópolis 68721-000, PA, Brazil.
| | | | - Vando José Costa Gomes
- Laboratório de Hidráulica Ambiental (HIDROLAB), Faculdade de Engenharia (FAE), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Salinópolis 68721-000, PA, Brazil.
| | - Colin Robert Beasley
- Laboratório de Conservação da Biodiversidade e das Águas, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança 68600-000, PA, Brazil.
| | - Marcus Emanuel Barroncas Fernandes
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Manguezal (LAMA), Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Bragança 68600-000, PA, Brazil.
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3
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Akdogan Z, Guven B. Modeling the settling and resuspension of microplastics in rivers: Effect of particle properties and flow conditions. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 264:122181. [PMID: 39116609 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics have numerous different shapes, affecting the fate and transport of these particles in the environment. However, theoretical models generally assume microplastics to be spherical. This study aims to develop a modeling approach that incorporates the shapes of microplastics to investigate the vertical transport of microplastics in rivers and simulate the effect of particle and flow characteristics on settling and resuspension. To achieve these aims, a mechanistic model was developed utilizing the mass-balance and hydrodynamic equations. Scenario analysis was implemented assigning different values to model parameters, such as bed shear stress, shape factor and particle size to simulate the effect of flow patterns and particle properties. The model outcomes revealed that the residence time of microplastics in the water column was longest in medium bed shear stress, whilst it was shortest in low bed shear stress. This suggests that the influence of turbulence is not unidirectional; it can both increase and decrease microplastic concentrations and residence time in the water column. According to the scenario analysis, the settling flux of microplastics was the highest for near-spherical particles and increased with the size of the particles, as well as with increasing bed shear stress. However, the resuspension of particles was primarily influenced by increasing bed shear stress, but the ranking of resuspension flux values for different shaped and sized microplastics exhibited alterations with changing flow patterns. Turbulent conditions predominantly influenced the resuspension of near-spheres and large microplastics. On the contrary, the settling of fibers and small microplastics were significantly influenced by changing flow patterns, whereas near-spheres and largest particles were least affected. The model results were sensitive to changes in shape factor developed for this model, therefore this parameter should be improved in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Akdogan
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Boğaziçi University, Bebek 34342 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Basak Guven
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Boğaziçi University, Bebek 34342 Istanbul, Turkey.
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4
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Yu X, Liu Y, Tan C, Zhai L, Wang T, Fang J, Zhang B, Ma W, Lu X. Quantifying microplastics in sediments of Jinzhou Bay, China: Characterization and ecological risk with a focus on small sizes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:174968. [PMID: 39067590 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Small-sized microplastics (MPs) pose greater ecological toxicity due to their larger surface area, which makes them more likely to act as carriers for other pollutants and to be ingested by aquatic organisms. However, traditional visual analysis often neglects small-sized MPs and their associated ecological risk. This study utilized Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) spectroscopy and traditional visual analysis to examine MPs in 31 sediment samples from Jinzhou Bay, a typical semi-enclosed bay located at the economic center of Dalian, China. The results showed significant heterogeneity in MP distribution, with averages of 1192 and 2361 items/kg dry weight reported by visual analysis and LDIR spectroscopy, respectively. LDIR spectroscopy identified MPs as small as 10 μm, with the majority of MPs (89.21 %) within the 10-250 μm range, and a significant proportion (46.45 %) between 10 and 50 μm among them. However, visual analysis was limited to detecting MPs >50 μm, and significant portions were identified between 50 and 100 μm (49.36 %) and 100-250 μm (31.01 %), missing a substantial fraction of smaller MPs. The predominant polymers identified were polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). LDIR spectroscopy demonstrated a strong positive correlation between MP abundance and clay content, a relationship not observed with traditional visual analysis. The Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) indicated that over 87 % of sites posed an extremely high risk according to LDIR spectroscopy, compared to 51 % by traditional visual analysis. These discrepancy underscores the underestimation of ecological risks by traditional methods, particularly for small-sized MPs. High-risk polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ABS, and polyurethane (PUR) significantly influenced PERI values. These findings highlight the critical need for precise identification and thorough risk assessment of small-sized MPs in environmental studies and offer insights for understanding of MP vertical migration in aquatic environments, particularly in the context of co-settlement with sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yu
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yufei Liu
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China; Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Cuiling Tan
- Tianjin Academy of Eco-environmental Sciences, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Lifang Zhai
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | | | - Jing Fang
- Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- R&D Department, FS Ltd., Katikati 3129, New Zealand
| | - Weiqi Ma
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xueqiang Lu
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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Radford F, Horton AA, Felgate S, Lichtschlag A, Hunt J, Andrade V, Sanders R, Evans C. Factors influencing microplastic abundances in the sediments of a seagrass-dominated tropical atoll. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 357:124483. [PMID: 38960123 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows are one of the world's most diverse ecosystems offering habitats for an extensive array of species, as well as serving as protectors of coral reefs and vital carbon sinks. Furthermore, they modify hydrodynamics by diminishing water flow velocities and enhancing sediment deposition, indicating the potential for microplastic accumulation in their sediments. The build-up of microplastics could potentially have ecological impacts threatening to ecosystems, however little is known about microplastic abundance and controlling factors in seagrass sediments. Here we investigated microplastic characteristics and abundances within sediments underlying four seagrass meadow sites on the Turneffe Atoll, Belize. Sediment cores were collected and sub-sampled to include a range of replicate surface sediments (0-4 cm) and depth cores (sediment depths 0-2, 2-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm). These were analysed using 25 μm resolution μFTIR, with spectral maps processed using siMPle software. Microplastics were prevalent across the sites with an abundance range (limit of detection (LOD) blank-corrected) of < LOD to 17137 microplastics kg-1 dw found on the east side of the atoll. However, their abundances varied greatly between the replicate samples. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the most commonly detected polymers overall, although the dominant polymer type varied between sites. There were no differences in the abundance of microplastics between sites, nor could abundance distributions be explained by seagrass cover. However, abundances of microplastics were highest in sediments with lower proportions of fine grained particles (clay, <4 μm) suggesting that hydrodynamics override seagrass effects. Additionally, no patterns were seen between microplastic abundance and depth of sediment. This suggests that microplastic abundance and distribution in seagrass meadows may vary significantly depending on the specific geographical locations within those meadows, and that more complex hydrodynamic factors influence spatial variability at a localised scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freya Radford
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK; Biospheric Microplastics Research Cluster, University of the West of England, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, BS16 1QY, UK
| | - Alice A Horton
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK.
| | - Stacey Felgate
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Anna Lichtschlag
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - James Hunt
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Valdemar Andrade
- Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA), 1216 Blue Marlin Boulevard, Belize City, Belize
| | - Richard Sanders
- NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Jahnebakken 5, 5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Claire Evans
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
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Huang Y, Yang Z, Wang T, Sun N, Duan Z, Wigmosta M, Maurer B. Quantifying the influence of size, shape, and density of microplastics on their transport modes: A modeling approach. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116461. [PMID: 38754320 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116461] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) pose significant risks to marine ecosystems and human health, necessitating accurate predictions of their distributions in aquatic environments for effective risk mitigation. However, understanding MP transport dynamics is challenging because of the inadequate representation of MP characteristics such as size, shape, and density in numerical models. Further, the accuracy of the MP vertical profiles in existing models has not been thoroughly validated. Thus, we developed an MP transport model within the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model framework (FVCOM-MP) by integrating MP characteristics. We validated FVCOM-MP against experimental and analytical data, focusing on various MP transport modes and transitions. FVCOM-MP successfully replicates MP profiles in different transport modes, including the bedload, surface load, suspended load, and mixed load modes. Additionally, we introduce phase diagrams for classifying MP transport modes based on particle characteristics, enhancing our understanding of MP dynamics in aquatic systems. The transport modes for a number of real-world MP particles, including fishing line, plastic bag/bottle fragments, synthetic fibers, tire wear particles, polyvinyl chloride and expanded polystyrene pellets, were analyzed with these phase diagrams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Huang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Coastal Sciences Division, 1100 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle 98109, WA, USA
| | - Z Yang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Coastal Sciences Division, 1100 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle 98109, WA, USA; University of Washington, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 201 More Hall, Seattle 98195, WA, USA.
| | - T Wang
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Coastal Sciences Division, 1100 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle 98109, WA, USA
| | - N Sun
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Earth System Sciences Division, 902 Battlelle Blvd, Richland 99354, WA, USA
| | - Z Duan
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Earth System Sciences Division, 902 Battlelle Blvd, Richland 99354, WA, USA
| | - M Wigmosta
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Earth System Sciences Division, 902 Battlelle Blvd, Richland 99354, WA, USA; University of Washington, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 201 More Hall, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
| | - B Maurer
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver W Pkwy, Golden 80401, CO, USA
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Li G, Chen Z, Bowen M, Coco G. Transport and retention of sinking microplastics in a well-mixed estuary. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116417. [PMID: 38701604 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Estuaries have been shown to be potential hotspots of microplastic accumulation, but the hydrodynamic conditions and particle properties that control this process need further investigation. We have designed a series of numerical particle-tracking experiments to examine the sensitivity of retention in estuaries to particle size, particle density and varying tides and freshwater flow. At the end of the simulation, over 90 % of sinking particles are retained in the estuary, and the retention rate is further increased by high river runoff. In contrast, increased river discharge increases the number of marginally-buoyant (i.e. density close to estuarine water) particles that escape the estuary. Larger particle size tends to limit the downstream transport of sinking particles but can facilitate the transport of marginally-buoyant particles. Tidal asymmetry, vertical turbulent mixing and the vertical structure of the subtidal circulation are proposed as the underlying mechanisms controlling the fate of particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoyang Li
- The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
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Devi SS, Gouri BR, Anjali S, Kumar AB. Microplastic contamination in Ashtamudi Lake, India: Insights from a Ramsar wetland. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2024; 264:104367. [PMID: 38772271 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2024.104367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Estuaries function as temporary storage sites for plastic debris, influencing the distribution of microplastics (MPs) across ecosystems. This research delves into the presence of MPs in the water, sediment, fish, and shellfish of Ashtamudi Lake, a Ramsar wetland with brackish water located on the southwest coast of India. Given the lake's significance in supporting the livelihoods of numerous fishers and acting as a vital source of fishery resources for both local consumption and export, examining the contamination of the system by MPs becomes particularly pertinent. The highest percentage composition of MPs was found in macrofauna at 60.6% (with fish at 19.6% and shellfish at 40.9%), followed by sediment (22.8%) and water (16.7%). The primary types of MPs identified in all samples were fibers (35.6%), fragments (33.3%), and films (28%), with beads being the least represented at 3.03%. ATR-FTIR and Raman spectra analysis identified five polymers from shellfish (polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, nylon, and polyvinyl chloride), five from fish guts (nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, and polysiloxane), four in sediment (polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, rayon), and four in water samples (polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, and polystyrene). SEM-EDAX analysis of MPs obtained from the samples revealed degradation and the presence of inorganic elements such as Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Cl, P, and Ca, as well as heavy metals like Pb, Mo, Rh, Pd, Ti, and Fe. The existence of these plastic polymers and heavy metals in microplastic samples poses a threat to vulnerable biota; people consume contaminated fish and shellfish, underscoring the importance of monitoring MPs in lake water. This investigation of MPs in Ashtamudi Lake highlights the system's susceptibility to plastic pollution and the bioavailability of smaller MPs to aquatic organisms. Identified sources of MPs in the lake include fishing and aquaculture activities, sewage pollution, improper solid waste management in lake watersheds, and unsustainable tourism. Upstream and downstream management interventions are recommended to address MP pollution in Ashtamudi Lake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvarna S Devi
- Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India
| | - Beena Ramachandran Gouri
- Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India
| | - S Anjali
- Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India
| | - Appukuttannair Biju Kumar
- Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India.
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Cai C, Zhu L, Hong B. A review of methods for modeling microplastic transport in the marine environments. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115136. [PMID: 37329736 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115136] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution is ubiquitous in the oceans and poses serious threats to the marine ecosystems. Nowadays numerical modeling has become one of the widely used tools for monitoring and predicting the transport and fate of MP in marine environments. Despite the growing body of research on numerical modeling of marine MP, the advantages and disadvantages of various modeling methods have not received systematic evaluation in published works. Important aspects such as parameterization schemes for MP behaviors, factors influencing MP transport, and proper configuration in beaching are essential for guiding researchers to choose proper methods in their work. For this purpose, we comprehensively reviewed the current knowledge on factors influencing MP transport, classified modeling approaches according to the governing equations, and summarized up-to-date parameterization schemes for MP behaviors. Critical factors such as vertical velocity, biofouling, degradation, fragmentation, beaching, and washing-off were reviewed in the frame of MP transport processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiyuan Cai
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liangsheng Zhu
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Hong
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
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Feng S, Lu H, Xue Y, Yan P, Sun T. Fate, transport, and source of microplastics in the headwaters of the Yangtze River on the Tibetan Plateau. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 455:131526. [PMID: 37167873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) in the Yangtze River have been drawn increasing attention recently with most merely concentrating on the plain area. This research focuses on the source area of the Yangtze River on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), revealing the occurrence, drivers, sources, and exposure risks of riverine MPs in the Jinsha River (JSR) basin. The results showed that average MP abundances determined were higher in the tributaries than in the of mainstreams. According to the correlation analysis, MP abundance was consistently negatively related to pH and altitude both in water and sediment. However, MPs in two media showed a contrary relationship with river width, which could be explained by the special terrain of plateau rivers and hydrological conditions. After the tributary river flow into the mainstream, the concentration of MPs in the mainstream near the tributary side were significantly lower than that before confluence temporarily. Based on the conditional fragmentation-based model, the cumulative λ value of fibers in surface water along the river divided the JSR into three stages (upstream, midstream, and downstream). Under certain assumptions, the proportions of MPs sourced from three stages were eventually revealed, respectively. This is conducive to better understanding the plateau environmental impacts of MP distribution in the large river.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sansan Feng
- Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Process, Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hongwei Lu
- Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Process, Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yuxuan Xue
- Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Process, Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Pengdong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Tong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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