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Iurk VB, Ingles M, Correa GS, Silva CR, Staichak G, Pileggi SAV, Christo SW, Domit C, Pileggi M. The potential influence of microplastics on the microbiome and disease susceptibility in sea turtles. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174298. [PMID: 38944299 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174298] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are particles with sizes of ≤5 mm formed when plastic materials break down. These contaminants are often found in marine environments, making it easy for sea turtles to ingest them and for their microbiome to be exposed. MPs can disrupt microbiome balance, leading to dysbiosis and making organisms more susceptible to diseases. Owing to the significance of these processes, it is crucial to dedicate research to studying the metabolic and genetic analysis of the gut microbiome in sea turtles. The objective of this study was to describe the effects of exposure to MPs on the gut microbiome of sea turtles, based on current knowledge. This review also aimed to explore the potential link between MP exposure and disease susceptibility in these animals. We show that the metabolites produced by the gut microbiome, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), polyamines, and polysaccharide A, can regulate the expression of host genes. Regulation occurs through various mechanisms, including histone acetylation, DNA methylation, and the modulation of cytokine gene expression. These processes are essential for preserving the integrity of the gut mucosa and enhancing the functionality of immune cells. Exposure to MPs disrupts the gut microbiome and alters gene expression, leading to immune system disturbances in sea turtles. This vulnerability makes turtles more susceptible to opportunistic microorganisms such as chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChAHV5), which is linked to the development of fibropapillomatosis (FP). Additionally, targeted dietary interventions or the use of live microorganisms such as probiotics can help restore microbial biodiversity and recover lost metabolic pathways. The goal of these interventions is to restore the functionality of the immune system in sea turtles undergoing rehabilitation at specialized centers. The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in sea turtle health, sparking discussions and investigations that can potentially lead to promising treatments for these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitória Bonfim Iurk
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, PR 832555-000, Brazil; Laboratório de Microbiologia Ambiental, Departamento de Biologia Estrutural, Molecular e Genética, Setor de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, PR 84030-000, Brazil
| | - Mariana Ingles
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, PR 832555-000, Brazil
| | - Giovana Sequinel Correa
- Laboratório de Virologia Aplicada, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, SC 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Caroline Rosa Silva
- Departamento de Biotecnologia, Genética e Biologia Celular, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Staichak
- Instituto de Biociências da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, MT 79070-900, Brazil
| | - Sônia Alvim Veiga Pileggi
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Ambiental, Departamento de Biologia Estrutural, Molecular e Genética, Setor de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, PR 84030-000, Brazil.
| | - Susete Wambier Christo
- Laboratório de Zoologia, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Setor de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, PR 84030-000, Brazil
| | - Camila Domit
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, PR 832555-000, Brazil.
| | - Marcos Pileggi
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Ambiental, Departamento de Biologia Estrutural, Molecular e Genética, Setor de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, PR 84030-000, Brazil.
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Bhattacharjee S, Rathore C, Naik A, Saha M, Tudu P, Dastidar PG, Bhattacharyya S, de Boer J, Chaudhuri P. Do microplastics accumulate in penguin internal organs? Evidence from Svenner island, Antarctica. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175361. [PMID: 39117209 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of microplastics (MPs, <5 mm) in natural environments presents a formidable global environmental threat MPs can be found from the Arctic to Antarctica, including glaciers. Despite their widespread distribution, studies on MP accumulation in apex predators inhabiting Polar Regions remain limited. The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive examination, for the first time, of MP bioaccumulation in various organs and tissue of Adélie penguins. This investigation comprehends the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), scat, internal organ (lung, trachea, spleen, and liver) and tissue (muscle) samples collected from Svenner Island, Antarctica during the 39th Indian expedition to Antarctica in 2019-2020. Our analyses revealed the presence of 34 MPs across the GIT, scat, lung, and trachea samples, with no MPs detected in muscle, spleen, or liver tissues. Blue-colored microfibers (>50 %) and MPs smaller than 1 mm (38 %) in size were prominently observed. Polymer characterization utilizing μ-FTIR spectroscopy identified low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (~63 %) as the predominant polymer type. The accumulation of MP fibers in the gastrointestinal tract and scat of Adélie penguins may originate from marine ambient media and prey organisms. Furthermore, the presence of LDPE fibers in the trachea and lungs likely occurred through inhalation and subsequent deposition of MPs originating from both local and long-range airborne sources. The identification of fibers ranging between 20 and 100 μm within the trachea suggests a plausible chance of cellular deposition of MPs. Overall our findings provide valuable insights into the organ-specific accumulation of MPs in apex predators. Adélie penguins emerge as promising environmental bio-monitoring species, offering insights into the potential trophic transfer of MPs within frigid environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrayan Bhattacharjee
- Department of Environment Science, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge circular road, Kolkata 700019, India; Ecosystem and Ecology Laboratory, Post-graduate Department of Zoology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College (Autonomous), Rahara, Kolkata 700118, India
| | - Chayanika Rathore
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Akshata Naik
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
| | - Mahua Saha
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Praveen Tudu
- Department of Environment Science, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge circular road, Kolkata 700019, India
| | - Prabir Ghosh Dastidar
- SGT University, Budhera, Gurugram, Delhi NCR, India; Polar Science Division, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, New Delhi, India.
| | | | - Jacob de Boer
- Vrije University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Punarbasu Chaudhuri
- Department of Environment Science, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge circular road, Kolkata 700019, India
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Le Hen G, Masoni A, Manuelli M, Falsini S, Corti E, Balzani P, Renault D, Papini A, Santini G. Ants avoid food contaminated with micro- and nanoplastics. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 360:124625. [PMID: 39069242 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNP) have recently received particular attention in freshwater and marine ecosystems, but less is known about their impact on terrestrial species. Ants can be used as biological indicators for many types of pollutants and are therefore a good candidate to explore the effects of MNP pollution. In the present study, we investigated the ability of workers from seven colonies of the acrobat ant Crematogaster scutellaris to detect MNP in their food. After two days of starvation, groups of ten ants were tested for their preference toward control and polyethylene-treated solutions. Every 5 min over a total 20 min period, the number of workers feeding on either solution was counted. The results showed that C. scutellaris workers could detect and avoid contaminated food, feeding more often on the uncontaminated solution in the first 10 min. However, after 10 min the food preference was no longer significant between the groups, likely owing to feeding satiation. We then assessed whether this feeding behaviour is sufficient to cause the accumulation of MNP in the ant. We thereby provided a solution containing fluorescent MNP (fMNP) at the same concentration as in the previous experiments. Observation of the ants' mouthparts using fluorescent light microscopy showed that after 10 min dense aggregations of fMNP were visible. Further investigations are needed to understand the mechanisms of detection of MNP by ants, and the accumulation dynamics in ants' bodies. Moreover, the effects of MNP on the integrity and fitness of ant colonies, as well as the potential transfer across terrestrial trophic chains should be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwendaline Le Hen
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution)], UMR 6553, 35000 Rennes, France; Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
| | - Alberto Masoni
- Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Marta Manuelli
- Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Sara Falsini
- Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Pier Antonio Micheli, 3, 50121, Firenze, Italy
| | - Emilio Corti
- Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Pier Antonio Micheli, 3, 50121, Firenze, Italy
| | - Paride Balzani
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - David Renault
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution)], UMR 6553, 35000 Rennes, France; Institut Universitaire de France, 1 Rue Descartes, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France
| | - Alessio Papini
- Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Pier Antonio Micheli, 3, 50121, Firenze, Italy
| | - Giacomo Santini
- Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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Chiu MC, Ao S, Ling C, He F, Luo Q, Wen Z, Cai Q, Resh VH. Meta-ecosystem Frameworks Can Enhance Control of the Biotic Transport of Microplastics. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:12846-12852. [PMID: 38975878 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c04444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
The lack of systematic approaches and analyses to identify, quantify, and manage the biotic transport of microplastics (MPs) along cross-ecosystem landscapes prevents the current goals of sustainable environmental development from being met. This Perspective proposes a meta-ecosystem framework, which considers organismal and resource flows among ecosystems to shed light on the research and management challenges related to both abiotic and biotic MP transport at landscape levels. We discuss MP transport pathways through species movements and trophic transfers among ecosystems and sub-ecosystems, and highlight these pathways in the mitigation of MP pollution. The integration of biotic pathways across landscapes prioritizes management actions for MP transport using diverse approaches such as wastewater treatment and plastic removal policies to mitigate contamination. In addition, our framework emphasizes the potential sink enhancement of MPs through habitat conservation and enhancement of riparian vegetation. By considering the mechanisms of meta-ecosystem dynamics through the processes of biotic dispersal, accumulation, and the ultimate fate of MPs, advances in the environmental impact assessment and management of MP production can proceed more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Chih Chiu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430061, China
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-0825, Japan
| | - Sicheng Ao
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Chang Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430061, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fengzhi He
- State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin 12587, Germany
| | - Qingyi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430061, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
- Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Zihao Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430061, China
| | - Qinghua Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430061, China
| | - Vincent H Resh
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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5
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Tarricone S, Colonna MA, Freschi P, Cosentino C, La Gioia G, Carbonara C, Ragni M. The Presence of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tracts of Song Thrushes ( Turdus philomelos) Wintering in Apulia (Southern Italy)-Preliminary Results. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2050. [PMID: 39061512 PMCID: PMC11273484 DOI: 10.3390/ani14142050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The term microplastics (MPs) describes a heterogeneous mixture of particles that can vary in size, color, and shape. Once released into the environment, MPs have various toxicological and physical effects on wildlife. The Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) is a migratory species, staying in Italy in late autumn and winter. The aim of this study is to assess, quantify, and characterize the presence of microplastics in Song Thrushes hunted in the Apulia region of Italy. The birds (n = 360) were hunted in the Bari countryside and donated for research purposes by hunters. MPs were classified in relation to their shape in fibers, films, fragments, and pellets; then, they were divided according to their color and the length of the particles was measured. Nikon image analysis software was applied to the litter size measurements. Of the total of 360 birds, MPs were detected in the stomachs of 129 birds shot in December and 128 birds shot in January. The majority of ingested MPs were fibers that were observed in all contaminated birds. Film fragments were observed in every contaminated specimen. Among all the MPs found, 31.75% were red, 30.13% were black, and 25.91% were blue, while the other colors were less represented. This study provides the first analysis of MPs bioaccumulation in Song Thrushes wintering in the Apulia region, and the high contamination of thrushes confirmed the ubiquity of MPs in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Tarricone
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.T.); (M.A.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Maria Antonietta Colonna
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.T.); (M.A.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Pierangelo Freschi
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy; (P.F.); (C.C.)
| | - Carlo Cosentino
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy; (P.F.); (C.C.)
| | | | - Claudia Carbonara
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.T.); (M.A.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Marco Ragni
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70126 Bari, Italy; (S.T.); (M.A.C.); (M.R.)
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6
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Pietrelli L, Dodaro G, Pelosi I, Menegoni P, Battisti C, Coccia C, Scalici M. Microplastic in an apex predator: evidence from Barn owl (Tyto alba) pellets in two sites with different levels of anthropization. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:33155-33162. [PMID: 38733443 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33637-8] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments and its accumulation along food chains has been poorly studied in birds. The Barn owl (Tyto alba) is an opportunistic and nocturnal apex predator feeding mostly on small mammals. In this note, we reported evidence of microplastics (MPs) contamination in Barn owl pellets collected, for the first time, in two sites with different levels of anthropization (low: natural landscape mosaic vs. high extensive croplands). The following polymers have been recorded: polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), expanded polyester (EPS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyester (PL), viscose, and starch-based biopolymer. We found significant higher MPs frequency in the most anthropized site. Our results suggest that pellet' analysis may represent a cost-effective method for monitoring MP contamination along food chains in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuseppe Dodaro
- Sustainable Development Foundation, Via Garigliano 61a, 00198, Rome, Italia
| | - Ilaria Pelosi
- Department of Sciences, University of Rome Tre, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Corrado Battisti
- "Torre Flavia" LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) Station, Città Metropolitana Di Roma, Servizio Aree protette - Parchi Regionali - Via Ribotta, 41 - 00144, Rome, Italy.
| | - Cristina Coccia
- Department of Sciences, University of Rome Tre, Rome, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Università Di Palermo, Piazza Marina 61, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Scalici
- Department of Sciences, University of Rome Tre, Rome, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Università Di Palermo, Piazza Marina 61, 90133, Palermo, Italy
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Mansfield I, Reynolds SJ, Lynch I, Matthews TJ, Sadler JP. Birds as bioindicators of plastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments: A 30-year review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123790. [PMID: 38537798 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123790] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a global concern that has grown ever more acute in recent years. Most research has focused on the impact of plastic pollution in marine environments. However, plastic is increasingly being detected in terrestrial and freshwater environments with key inland sources including landfills, where it is accessible to a wide range of organisms. Birds are effective bioindicators of pollutants for many reasons, including their high mobility and high intra- and interspecific variation in trophic levels. Freshwater and terrestrial bird species are under-represented in plastic pollution research compared to marine species. We reviewed 106 studies (spanning from 1994 onwards) that have detected plastics in bird species dwelling in freshwater and/or terrestrial habitats, identifying knowledge gaps. Seventy-two studies focused solely on macroplastics (fragments >5 mm), compared to 22 microplastic (fragments <5 mm) studies. A further 12 studies identified plastics as both microplastics and macroplastics. No study investigated nanoplastic (particles <100 nm) exposure. Research to date has geographical and species' biases while ignoring nanoplastic sequestration in free-living freshwater, terrestrial and marine bird species. Building on the baseline search presented here, we urge researchers to develop and validate standardised field sampling techniques and laboratory analytical protocols such as Raman spectroscopy to allow for the quantification and identification of micro- and nanoplastics in terrestrial and freshwater environments and the species therein. Future studies should consistently report the internalised and background concentrations, types, sizes and forms of plastics. This will enable a better understanding of the sources of plastic pollution and their routes of exposure to birds of terrestrial and freshwater environments, providing a more comprehensive insight into the potential impacts on birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Mansfield
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
| | - S J Reynolds
- School of Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; The Army Ornithological Society (AOS), c/o Prince Consort Library, Knollys Road, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 1PS, UK
| | - I Lynch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - T J Matthews
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - J P Sadler
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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Lin B, Wang L, Chen Q, Liu Z, Liu B, Wen S, Liu F, Chen X, Zhang Z, Wu L, Wei C. Health assessment based on exposure to microplastics in tropical agricultural soil. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133372. [PMID: 38159519 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133372] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution of agricultural soils has caused global alarm over its widespread distribution and potential risks to terrestrial ecosystems and human health. This study assessed human health based on exposure to soil MPs through a comprehensive investigation of the factors influencing their occurrence and spatial distribution on Hainan Island, South China. The results showed that the abundance of soil MPs was 1128.6 ± 391.5 items·kg-1, whereas the normalized abundance of MPs based on using a power-law function was 19,261.4 items·kg-1. Regarding the extent of population exposure to agricultural soil MPs, the average daily exposure dose (pADD) model revealed that using mass as an indicator to assess the health risks associated with MP intake is more reliable than using abundance. However, abundance-based exposure assessments are also relevant because MPs with smaller particle sizes are more harmful to human health. Moreover, for adults, the normalized pADD values based on abundance and mass were 1.68E-02 item MPs·kg BW-1·d-1 and 7.23E-02 mg MPs·kg BW-1·d-1, respectively. Although the multidimensionality of MPs should be further aligned and quantified, the preliminary findings of this study contribute to the development of human health risk assessment frameworks for soil MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bigui Lin
- Institute of Environment and Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Tropical Region of China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China; Hainan Danzhou Tropical Agro-ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China
| | - Luya Wang
- Institute of Environment and Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Tropical Region of China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China; Hainan Danzhou Tropical Agro-ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China
| | - Qiyu Chen
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Zhilei Liu
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Beibei Liu
- Institute of Environment and Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Tropical Region of China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China; Hainan Danzhou Tropical Agro-ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China
| | - Shaobai Wen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, School of Tropical and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Institute of Environment and Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xichao Chen
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Zongyao Zhang
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Lin Wu
- Institute of Environment and Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Tropical Region of China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China; Hainan Danzhou Tropical Agro-ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China.
| | - Chaoxian Wei
- Institute of Environment and Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Tropical Region of China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China; Hainan Danzhou Tropical Agro-ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Danzhou 571737, China.
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9
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Perry WB, Ahmadian R, Munday M, Jones O, Ormerod SJ, Durance I. Addressing the challenges of combined sewer overflows. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 343:123225. [PMID: 38151091 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123225] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Europe's ageing wastewater system often combines domestic sewage with surface runoff and industrial wastewaters. To reduce the associated risk of overloading wastewater treatment works during storms, and to prevent wastewater backing-up into properties, Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) are designed into wastewater networks to release excess discharge into rivers or coastal waters without treatment. In view of growing regulatory scrutiny and increasing public concern about their excessive discharge frequencies and potential impacts on environments and people, there is a need to better understand these impacts to allow prioritisation of cost-effective solutions.We review: i) the chemical, physical and biological composition of CSOs discharges; ii) spatio-temporal variations in the quantity, quality and load of overflows spilling into receiving waters; iii) the potential impacts on people, ecosystems and economies. Despite investigations illustrating the discharge frequency of CSOs, data on spill composition and loading of pollutants are too few to reach representative conclusions, particularly for emerging contaminants. Studies appraising impacts are also scarce, especially in contexts where there are multiple stressors affecting receiving waters. Given the costs of addressing CSOs problems, but also the likely long-term gains (e.g. economic stimulation as well as improvements to biodiversity, ecosystem services, public health and wellbeing), we highlight here the need to bolster these evidence gaps. We also advocate no-regrets options to alleviate CSO problems taking into consideration economic costs, carbon neutrality, ecosystem benefit and community well-being. Besides pragmatic, risk-based investment by utilities and local authorities to modernise wastewater systems, these include i) more systemic thinking, linking policy makers, consumers, utilities and regulators, to shift from local CSO issues to integrated catchment solutions with the aim of reducing contributions to wastewater from surface drainage and water consumption; ii) broader societal responsibilities for CSOs, for example through improved regulation, behavioural changes in water consumption and disposal of waste into wastewater networks, and iii) greater cost-sharing of wastewater use.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bernard Perry
- Water Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Reza Ahmadian
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Max Munday
- Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Owen Jones
- School of Mathematics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Steve J Ormerod
- Water Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Isabelle Durance
- Water Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.
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10
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Khedre AM, Ramadan SA, Ashry A, Alaraby M. Interactions between microplastics and Culex sp. larvae in wastewater. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2024; 96:e11003. [PMID: 38385906 DOI: 10.1002/wer.11003] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are a growing issue because they endanger both aquatic organisms and humans. Studies have indicated that wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are one of the major contributors to MPs in the environment. However, studies on the abundance of MP contamination in WWTPs and its transmission into aquatic organisms are still scarce, especially in Egypt. The goal of this study was to examine the temporal fluctuations in the distribution of MPs in surface water and the dominant macroinvertebrate fauna (Culex sp. larvae) in a fixed wastewater basin in Sohag Governorate, Egypt. The average of MPs in the surface water was 3.01 ± 0.9 particles/L. The results indicated to seasonal variation of MP abundance in the wastewater basin that was significantly higher in winter than in the other seasons. The risk index for polymers (H), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (RI) were used to assess the degree of MP contamination. The basin has moderate H values (<1000) because of the presence of polymers with moderate hazard scores such as polyester (PES), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP). According to the PLI values, surface water is extremely contaminated with MPs (PLI: 88 to 120). The RI values of surface water showed higher ecological risk (level V). MPs in Culex sp. larvae were seasonally changed with an 85% detection rate, and an abundance average of 0.24 ± 0.65 particles/ind, MP concentration in Culex sp. larvae was influenced by the MP characters (shape, color, and polymer). The larvae of Culex sp. showed a greater preference for black and red fibrous polyester (PES) with sizes (<1000 μm) of MPs. These findings suggest that Culex sp. larvae prefer ingesting MPs that resemble their food. It is possible to overestimate Culex sp.'s preference for lower sizes because of their catabolism of MPs. To better understand the preferences of Culex sp. larvae for MPs, further controlled trials should be conducted. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Wastewater is highly contaminated with microplastics (MPs) in the different seasons. First report of detection of the seasonal abundance of MP in Culex sp. larvae. Culex sp. larvae showed a stronger feeding preference for MPs with specific characteristics. Smaller size and blue polyester fibers were the dominant characteristics of MPs in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azza M Khedre
- Group of Entomology and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Sohag University (82524), Sohag, Egypt
| | - Somaia A Ramadan
- Group of Entomology and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Sohag University (82524), Sohag, Egypt
| | - Ali Ashry
- Group of Entomology and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Sohag University (82524), Sohag, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Alaraby
- Group of Entomology and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Sohag University (82524), Sohag, Egypt
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11
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Wang T, Li B, Shi H, Ding Y, Chen H, Yuan F, Liu R, Zou X. The processes and transport fluxes of land-based macroplastics and microplastics entering the ocean via rivers. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 466:133623. [PMID: 38301445 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Approximately 80% of marine plastic waste originates from land-based sources and enters oceans through rivers. Hence, to create effective regulations, it is crucial to thoroughly examine the processes by which land-based plastic waste flows into marine environments. To this end, this review covers the complete journey of macro- and microplastics from their initial input into rivers to their ultimate release into oceans. Here, we also discuss the primary influencing factors and current popular research topics. Additionally, the principles, applicability, accuracy, uncertainty, and potential improvement of the standard methods used for flux estimation at each stage are outlined. Emission estimates of land-based macro- and microplastics are typically assessed using the emission factor approach, coefficient accounting approach, or material flow analysis. Accurately estimating mismanaged plastic waste is crucial for reducing uncertainty in the macroplastic emission inventory. In our review of the processes by which land-originating plastics enter rivers, we categorized them into two major types: point-source and diffuse-source pollution. Land surface hydrological models simulate transport from diffuse sources to rivers, necessitating further research. Riverine (micro)plastic flux to the ocean is often estimated using monitoring statistics and watershed hydrological models at the watershed scale; however, standardized monitoring methods have not yet been established. At the global scale, algorithms based on river datasets are often used, which require further improvements in river data selection and microplastic number-mass conversion factors. Furthermore, the article summarizes the accuracy and sources of uncertainty of various methods. Future research efforts should focus on quantifying and mitigating uncertainties in resultant projections. Overall, this review deepens our understanding of the processes by which land-based plastic waste enters the ocean and helps scholars efficiently select or improve relevant methods when studying land-ocean transport fluxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Hazards Forecasting, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, China; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Nanjing Outskirts Sea-Atmosphere Interface Field Scientific Observation Research Station & College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, China.
| | - Baojie Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Huahong Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Yongcheng Ding
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Hongyu Chen
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Feng Yuan
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Rongze Liu
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Nanjing Outskirts Sea-Atmosphere Interface Field Scientific Observation Research Station & College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, China
| | - Xinqing Zou
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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12
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Li C, Gillings MR, Zhang C, Chen Q, Zhu D, Wang J, Zhao K, Xu Q, Leung PH, Li X, Liu J, Jin L. Ecology and risks of the global plastisphere as a newly expanding microbial habitat. Innovation (N Y) 2024; 5:100543. [PMID: 38111463 PMCID: PMC10726253 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2023.100543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Plastic offers a new niche for microorganisms, the plastisphere. The ever-increasing emission of plastic waste makes it critical to understand the microbial ecology of the plastisphere and associated effects. Here, we present a global fingerprint of the plastisphere, analyzing samples collected from freshwater, seawater, and terrestrial ecosystems. The plastisphere assembles a distinct microbial community that has a clearly higher heterogeneity and a more deterministically dominated assembly compared to natural habitats. New coexistence patterns-loose and fragile networks with mostly specialist linkages among microorganisms that are rarely found in natural habitats-are seen in the plastisphere. Plastisphere microbiomes generally have a great potential to metabolize organic compounds, which could accelerate carbon turnover. Microorganisms involved in the nitrogen cycle are also altered in the plastisphere, especially in freshwater plastispheres, where a high abundance of denitrifiers may increase the release of nitrite (aquatic toxicant) and nitrous oxide (greenhouse gas). Enrichment of animal, plant, and human pathogens means that the plastisphere could become an increasingly mobile reservoir of harmful microorganisms. Our findings highlight that if the trajectory of plastic emissions is not reversed, the expanding plastisphere could pose critical planetary health challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changchao Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Michael R. Gillings
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Chao Zhang
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Qinglin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Dong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Kankan Zhao
- Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qicheng Xu
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Polly Hangmei Leung
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics and Research Institute for Future Food, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiangdong Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Ling Jin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics and Research Institute for Future Food, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
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13
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Bilal M, Yaqub A, Hassan HU, Akhtar S, Rafiq N, Ali Shah MI, Hussain I, Salman Khan M, Nawaz A, Manoharadas S, Rizwan Khan M, Arai T, Ríos-Escalante PDL. Microplastic Quantification in Aquatic Birds: Biomonitoring the Environmental Health of the Panjkora River Freshwater Ecosystem in Pakistan. TOXICS 2023; 11:972. [PMID: 38133373 PMCID: PMC10748139 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11120972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution has become a global concern, with potential negative impacts on various ecosystems and wildlife species. Among these species, ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) are particularly vulnerable due to their feeding habits and proximity to aquatic environments contaminated with microplastics. The current study was designed to monitor microplastic (MP) pollutants in the freshwater ecosystem of the Panjkora River, Lower Dir, Pakistan. A total of twenty (20) duck samples were brought up for four months and 13 days on the banks of the river, with no food intake outside the river. When they reached an average weight of 2.41 ± 0.53 kg, all samples were sacrificed, dissected, and transported in an ice box to the laboratory for further analysis. After sample preparation, such as digestion with 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH), density separation, filtration, and identification, the MP content was counted. A total of 2033 MP particles were recovered from 20 ducks with a mean value of 44.6 ± 15.8 MPs/crop and 57.05 ± 18.7 MPs/gizzard. MPs detected in surface water were 31.2 ± 15.5 MPs/L. The major shape types of MPs recovered were fragments in crop (67%) and gizzard (58%) samples and fibers in surface water (56%). Other types of particles recovered were fibers, sheets, and foams. The majority of these detected MP particles were in the size range of 300-500 µm (63%) in crops, and 50-150 µm (55%) in gizzards, while in water samples the most detected particles were in the range of 150-300 µm (61%). Chemical characterization by FTIR found six types of polymers. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) had the greatest polymer detection rate (39.2%), followed by polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (28.3%), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) (22.7%), polystyrene (6.6%), co-polymerized polypropylene (2.5%), and polypropylene homopolymer (0.7%). This study investigated the presence of microplastics in the crops and gizzards of ducks, as well as in river surface water. The results revealed the significant and pervasive occurrence of microplastics in both the avian digestive systems and the surrounding water environment. These findings highlight the potential threat of microplastic pollution to wildlife and ecosystems, emphasizing the need for further research and effective mitigation strategies to address this pressing environmental concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (M.B.); (A.Y.)
| | - Atif Yaqub
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (M.B.); (A.Y.)
| | - Habib Ul Hassan
- Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
- Fisheries Development Board, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Sohail Akhtar
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan;
| | - Naseem Rafiq
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (N.R.); (M.S.K.)
| | | | - Ibrar Hussain
- Department of Statistics, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Salman Khan
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Pakistan; (N.R.); (M.S.K.)
| | - Asad Nawaz
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China;
| | - Salim Manoharadas
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mohammad Rizwan Khan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Takaomi Arai
- Environmental and Life Sciences Programme, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong BE 1410, Brunei;
| | - Patricio De Los Ríos-Escalante
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Químicas, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco 4780000, Chile;
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14
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Cesarini G, Secco S, Taurozzi D, Venditti I, Battocchio C, Marcheggiani S, Mancini L, Fratoddi I, Scalici M, Puccinelli C. Teratogenic effects of environmental concentration of plastic particles on freshwater organisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165564. [PMID: 37467998 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165564] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Given the widespread presence of plastics, especially in micro- and nanoscale sizes, in freshwater systems, it is crucial to identify a suitable model organism for assessing the potential toxic and teratogenic effects of exposure to plastic particles. Until now, the early life stage of freshwater organisms and the regeneration capacity in relation to plastic particles exposure is a still poorly investigated topic. In this study, we examine the teratogenic effect on diatom Cocconeis placentula and cnidarian Hydra vulgaris under controlled exposure conditions of poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) (P(S-co-MMA)) particles. Significant effects were observed at the lowest concentrations (0.1 μg/L). A significant increase in the teratological frequency in C. placentula and a significant decrease in the regeneration rate in H. vulgaris were found at the lowest concentration. The delay in hydra regeneration impaired the feeding capacity and tentacles reactivity at 96 h of exposure. No effects on diatom growth were observed upon exposure to P(S-co-MMA) particles (0.1, 1, 100, 10,000 μg/L) for 28 days and these findings agree with other studies investigating algal growth. The application of the Teratogenic Risk Index, modified for diatoms, highlighted a moderate risk for the lowest concentration evaluating C. placentula and low risk at the lowest and the highest concentrations considering H. vulgaris. This study suggests the importance of testing organisms belonging to different trophic levels as diverse teratogenic effects can be found and the need to evaluate environmentally relevant concentrations of plastic particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cesarini
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Secco
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Taurozzi
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Iole Venditti
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Battocchio
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Marcheggiani
- Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Mancini
- Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Fratoddi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Scalici
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - Camilla Puccinelli
- Department of Environment and Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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15
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Liao H, Gao D, Kong C, Junaid M, Li Y, Chen X, Zheng Q, Chen G, Wang J. Trophic transfer of nanoplastics and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in a freshwater food chain (Chlorella Pyrenoidosa-Daphnia magna-Micropterus salmoides) induced disturbance of lipid metabolism in fish. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132294. [PMID: 37591169 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132294] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Nanoplastics and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) are ubiquitous emerging contaminants that are transferred among organisms through food chain in the ecosystem. This study evaluated the trophic transfer of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) and DEHP in a food chain including Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Daphnia magna and Micropterus salmoides (algae-crustacean-fish) and lipid metabolism at a higher trophic level in fish. Our results showed that the PSNPs and DEHP accumulated in C. pyrenoidosa or D. magna were transferred to the M. salmoides, of which the DEHP were not biomagnified, while the PSNPs were trophically amplified by the food chain. It is suggested that more PSNPs might be accumulated by higher level consumers in a longer food chain. Additionally, the trophic transfer of PSNPs and DEHP resulted in antioxidant response and histopathological damage in M. salmoides. Moreover, the lipid biochemical parameters and lipid metabolism related genes (fasn, hsl, cpt1a, atgl, apob, fabp1, lpl, cetp) of M. salmoides were significantly affected, which indicated disturbance of lipid metabolism. This study offers great insight into the transfer of contaminants by trophic transfer and their negative effects on organisms at higher trophic levels, which cause human exposure to MNPs and organic contaminants in the ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongping Liao
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Dandan Gao
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Chunmiao Kong
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Muhammad Junaid
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ye Li
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xikun Chen
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qingzhi Zheng
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Guanglong Chen
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Research, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
| | - Jun Wang
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Institute of Eco-Environmental Research, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 528478, China.
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16
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Lofty J, Valero D, Wilson CAME, Franca MJ, Ouro P. Microplastic and natural sediment in bed load saltation: Material does not dictate the fate. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 243:120329. [PMID: 37453401 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution is a well document threat to our aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, however, the mechanisms by which MPs are transported in river flows are still unknown. The transport of MPs and natural sediment in aquatic flows could be somewhat comparable, as particles are similar in size. However, it is unknown how the lower density of MPs, their shape and their different material properties impact transport dynamics. To answer this, novel laboratory experiments on bed load saltation dynamics in an open-channel flow, using high-speed camera imaging and the detection of 11,035 individual saltation events were used to identify the similarities and differences between spherical MPs and spherical natural sediments transport. The tested MPs and sediment varied in terms of size and material properties (density and elasticity). Our analysis shows that the Rouse number accurately describes saltation length, height, transport velocity and collision angles equally well for both MPs and natural sediments. Through statistical inference, the distribution functions of saltation trajectory characteristics for MPs were analogous to natural sediment with only one sediment experiment (1.4% of cases) differing from all other plastic experiments. Similarly, only nine experiments (9.3% of cases) showed that collision angles for MPs differed from those of natural sediment experiments. Differences observed in terms of restitution become negligible in overall transport dynamics as turbulence overcomes the kinetic energy lost at particle-bed impact, which keeps particle motion independent from impact. Overall, spherical MP particles behave similarly to spherical natural sediments in aquatic environments under the examined experimental conditions. This is significant because there is an established body of knowledge for sediment transport that can serve as a foundation for the study of MP transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lofty
- School of Engineering, Hydro-Environmental Research Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - D Valero
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany; IHE Delft, Water Resources and Ecosystems Department, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - C A M E Wilson
- School of Engineering, Hydro-Environmental Research Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - M J Franca
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - P Ouro
- School of Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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17
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Clark L, Allen R, Botterell ZLR, Callejo B, Godley BJ, Henry C, Santillo D, Nelms SE. Using citizen science to understand floating plastic debris distribution and abundance: A case study from the North Cornish coast (United Kingdom). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 194:115314. [PMID: 37506480 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Citizen science is now commonly employed to collect data on plastic pollution and is recognised as a valuable tool for furthering our understanding of the issue. Few studies, however, use citizen science to gather information on water-borne plastic debris. Here, citizen scientists adopted a globally standardised methodology to sample the sea-surface for small (1-5 mm) floating plastic debris off the Cornish coast (UK). Twenty-eight trawls were conducted along five routes, intersecting two Marine Protected Areas. Of the 509 putative plastic items, fragments were most common (64 %), then line (19 %), foam (7 %), film (6 %), and pellets (4 %). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy identified the most common polymer type as polyethylene (31 %), then nylon (12 %), polypropylene (8 %), polyamide (5 %) and polystyrene (3 %). This study provides the first globally comparative baseline of floating plastic debris for the region (mean: 8512 items km-2), whilst contributing to an international dataset aimed at understanding plastic abundance and distribution worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liz Clark
- Newquay Marine Group, 54 Bezant Place, Newquay TR7 1SJ, UK
| | - Rebecca Allen
- Newquay University Centre, Cornwall College, Wildflower Lane, Newquay TR7 2LZ, UK
| | - Zara L R Botterell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Beatriz Callejo
- Greenpeace Research Laboratories, Innovation Centre Phase 2, University of Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RN, UK
| | - Brendan J Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Clare Henry
- Greenpeace Research Laboratories, Innovation Centre Phase 2, University of Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RN, UK
| | - David Santillo
- Greenpeace Research Laboratories, Innovation Centre Phase 2, University of Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RN, UK
| | - Sarah E Nelms
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
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18
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Cesarini G, Coppola F, Campos D, Venditti I, Battocchio C, Di Giulio A, Muzzi M, Pestana JLT, Scalici M. Nanoplastic exposure inhibits feeding and delays regeneration in a freshwater planarian. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023:121959. [PMID: 37271363 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The concentration of nanoplastics (NPs) is expected to increase in aquatic environments thus potentially threatening freshwater organisms through interactions with plastic particles that variously float, circulate in the water column or sink into the benthos. Studies into the mechanisms of any NP effects are still scarce, particularly with respect to the regenerative ability of biota for which there is no recognised model organism. The present study therefore aimed to investigate behavioural and regeneration responses of the freshwater planarian Girardia tigrina after 10 days exposed to along a gradient 0.01-10 mg/L of poly (styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) NPs (∼426 ± 175 nm). Exposure to NPs induced a significant reduction in planarian feeding rate even at low concentrations (LOEC of 0.01 mg/L), while head regeneration was delayed in a clear dose response way (LOEC of 0.1 mg/L for blastema length). Planaria locomotion assessed was not affected. Our results highlight the potential adverse effects of exposure to poly (styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) NPs and show that feeding behaviour and regeneration of a freshwater benthic organism can be indicators of the resulting toxicity. Planarians are becoming widely used model organisms in ecotoxicology and can help to address potential effects of plastic polymers on regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cesarini
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesca Coppola
- CESAM & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Diana Campos
- CESAM & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Iole Venditti
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Battocchio
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Di Giulio
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Muzzi
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - João L T Pestana
- CESAM & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Massimiliano Scalici
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
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19
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Tanunchai B, Ji L, Schröder O, Gawol SJ, Geissler A, Wahdan SFM, Buscot F, Kalkhof S, Schulze ED, Noll M, Purahong W. Fate of a biodegradable plastic in forest soil: Dominant tree species and forest types drive changes in microbial community assembly, influence the composition of plastisphere, and affect poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) degradation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 873:162230. [PMID: 36796697 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162230] [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: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) degradation and its plastisphere microbiome in cropland soils have been studied; however, such knowledge is limited in the case of forest ecosystems. In this context, we investigated: i) the impact of forest types (conifer and broadleaved forests) on the plastisphere microbiome and its community assembly, ii) their link to PBSA degradation, and iii) the identities of potential microbial keystone taxa. We determined that forest type significantly affected microbial richness (F = 5.26-9.88, P = 0.034 to 0.006) and fungal community composition (R2 = 0.38, P = 0.001) of the plastisphere microbiome, whereas its effects on microbial abundance and bacterial community composition were not significant. The bacterial community was governed by stochastic processes (mainly homogenizing dispersal), whereas the fungal community was driven by both stochastic and deterministic processes (drift and homogeneous selection). The highest molar mass loss was found for PBSA degraded under Pinus sylvestris (26.6 ± 2.6 to 33.9 ± 1.8 % (mean ± SE) at 200 and 400 days, respectively), and the lowest molar mass loss was found under Picea abies (12.0 ± 1.6 to 16.0 ± 0.5 % (mean ± SE) at 200 and 400 days, respectively). Important fungal PBSA decomposers (Tetracladium) and atmospheric dinitrogen (N2)-fixing bacteria (symbiotic: Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium and Methylobacterium and non-symbiotic: Mycobacterium) were identified as potential keystone taxa. The present study is among the first to determine the plastisphere microbiome and its community assembly processes associated with PBSA in forest ecosystems. We detected consistent biological patterns in the forest and cropland ecosystems, indicating a potential mechanistic interaction between N2-fixing bacteria and Tetracladium during PBSA biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjawan Tanunchai
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Li Ji
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; School of Forestry, Central South of Forestry and Technology, 410004 Changsha, PR China
| | - Olaf Schröder
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Julia Gawol
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Geissler
- Department of Macromolecular Chemistry and Paper Chemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt D-64287, Germany
| | - Sara Fareed Mohamed Wahdan
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt
| | - François Buscot
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Kalkhof
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; Department of Preclinical Development and Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ernst-Detlef Schulze
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Biogeochemical Processes Department, Hans-Knöll-Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Matthias Noll
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Witoon Purahong
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
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20
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Dent AR, Chadwick DDA, Eagle LJB, Gould AN, Harwood M, Sayer CD, Rose NL. Microplastic burden in invasive signal crayfish ( Pacifastacus leniusculus) increases along a stream urbanization gradient. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10041. [PMID: 37153013 PMCID: PMC10156447 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10041] [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: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Microplastics are a globally pervasive pollutant with the potential to directly impact species and accumulate in ecosystems. However, there remains a relative paucity of research addressing their accumulation in freshwater ecosystems and a near absence of work in crayfish, despite their high ecological and economic importance. This study investigated the presence of microplastics in the invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus along a stream urbanization gradient. The results demonstrate a ubiquitous presence of microplastics in crayfish digestive tracts at all sites and provide the first evidence of microplastic accumulation in tail tissue. Evidence of a positive linear trend was demonstrated between microplastic concentration in crayfish and upstream urban area size in generalized linear models. Evidence for a positive effect of the upstream urban area and a negative effect of crayfish length on microplastic concentrations in crayfish was demonstrated in multiple generalized linear regression models. Our results extend the current understanding of microplastics presence in freshwater ecosystems and demonstrate their presence in crayfish in the wild for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel D. A. Chadwick
- Department of GeographyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- PBA Applied EcologySettle, North YorkshireUK
| | - Lawrence J. B. Eagle
- Department of GeographyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- PBA Applied EcologySettle, North YorkshireUK
| | | | | | - Carl D. Sayer
- Department of GeographyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Neil L. Rose
- Department of GeographyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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21
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Rodrigues de Souza A, Bernardes RC, Barbosa WF, Viana TA, do Nascimento FS, Lima MAP, Martins GF. Ingestion of polystyrene microparticles impairs survival and defecation in larvae of Polistes satan (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:58527-58535. [PMID: 36988811 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26695-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are widespread pollutants of emerging concern, and the risks associated with their ingestion have been reported in many organisms. Terrestrial environments can be contaminated with MPs, and terrestrial organisms, including arthropods, are predisposed to the risk of ingesting MPs. In the current study, the larvae of the paper wasp Polistes satan were fed two different doses (6 mg or 16 mg at once) of polystyrene MPs (1.43 mm maximum length), and the effects of these treatments on immature development and survival till adult emergence were studied. Ingestion of the two doses resulted in mortality due to impaired defecation prior to pupation. The survival of larvae that ingested 16 mg of MPs was significantly lower than that of the control. The ingestion of 16 mg of MPs also reduced the adult emergence (11.4%) in comparison to the control (44.4%). MPs were not transferred from the larvae to the adults that survived. These findings demonstrate that MP ingestion can be detrimental to P. satan, e.g. larval mortality can decrease colony productivity and thus the worker force, and that MPs can potentially affect natural enemies that occur in crops, such as predatory social wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Rodrigues de Souza
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | - Wagner Faria Barbosa
- Departamento de Estatística, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thaís Andrade Viana
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fábio Santos do Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Gustavo Ferreira Martins
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, MinasGerais, Brazil
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22
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Gallitelli L, Di Lollo G, Adduce C, Maggi MR, Trombetta B, Scalici M. Aquatic plants entrap different size of plastics in indoor flume experiments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:161051. [PMID: 36549519 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plastics accumulate in the environment affecting biota and ecosystems. Although rivers are vectors of land-based plastics to the sea, macroplastics and microplastics in rivers are recently studied. Most studies focused on floating plastic transport to the sea through rivers considering only abiotic hydromorphological factors. In this view, among biotic factors, vegetation has recently been found to entrap plastics. Indeed, the role of vegetation is pivotal in affecting riverine plastic transport. While marine vegetation blocking plastics has been studied, research in freshwater ecosystems is neglected. Since hydrological factors have a pivotal role in riverine plastic transport and few is known on plant entrapment, the interaction between hydrological variables and plastic entrapment by vegetation has not yet been investigated. Given that the composition, transport, and fate of "submerged" plastics in the water column are neglected, we aimed at investigating the behaviour of plants in entrapping plastics within a specific laboratory flume tank. Specifically, we assessed whether (i) aquatic plants block different plastic sizes within the water column and (ii) different factors (e.g. water level, density of plants) affect plastic entrapment. Our results showed that, according to plant density, the higher the plant density the higher the entrapment of plastics by plants - independently of plastic size. Considering the water level, macro-, meso-, and microplastics were trapped similarly. Moreover, Potamogeton crispus blocked fewer microplastics compared with Myriophyllum spicatum. Our results might have impact as plants acted as temporary plastic trappers and can be used as tools for mitigating plastic pollution. Future research might investigate if this laboratory approach can be applied in field for recollecting plastics and consequently mitigating the problem. In conclusion, good management of plants in watercourses, canals, and rivers should be ideal for enhancing river functionality and ecosystem services for human well-being (i.e. the plastic entrapment service by plants).
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Affiliation(s)
- L Gallitelli
- Department of Sciences, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy.
| | - G Di Lollo
- Department of Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra 62, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - C Adduce
- Department of Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra 62, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - M R Maggi
- Department of Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra 62, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - B Trombetta
- Department of Sciences, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - M Scalici
- Department of Sciences, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
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23
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Lofty J, Ouro P, Wilson CAME. Microplastics in the riverine environment: Meta-analysis and quality criteria for developing robust field sampling procedures. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:160893. [PMID: 36516921 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Current sampling approaches for quantifying microplastics (MP) in the riverine water column and riverbed are unstandardised and fail to document key river properties that impact on the hydrodynamic and transport processes of MP particles, hindering our understanding of MP behaviour in riverine systems. Using ten criteria based on the reportage of the catchment area, river characteristics of sampling sites and approach, we reviewed the sampling procedures employed in 36 field-based river studies that quantify MP presence in the water column and benthic sediment. Our results showed that a limited number of studies conducted reliable sampling procedures in accordance with the proposed quality criteria, with 35 of the 36 studies receiving a score of zero for at least one criterion, indicating the omission of critical information relating to the study's sample size and the physical and hydraulic characteristics of the sampled river. On the other hand, a good number of studies adequately documented the spatial information of the sampling sites, the vertical location of sample collection, and sampling equipment used. An idealised MP sampling approach is presented to ensure that future studies are harmonised and variables underpinning MP transport in rivers are reported. In addition, a meta-analysis on MP particle characteristics from these studies found that concentrations in the riverine water column and benthic sediment are highly variable, varying by five and seven orders of magnitude respectively, and are heavily dependent on the sampling equipment used. Polypropylene (PP), polyethene, (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were the most frequently reported MP polymers, while irregular-shaped particles, fibres, spheres, and films were the most commonly reported shapes in the river studies. These results highlight the urgent need to standardise sampling procedures and include key contextual information to improve our understanding of MP behaviour and transport in the freshwater environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lofty
- Hydro-Environmental Research Centre, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA, Wales, UK
| | - P Ouro
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - C A M E Wilson
- Hydro-Environmental Research Centre, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA, Wales, UK.
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24
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Siddiqui SA, Bahmid NA, Salman SHM, Nawaz A, Walayat N, Shekhawat GK, Gvozdenko AA, Blinov AV, Nagdalian AA. Migration of microplastics from plastic packaging into foods and its potential threats on human health. ADVANCES IN FOOD AND NUTRITION RESEARCH 2023; 103:313-359. [PMID: 36863838 DOI: 10.1016/bs.afnr.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics from food packaging material have risen in number and dispersion in the aquatic system, the terrestrial environment, and the atmosphere in recent decades. Microplastics are of particular concern due to their long-term durability in the environment, their great potential for releasing plastic monomers and additives/chemicals, and their vector-capacity for adsorbing or collecting other pollutants. Consumption of foods containing migrating monomers can lead to accumulation in the body and the build-up of monomers in the body can trigger cancer. The book chapter focuses the commercial plastic food packaging materials and describes their release mechanisms of microplastics from packaging into foods. To prevent the potential risk of microplastics migrated into food products, the factors influencing microplastic to the food products, e.g., high temperatures, ultraviolet and bacteria, have been discussed. Additionally, as many evidences shows that the microplastic components are toxic and carcinogenic, the potential threats and negative effects on human health have also been highlighted. Moreover, future trends is summarized to reduce the microplastic migration by enhancing public awareness as well as improving waste management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahida Anusha Siddiqui
- Technical University of Munich, Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Straubing, Germany; German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL e.V.), Quakenbrück, Germany.
| | - Nur Alim Bahmid
- Research Center for Food Technology and Processing, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Asad Nawaz
- College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Noman Walayat
- College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Garima Kanwar Shekhawat
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India
| | | | | | - Andrey Ashotovich Nagdalian
- Food Technology and Engineering Department, North Caucasus Federal University, Stavropol, Russia; Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University, St Petersburg, Russia
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25
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Khanashyam AC, Anjaly Shanker M, Nirmal NP. Nano/micro-plastics: Sources, trophic transfer, toxicity to the animals and humans, regulation, and assessment. ADVANCES IN FOOD AND NUTRITION RESEARCH 2023; 103:141-174. [PMID: 36863834 DOI: 10.1016/bs.afnr.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Being in an era of revolutionized production, consumption, and poor management of plastic waste, the existence of these polymers has resulted in an accumulation of plastic litter in nature. With macro plastics themselves being a major issue, the presence of their derivatives like microplastics which are confined to the size limitations of less than 5mm has ascended as a recent type of emergent contaminant. Even though there is size confinement, their occurrence is not narrowed and is extensively seen in both aquatic and terrestrial extents. The vast incidence of these polymers causing harmful effects on various living organisms through diverse mechanisms such as entanglement and ingestion have been reported. The risk of entanglement is mainly limited to smaller animals, whereas the risk associated with ingestion concerns even humans. Laboratory findings indicate the alignment of these polymers toward detrimental physical and toxicological effects on all creatures including humans. Supplementary to the risk involved with their presence, plastics also proceed as carters of certain toxic contaminants complemented during their industrial production process, which is injurious. Nevertheless, the assessment regarding the severity of these components to all creatures is comparatively restricted. This chapter focuses on the sources, complications, and toxicity associated with the presence of micro and nano plastics in the environment along with evidence of trophic transfer, and quantification methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anandu Chandra Khanashyam
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Kasetsart University, Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - M Anjaly Shanker
- Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), Sonepat, Haryana, India
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26
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Bhatt V, Chauhan JS. Microplastic in freshwater ecosystem: bioaccumulation, trophic transfer, and biomagnification. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:9389-9400. [PMID: 36508090 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24529-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Plastic wastes in the environment ultimately reach to the aquatic habitats and become available to aquatic organisms. The pathway of microplastic in aquatic ecosystem is very less investigated specially in freshwater. There have been evidences of MPs ingestion by freshwater biota but the fate of these MPs further in the food chain is unexplored. Thus, we reviewed the status of MPs in freshwater biota and tried to compare the studies to merge the available information, concepts, and perspectives in order to draw a conclusion on bioaccumulation potential, trophic transfer possibilities, biomagnification, and trends of ingesting MPs by the biota. In this review, the previously available information about MPs in aquatic biota is arranged, analyzed, and interpreted to understand all possible routes of MPs in freshwater habitats. The review further provides a better understanding about the lack of information and research gaps that are needed to be explored to develop a solution to the problem of MPs in near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Bhatt
- Aquatic Ecology Lab, Department of Himalayan Aquatic Biodiversity, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (A Central University), Srinagar-Garhwal, Uttarakhand, 246174, India
| | - Jaspal Singh Chauhan
- Aquatic Ecology Lab, Department of Himalayan Aquatic Biodiversity, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (A Central University), Srinagar-Garhwal, Uttarakhand, 246174, India.
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27
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Ratnayaka AAW, Serieys LEK, Hangawatte TA, Leung LKP, Fisher DO. Plastic ingestion by fishing cats suggests trophic transfer in urban wetlands. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120694. [PMID: 36402417 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that plastic contamination in some terrestrial and freshwater environments is estimated to be greater than that detected in marine environments. Urban wetlands are prone to plastic pollution but levels of contamination in their wildlife are poorly quantified. We collected 276 fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) scat samples in Colombo, Sri Lanka for a dietary study of urban fishing cats. We used traditional dietary analysis methodology to investigate the contents of the scats by washing, isolating, and identifying prey remains; while sorting prey remains of individual scats, we unexpectedly detected macroscopic (>1 mm) plastic debris in six (2.17%) of the samples. Across all scat samples, we detected low occurrences of microplastics (0.72%), mesoplastics (1.09%) and macroplastics (1.45%). All three plastic types were found in scats containing rodent remains, while meso-, and macroplastics were found in scats with avian remains, and micro- and macroplastics in scats containing freshwater fish remains. Given that felids are obligate generalist carnivores that eat live or recently dead prey and do not consume garbage, our findings suggest that trophic transfer of plastics occurred whereby fishing cats consumed prey contaminated with plastic. Although macroscopic plastic detection was low, our findings suggest that accumulation of plastics is occurring in wetland food webs, and plastic pollution in freshwater terrestrial systems could pose a risk to predators that do not directly consume plastics but inhabit contaminated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anya A W Ratnayaka
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia; Small Cat Advocacy and Research, 381/14, Spring Hills Estate, Bowalawatta, Kandy, 20024, Sri Lanka.
| | | | - Therangika A Hangawatte
- Small Cat Advocacy and Research, 381/14, Spring Hills Estate, Bowalawatta, Kandy, 20024, Sri Lanka; School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43201, USA
| | - Luke K P Leung
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia
| | - Diana O Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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28
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Zheng X, Wu X, Zheng Q, Mai BX, Qiu R. Transfer of Microplastics in Terrestrial and Aquatic Food Webs: The Impact of E-Waste Debris and Ecological Traits. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 57:1300-1308. [PMID: 36577390 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Factors affecting the trophic transfer of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems remain to be clarified. Here, we determined the abundances of MPs in multiple terrestrial and aquatic species, including insects, snails, crustaceans, fishes, snakes, birds, and voles, from an abandoned e-waste recycling site. Approximately 80% of MPs were within the size range 20-50 μm. In wildlife, the MP abundances per individual and per body weight were found to be positively and negatively correlated with body weight, respectively. Herein, terrestrial vertebrates, primarily birds, exhibited more complex compositions of polymer types than other organisms owing to the wide foraging areas and diverse food sources. However, according to the MPs modeled and the observed results in bird food chains, MPs do not appear to be preferentially retained in the bird gastrointestinal tract. The species-specific polymer types identified indicate the influences of habitat on MP pollution in organisms, which is further supported by significant correlations between the abundance of MPs and δ13C in the terrestrial food web (p < 0.05). In the analyzed bird species, the low MP abundance detected in birds compared with the amount of food ingested indicates that MPs constitute a negligible factor in the bioaccumulation of chemical pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Zheng
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Xiaodan Wu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Qian Zheng
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Bi-Xian Mai
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou510640, China
| | - Rongliang Qiu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
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Deoniziak K, Cichowska A, Niedźwiecki S, Pol W. Thrushes (Aves: Passeriformes) as indicators of microplastic pollution in terrestrial environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 853:158621. [PMID: 36084782 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is one of the leading global conservation issues. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of Common Blackbirds Turdus merula (N = 16) and Song Thrushes Turdus philomelos (N = 18), songbirds with exceptionally terrestrial lifestyles and a wide distribution range. We searched for microplastics of over 100 μm in size and assessed whether their contamination differed regarding the age of the birds and the time of year. We used birds that had died as a result of collision with anthropogenic infrastructure, which were sampled during wildlife monitoring of anthropogenic infrastructures and citizen science projects in north-eastern Poland. We found that all the analysed individuals contained microplastic in their gastrointestinal tracts, which were classified as fibers, fragments, films and pellets. A total number of 1073 microplastics were observed, mostly consisting of fibers (84 %) and films (10 %) below 1 mm in size. The dominant colours of microplastics were transparent (75 %) and brown (14 %). The species average microplastic concentration was higher in Song Thrushes (40.1) than Common Blackbirds (21.9), however the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, we found no seasonal or age-related differences in microplastic ingestion in either species. While our results show a ubiquity of microplastics in terrestrial environments, they also indicate that thrushes have the potential to be used as indicators of microplastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Deoniziak
- Laboratory of Insect Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, Konstantego Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Cichowska
- Laboratory of Insect Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, Konstantego Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | | | - Wojciech Pol
- Department of Water Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, Konstantego Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
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30
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Nessi A, Winkler A, Tremolada P, Saliu F, Lasagni M, Ghezzi LLM, Balestrieri A. Microplastic contamination in terrestrial ecosystems: A study using barn owl (Tyto alba) pellets. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136281. [PMID: 36064015 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are recognised as an emerging environmental problem that needs to be carefully monitored. So far, MPs have been widely recorded in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Still, few studies have focused on MP occurrence in terrestrial ecosystems, although soils are suspected to be one of the main MP reservoirs. To test a non-invasive method for assessing MP contamination in terrestrial ecosystems, we analysed the pellets of a top terrestrial predator, the barn owl (Tyto alba). Sixty pellets were collected from three agricultural areas (20 pellets each) and analysed to assess both barn owl diet and MP content. Thirty-four MPs were confirmed by micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μ-FTIR) analysis in 33% of the pellets (min-max 1-5 MPs per pellet). Most of the detected items were microfibres (88.2%). Polyethylene terephthalate, polyacrylonitrile and polyamide were the most abundant polymers. One of the three sites was significantly less contaminated. In the two sites with the highest MP occurrences, barn owl diet was characterised by predation on synanthropic rodents, particularly brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), which may indicate habitat degradation and increased exposure to MPs. Analyses also suggest that Savi's pine vole (Microtus savii) is the prey least at risk of MP contamination, probably due to its strictly herbivorous diet. We argue that the analysis of barn owl pellets may represent a cost-effective method for monitoring MP contamination in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Nessi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Anna Winkler
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Tremolada
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Saliu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Marina Lasagni
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Balestrieri
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
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31
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Hoang TC, Mitten S. Microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of nestling and adult migratory birds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155827. [PMID: 35577091 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the abundance and types of microplastic (MP) content in the digestive system of different bird species to help us better understand MP transfer to birds from their environments. The lower GI tracts of six bird species (Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla), Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus), Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrine), White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)) were collected for MP analysis. Tree Swallows were collected from nine locations along three drainages in the Milwaukee area and at a remote lake in Wisconsin, USA and consisted of nestlings not yet fledged. The five other bird species were adult migratory bird fatalities from window strikes at the Loyola University Chicago's Lake Shore Campus. Results of plastic analysis showed that the lower GI tracts of all bird species contained different types of MPs (i.e., fibers, fragment, beads). Fiber was the most dominant, followed by fragment and beads. Microplastics were polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, and polyvinyl base materials. There was no statistically significant difference in the site average MP concentration for nestling Tree Swallows or in the species average concentration for adult migratory birds. However, except for Ovenbird, species of adult migratory birds had a species average MP concentration (20.1) that was statistically higher than the site-average MP concentration for Tree Swallow nestlings (5.9). The presence of MPs in the lower GI tracts of unfledged swallows could suggest that MPs had been transferred to the birds from the environment via their diet, such as flying insects-the food source of the birds. Further study should be conducted to investigate the potential transfer of MPs from aquatic insects to birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tham C Hoang
- School of Environmental Sustainability, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60626, United States of America; School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, 382 Mell Street, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America.
| | - Stephen Mitten
- School of Environmental Sustainability, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60626, United States of America
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32
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Yıldız D, Yalçın G, Jovanović B, Boukal DS, Vebrová L, Riha D, Stanković J, Savić-Zdraković D, Metin M, Akyürek YN, Balkanlı D, Filiz N, Milošević D, Feuchtmayr H, Richardson JA, Beklioğlu M. Effects of a microplastic mixture differ across trophic levels and taxa in a freshwater food web: In situ mesocosm experiment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155407. [PMID: 35469887 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MP) in aquatic ecosystems can affect organisms and communities in multiple ways. While MP research on aquatic organisms has primarily focused on marine ecosystems and laboratory experiments, the community-level effects of MP in freshwaters, especially in lakes, are poorly understood. To examine the impact of MP on freshwater lake ecosystems, we conducted the first in situ community-level mesocosm experiment testing the effects of MP on a model food web with zooplankton as main herbivores, odonate larvae as predators, and chironomid larvae as detritivores for seven weeks. The mesocosms were exposed to a mixture of the most abundant MP polymers found in freshwaters, added at two different concentrations in a single pulse to the water surface, water column and sediment. Water column MP concentrations declined sharply during the first two weeks of the experiment. Contrary to expectations, MP ingestion by zooplankton was low and limited mainly to large-bodied Daphnia, causing a decrease in biomass. Biomass of the other zooplankton taxa did not decrease. Presence of MP in the faecal pellets of odonate larvae that fed on zooplankton was indicative of a trophic transfer of MP. The results demonstrated that MP ingestion varies predictably with MP size, as well as body size and feeding preference of the organism, which can be used to predict the rates of transfer and further effects of MP on freshwater food webs. For chironomids, MP had only a low, short-term impact on emergence patterns while their wing morphology was significantly changed. Overall, the impact of MP exposure on the experimental food web and cross-ecosystem biomass transfer was lower than expected, but the experiment provided the first in situ observation of MP transfer to terrestrial ecosystems by emerging chironomids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilvin Yıldız
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Earth System Science, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Science, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Gülce Yalçın
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Ecosystem Research and Implementation Centre, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Boris Jovanović
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - David S Boukal
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Vebrová
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Derya Riha
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jelena Stanković
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
| | - Dimitrija Savić-Zdraković
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
| | - Melisa Metin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yasmin Naz Akyürek
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Deniz Balkanlı
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nur Filiz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Ecosystem Research and Implementation Centre, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Djuradj Milošević
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
| | - Heidrun Feuchtmayr
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, UK
| | - Jessica A Richardson
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, UK
| | - Meryem Beklioğlu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Ecosystem Research and Implementation Centre, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
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33
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Gallitelli L, Battisti C, Pietrelli L, Scalici M. Anthropogenic particles in coypu (Myocastor coypus; Mammalia, Rodentia)' faeces: first evidence and considerations about their use as track for detecting microplastic pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:55293-55301. [PMID: 35665886 PMCID: PMC9356950 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21032-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic plastic litter is widespread in all environments, with particular emphasis on aquatic habitats. Specifically, although freshwater mammals are important as they are at the top of food web, research mainly focus on marine animals, while only few studies have been carried out on freshwater mammals. The main gap is that microplastics (MP) are completely understudied in freshwater mammals. Here, we reported the first evidence of the presence of anthropogenic particles (including MP) in coypu (Myocastor coypus)' faeces. Coypu is a rodent mammal inhabiting rivers and wetland areas, and we discussed our preliminary data suggesting the use of these tracks as possible future bioindicator of MP pollution in wetlands and freshwaters. We collected 30 coypu's faeces in "Torre Flavia wetland" nature reserve. Then, in laboratory, faeces were digested in 30 ml hydrogen peroxide (30%) for a week a 20 °C and analysed under stereoscope. All the suspected found MP were isolated in a petri dish, using FT-IR analysis to confirm the polymers. Overall, we recorded 444 natural and anthropogenic particles with most of items being fibres. FT-IR analysis of the 10% of the particles recovered revealed that 72% of them was not MP (mainly, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyamide). Also, the number of anthropogenic particles is not correlated with the faecal weight. Given that alien species, such as coypu, are widespread species, our results might have a great importance as these species and MP in faecal tracks may be used as undirect proxy of environmental bioavailability of MP pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Gallitelli
- Department of Sciences, University of Rome Tre, Rome, Italy.
| | - Corrado Battisti
- 'Torre Flavia' LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) Station, Protected Areas Service, Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Rome, Italy
| | - Loris Pietrelli
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
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34
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Lofty J, Muhawenimana V, Wilson CAME, Ouro P. Microplastics removal from a primary settler tank in a wastewater treatment plant and estimations of contamination onto European agricultural land via sewage sludge recycling. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 304:119198. [PMID: 35341817 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WwTPs) remove microplastics (MPs) from municipal sewage flow, with the resulting bulk of MPs being concentrated within generated sewage sludge which is frequently recycled back onto agricultural land as accepted practice in many European countries as a sustainable fertiliser resource. This circular process means that MPs successfully removed from WwTPs are deposited into the soil and able to return into the natural watercourse by means of run-off or infiltration to groundwater. This study quantifies the removal efficiency of MPs with size ranging between 1000 and 5000 μm in a primary settlement tank (PST) at a WwTP serving a population equivalent of 300,000 and provides MP concentrations in the generated sewage sludge. Our study revealed that the proportion of MPs partitioning in a PST to settled sludge, floating scum and effluent was 96%, 4% and 0% respectively, implying 100% removal of MPs of 1000-5000 μm in size. The generated sewage sludge was estimated to contain concentrations of approximately 0.01 g of MPs or 24.7 MP particles per g of dry sewage sludge solid, equivalent to ∼1% of the sewage sludge weight. Using these figures and data from the European Commission and Eurostat, the potential yearly MP contamination onto soils throughout European nations is estimated to be equivalent to a mass of MPs ranging between 31,000 and 42,000 tonnes (considering MPs 1000-5000 μm in size) or 8.6×1013-7.1×1014 MP particles (considering MPs 25-5000 μm in size). An estimated maximum application rate of 4.8 g of MP/m2/yr or 11,489 MP particles/m2/yr, suggests that the practice of spreading sludge on agricultural land could potentially make them one of the largest global reservoirs of MP pollution. Hence, recycling raw sewage sludge onto agricultural soils should be reviewed to avoid introducing extreme MP pollution into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lofty
- Hydro-Environmental Research Centre, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF24 3AA, UK
| | - V Muhawenimana
- Hydro-Environmental Research Centre, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF24 3AA, UK
| | - C A M E Wilson
- Hydro-Environmental Research Centre, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF24 3AA, UK
| | - P Ouro
- School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
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35
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O'Connor JD, Lally HT, Mahon AM, O'Connor I, Nash R, O'Sullivan JJ, Bruen M, Heerey L, Koelmans AA, Marnell F, Murphy S. Microplastics in Eurasian otter (
Lutra lutra
) spraints and their potential as a biomonitoring tool in freshwater systems. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James D. O'Connor
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Department of Natural Resources & the Environment Galway‐Mayo Institute of Technology Galway Ireland
| | - Heather T. Lally
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Department of Natural Resources & the Environment Galway‐Mayo Institute of Technology Galway Ireland
| | - Anne Marie Mahon
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Department of Natural Resources & the Environment Galway‐Mayo Institute of Technology Galway Ireland
| | - Ian O'Connor
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Department of Natural Resources & the Environment Galway‐Mayo Institute of Technology Galway Ireland
| | - Róisín Nash
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Department of Natural Resources & the Environment Galway‐Mayo Institute of Technology Galway Ireland
| | - John J. O'Sullivan
- UCD School of Civil Engineering UCD Earth Institute, UCD Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research Dublin Ireland
| | - Michael Bruen
- UCD School of Civil Engineering UCD Earth Institute, UCD Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research Dublin Ireland
| | - Linda Heerey
- UCD School of Civil Engineering UCD Earth Institute, UCD Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research Dublin Ireland
| | - Albert A. Koelmans
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Department of Environmental Science Wageningen University & Research Centre Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Ferdia Marnell
- Science & Biodiversity Unit National Parks and Wildlife Service Dublin Ireland
| | - Sinéad Murphy
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Department of Natural Resources & the Environment Galway‐Mayo Institute of Technology Galway Ireland
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36
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Plastic ingestion in Asian elephants in the forested landscapes of Uttarakhand, India. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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37
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Ribeiro-Brasil DRG, Brasil LS, Veloso GKO, Matos TPD, Lima ESD, Dias-Silva K. The impacts of plastics on aquatic insects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 813:152436. [PMID: 34971686 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152436] [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: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Environmental contamination by plastics and its negative effect on biodiversity have been well-documented in several types of organisms, especially in marine environments. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the impacts of plastic on other organisms such as aquatic insects, which predominantly inhabit freshwaters. It is widely known that these organisms are sensitive to environmental change, especially by contamination. Therefore, this study aimed at testing the hypothesis that aquatic insects are impacted by plastic contamination. We made a systematic search for international papers related to plastics and aquatic insects in databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus. We obtained 1217 studies of which 40 discussed the impacts of contamination by plastics on aquatic insects. We identified two main impacts: the first one is caused by the use of black macroplastic to protect crops from contact with the soil in agriculture. These black macroplastics attract tons of adult aquatic insects (terrestrial stage) that mistake the plastic surface for water because they select oviposition sites through phototaxis or polarotaxis. The second one comes from water contamination that can originate from the inadequate disposal of plastics, which harms young aquatic insects (aquatic phase) when they feed, reproduce, and construct shelters. Our results show the negative impacts of plastics on both larvae and adult aquatic insects. Despite the large knowledge gap regarding the impacts of plastic on aquatic insects, the evidence above is sufficient to consider these organisms important in global discussions regarding the impacts of plastic on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Regina Gomes Ribeiro-Brasil
- Ecology and Conservation Laboratory (LABECO), Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Augusto Corrêa Street, n° 01, 66075-110, Guamá, Belém, PA, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Ecology (PPGECO), Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Augusto Corrêa Street, n° 01, 66075-110, Guamá, Belém, PA, Brazil.
| | - Leandro Schlemmer Brasil
- Ecology and Conservation Laboratory (LABECO), Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Augusto Corrêa Street, n° 01, 66075-110, Guamá, Belém, PA, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Zoology (PPGZOO), Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Augusto Corrêa Street, n° 01, 66075-110, Guamá, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Geysa Kelly Oliveira Veloso
- Aquatic Insect Ecology Laboratory (LEIA), Faculty of Biological Sciences (FCB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Coronel José Porfírio Avenue 2515, 68372-040, São Sebastião, Altamira, PA, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Ecology (PPGECO), Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Augusto Corrêa Street, n° 01, 66075-110, Guamá, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Talissa Pio de Matos
- Aquatic Insect Ecology Laboratory (LEIA), Faculty of Biological Sciences (FCB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Coronel José Porfírio Avenue 2515, 68372-040, São Sebastião, Altamira, PA, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Conservation (PPGBC), Faculty of Biological Sciences (FCB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Coronel José Porfírio Avenue 2515, 68372-040, São Sebastião, Altamira, PA, Brazil
| | - Eduarda Silva de Lima
- Aquatic Insect Ecology Laboratory (LEIA), Faculty of Biological Sciences (FCB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Coronel José Porfírio Avenue 2515, 68372-040, São Sebastião, Altamira, PA, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Conservation (PPGBC), Faculty of Biological Sciences (FCB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Coronel José Porfírio Avenue 2515, 68372-040, São Sebastião, Altamira, PA, Brazil
| | - Karina Dias-Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Ecology (PPGECO), Institute of Biological Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Augusto Corrêa Street, n° 01, 66075-110, Guamá, Belém, PA, Brazil; Aquatic Insect Ecology Laboratory (LEIA), Faculty of Biological Sciences (FCB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Coronel José Porfírio Avenue 2515, 68372-040, São Sebastião, Altamira, PA, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Conservation (PPGBC), Faculty of Biological Sciences (FCB), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Coronel José Porfírio Avenue 2515, 68372-040, São Sebastião, Altamira, PA, Brazil
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38
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Sherlock C, Fernie KJ, Munno K, Provencher J, Rochman C. The potential of aerial insectivores for monitoring microplastics in terrestrial environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150453. [PMID: 34599954 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Limited research has been conducted on microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems and biota, despite being some of the most ubiquitous environmental pollutants. We investigated the presence of microplastics (over 125 μm) in tree swallow (Tachicyneta bicolor) chicks (10 d. o.), an aerial insectivore whose diet involves terrestrial and/or freshwater sources. Swallows nested immediately downstream (300 m) of the discharge pipe of a large, urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) or at a rural conservation area (40 km apart). Anthropogenic microparticles (including microplastics) were identified in nearly all WWTP chicks (90%; N = 20) and reference chicks (83%; N = 20). All microparticles were fibers (100%) in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tracts of WWTP nestlings, whereas unexpectedly, they were more diverse in the GI tracts of reference chicks, with ~15% characterized as pre-production plastic pellets. The fecal sacs of most nestlings (90%) contained microparticles, and all were characterized as fibers suggesting their excretion by tree swallows. Compared to WWTP chicks, the reference chicks had more microparticles in their fecal sacs and larger particles (length, width) in their GI tracts, likely reflecting the more aquatic-based diet of the reference chicks fed insects caught adjacent to the nearby dam, compared to the more terrestrial-based diet of the WWTP chicks. The numbers of microparticles were not correlated between GI tracts and fecal sacs, nor with the chicks' condition or size (weight, organs, feathers). We recommend sampling macroinvertebrate prey to permit stronger conclusions regarding WWTPs as possible sources of microplastics for swallows, and to determine if such macroinvertebrates may be a non-lethal method to characterize microparticle diversity ingested by birds as presently identified in chicks' GI tracts. We conclude that sampling fecal sacs only, while not indicative of the diversity of microplastics ingested by terrestrial passerines (e.g., tree swallows), is useful for determining their exposure to microparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Sherlock
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Kim J Fernie
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science & Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Keenan Munno
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Jennifer Provencher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science & Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Chelsea Rochman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
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Maneechan W, Prommi TO. Occurrence of microplastics in edible aquatic insect Pantala sp. (Odonata: Libellulidae) from rice fields. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12902. [PMID: 35186487 PMCID: PMC8833222 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microplastic (MP) contamination has been discovered in aquatic systems throughout the world. They are well known as contaminants in aquatic species, but there is a gap in understanding about pathways of MP contamination into humans (i.e., through aquatic animals). The goal of this study is to assess MP contamination in an edible aquatic insect (Pantala sp.) living in rice fields. METHODS A dragonfly larva, Pantala sp. (Odonata: Libellulidae), was tested for MPs. The study concentrated on three distinct anatomical compartments (whole body, gastrointestinal tract, and body without gastrointestinal tract), each of which was examined separately. For the physical identification and chemical analysis of MPs, a stereomicroscope and a Fourier transformed infrared spectroscope (FT-IR) were used, respectively. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The microplastics content was 121 in the whole body, 95 in the gastrointestinal tract, and 66 in the body without the gastrointestinal tract, with an average of 1.34 ± 1.11, 1.06 ± 0.77, and 0.73 ± 0.51 abundance/ individual, respectively. The most common MPs discovered during this study were fragments, followed by fibers and rods. The chemical analysis by FT-IR confirmed three different polymers, including polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polypropylene (PP). There was no significant difference in MP abundances among the sample types (Kruskal-Wallis chi-squared = 2.774, df = 2, p = 0.250). The findings suggest that eating an edible aquatic insect (Odonata: Pantala sp.) could be one way for humans to ingest MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Witwisitpong Maneechan
- Program of Bioproducts Science, Department of Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Taeng On Prommi
- Department of Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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40
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Ahmadi A, Moore F, Keshavarzi B, Soltani N, Sorooshian A. Potentially toxic elements and microplastics in muscle tissues of different marine species from the Persian Gulf: Levels, associated risks, and trophic transfer. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 175:113283. [PMID: 35101745 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Selected potentially toxic elements (PTEs), including As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn, along with microplastic particles (MPs) were characterized in the muscle of seafood species in order to study potential health risk and also investigate biomagnification of the contaminants. The results revealed high levels of the analyzed PTEs and MPs in crustaceans. The cancer risk among the consumer population (adult and children) posed by As is higher than the acceptable lifetime risk of 10-4. Portunus plagicus and Platycephalus indicus had the highest and lowest amount of MP particles in their muscles, respectively, among investigated species. Finally, PTEs (except Hg) and MPs are not biomagnified in the collected species. The results of this research emphasize the importance of accounting for health risks posed by potential pollutants via consumption of contaminated seafood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azam Ahmadi
- Department of Earth Sciences, College of Science, Shiraz University, 71454 Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farid Moore
- Department of Earth Sciences, College of Science, Shiraz University, 71454 Shiraz, Iran
| | - Behnam Keshavarzi
- Department of Earth Sciences, College of Science, Shiraz University, 71454 Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Naghmeh Soltani
- Department of Earth Sciences, College of Science, Shiraz University, 71454 Shiraz, Iran
| | - Armin Sorooshian
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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41
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Shaw M, Bates M, Jones MD, Ward BD. Metallocene catalysts for the ring-opening co-polymerisation of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2py00335j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The ring-opening co-polymerization (ROCOP) of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides is a versatile route to new polyesters. The vast number of monomers that are readily available means that an effectively limitless...
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42
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Baho DL, Bundschuh M, Futter MN. Microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems: Moving beyond the state of the art to minimize the risk of ecological surprise. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3969-3986. [PMID: 34042229 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (plastic particles measuring <5mm) pollution is ubiquitous. Unlike in other well-studied ecosystems, for example, marine and freshwater environments, microplastics in terrestrial systems are relatively understudied. Their potential impacts on terrestrial environments, in particular the risk of causing ecological surprise, must be better understood and quantified. Ecological surprise occurs when ecosystem behavior deviates radically from expectations and generally has negative consequences for ecosystem services. The properties and behavior of microplastics within terrestrial environments may increase their likelihood of causing ecological surprises as they (a) are highly persistent global pollutants that will last for centuries, (b) can interact with the abiotic environment in a complex manner, (c) can impact terrestrial organisms directly or indirectly and (d) interact with other contaminants and can facilitate their transport. Here, we compiled findings of previous research on microplastics in terrestrial environments. We systematically focused on studies addressing different facets of microplastics related to their distribution, dispersion, impact on soil characteristics and functions, levels of biological organization of tested terrestrial biota (single species vs. assemblages), scale of experimental study and corresponding ecotoxicological effects. Our systematic assessment of previous microplastic research revealed that most studies have been conducted on single species under laboratory conditions with short-term exposures; few studies were conducted under more realistic long-term field conditions and/or with multi-species assemblages. Studies targeting multi-species assemblages primarily considered soil bacterial communities and showed that microplastics can alter essential nutrient cycling functions. More ecologically meaningful studies of terrestrial microplastics encompassing multi-species assemblages, critical ecological processes (e.g., biogeochemical cycles and pollination) and interactions with other anthropogenic stressors must be conducted. Addressing these knowledge gaps will provide a better understanding of microplastics as emerging global stressors and should lower the risk of ecological surprise in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier L Baho
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mirco Bundschuh
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Functional Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Martyn N Futter
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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43
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Cera A, Scalici M. Freshwater wild biota exposure to microplastics: A global perspective. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9904-9916. [PMID: 34367548 PMCID: PMC8328441 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Current understanding on the exposure of freshwater organisms to microplastics (plastics sized between 1 µm and 5 mm) has arisen mostly from laboratory experiments-often conducted under artificial circumstances and with unrealistic concentrations. In order to improve scientific links through real ecosystem exposure, we review field data on the exposure of free-living organisms to microplastics.We highlight that the main outputs provided by field research are an assessment of the occurrence and, at times, the quantification of microplastics in different animal taxa. Topics of investigation also include the causes of contamination and the development of biological monitoring tools. With regard to taxa, fish, mollusks, and arthropods are at the center of the research, but birds and amphibians are also investigated. The ingestion or occurrence of microplastics in organs and tissues, such as livers and muscles, are the main data obtained. Microorganisms are studied differently than other taxa, highlighting interesting aspects on the freshwater plastisphere, for example, related to the structure and functionality of communities. Many taxa, that is, mammals, reptiles, and plants, are still under-examined with regard to exposure to microplastics; this is surprising as they are generally endangered.As biota contamination is acknowledged, we contribute to an interdisciplinary scientific discussion aimed at a better assessment of knowledge gaps on methodology, impact assessment, and monitoring.
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44
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Prata JC, da Costa JP, Lopes I, Andrady AL, Duarte AC, Rocha-Santos T. A One Health perspective of the impacts of microplastics on animal, human and environmental health. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 777:146094. [PMID: 33677304 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics contamination is widespread in the environment leading to the exposure of both humans and other biota. While most studies overemphasize direct toxicity of microplastics, particle concentrations, characteristics and exposure conditions being used in these assays needs to be taken into consideration. For instance, toxicity assays that use concentrations over 100,000 times higher than those expected in the environment have limited practical relevance. Thus, adverse effects on animal and human health of current environmental concentrations are identified as a knowledge gap. Conversely, this does not suggest the lack of any significant effects of microplastics on a global scale. The One Health approach provides a novel perspective focused on the intersection of different areas, namely animal, human, and environmental health. This review provides a One Health transdisciplinary approach to microplastics, addressing indirect effects beyond simple toxicological effects. Microplastics can, theoretically, change the abiotic properties of matrices (e.g., soil permeability) and interfere with essential ecosystem functions affecting ecosystem services (e.g., biogeochemical processes) that can in turn impact human health. The gathered information suggests that more research is needed to clarify direct and indirect effects of microplastics on One Health under environmentally relevant conditions, presenting detailed knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana C Prata
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - João P da Costa
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Isabel Lopes
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Anthony L Andrady
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Armando C Duarte
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Teresa Rocha-Santos
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
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Yu H, Peng J, Cao X, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Xu Y, Qi W. Effects of microplastics and glyphosate on growth rate, morphological plasticity, photosynthesis, and oxidative stress in the aquatic species Salvinia cucullata. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 279:116900. [PMID: 33744626 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate and microplastics are widely found in marine, terrestrial, and freshwater environments due to their globally widespread application. Further, they have proved to have specific ecotoxicity effects on aquatic plants. However, few studies have focused on the effects of small plastic particles and glyphosate, or especially, their combined effect on vascular plants in freshwater ecosystems. This study aimed to conduct a simulated greenhouse experiment to investigate the ecotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics and glyphosate on the floating plant Salvinia cucullata by exposure to fluorescent polystyrene microplastics (1 μm; concentration, 3, 15, and 75 mg/L), glyphosate (5, 25, and 50 mg/L), and a mixture of the two (3 + 5, 15 + 25, and 75 + 50 mg/L) for seven days. Glyphosate significantly reduced the relative growth rate, photosynthetic capacity, and root activity of S. cucullata. Polystyrene microplastics did not significantly influence photosynthesis or leaf morphological characteristics but they significantly reduced relative growth rate and root activity in S. cucullata, indicating that the effects of microplastics on aquatic plants are potentially associated with different organs exposed to pollution. Polystyrene microplastics and glyphosate activated the plant antioxidant defense systems by increasing antioxidative enzyme activities including, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase to cope with oxidative stress. Synergistic effects (only observed in percent leaf yellowing) were observed when S. cucullata was exposed to a high concentrations (≥15 + 25 mg/L) of glyphosate and microplastics. Our results indicate that pervasive microplastics and herbicide contamination in freshwater may potentially affect the growth of aquatic plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Yu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; The National Field Station of Freshwater Ecosystem of Liangzi Lake, Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Jianfeng Peng
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiaofeng Cao
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yajun Wang
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- The National Field Station of Freshwater Ecosystem of Liangzi Lake, Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Weixiao Qi
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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Collard F, Husum K, Eppe G, Malherbe C, Hallanger IG, Divine DV, Gabrielsen GW. Anthropogenic particles in sediment from an Arctic fjord. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 772:145575. [PMID: 33770875 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The research on plastic pollution is increasing worldwide but little is known about the contamination levels in the Arctic by microplastics and other anthropogenic particles (APs) such as dyed fibres. In this study, two different sampling designs were developed to collect 68 sediment subsamples in five locations in a remote Arctic fjord, Kongsfjorden, northwest of Svalbard. Those five stations composed a transect from a sewage outlet recently installed close to the northernmost settlement, Ny-Ålesund, to an offshore site. Plastics and other APs were extracted by density separation and analysed by both Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Among the 37 APs found, 19 were microplastics. The others were classified as APs due to the presence of a dye or another additive. On average, 0.33 AP 100 g-1 were found in the surface sediment and their sizes ranged between 0.10 and 6.31 mm. The site most polluted by APs was located at the mouth of the fjord while the less polluted ones were the offshore and the outlet sites. We believe that currents in the fjord have carried APs towards the mouth of the fjord where an eddy could retain APs which might sink the seafloor due to various reasons (ingestion & packaging, fouling-induced changes in buoyancy). In the cores, several different APs were found down to a depth of 12 cm. These APs may have been present in the sediments for decades or been transported deeper by biota. Here we provided data on plastic but also on other anthropogenic particles from a remote fjord in Svalbard.
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Affiliation(s)
- France Collard
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Katrine Husum
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Gauthier Eppe
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, MolSys Research Unit, University of Liege, Allée de la Chimie 3, B-6c Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Cédric Malherbe
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, MolSys Research Unit, University of Liege, Allée de la Chimie 3, B-6c Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liege, Belgium
| | | | - Dmitry V Divine
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
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Clause AG, Celestian AJ, Pauly GB. Plastic ingestion by freshwater turtles: a review and call to action. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5672. [PMID: 33758245 PMCID: PMC7987988 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84846-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastic pollution, and especially plastic ingestion by animals, is a serious global issue. This problem is well documented in marine systems, but it is relatively understudied in freshwater systems. For turtles, it is unknown how plastic ingestion compares between marine and non-marine species. We review the relevant turtle dietary literature, and find that plastic ingestion is reported for all 7 marine turtle species, but only 5 of 352 non-marine turtle species. In the last 10 years, despite marine turtles representing just 2% of all turtle species, almost 50% of relevant turtle dietary studies involved only marine turtles. These results suggest that the potential threat of plastic ingestion is poorly studied in non-marine turtles. We also examine plastic ingestion frequency in a freshwater turtle population, finding that 7.7% of 65 turtles had ingested plastic. However, plastic-resembling organic material would have inflated our frequency results up to 40% higher were it not for verification using Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, we showcase how non-native turtles can be used as a proxy for understanding the potential for plastic ingestion by co-occurring native turtles of conservation concern. We conclude with recommendations for how scientists studying non-marine turtles can improve the implementation, quality, and discoverability of plastic ingestion research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam G Clause
- Urban Nature Research Center and Department of Herpetology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aaron J Celestian
- Department of Mineral Sciences, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gregory B Pauly
- Urban Nature Research Center and Department of Herpetology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Huang W, Song B, Liang J, Niu Q, Zeng G, Shen M, Deng J, Luo Y, Wen X, Zhang Y. Microplastics and associated contaminants in the aquatic environment: A review on their ecotoxicological effects, trophic transfer, and potential impacts to human health. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 405:124187. [PMID: 33153780 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 237] [Impact Index Per Article: 79.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The microplastic pollution and related ecological impacts in the aquatic environment have attracted global attention over the past decade. Microplastics can be ingested by aquatic organisms from different trophic levels either directly or indirectly, and transferred along aquatic food chains, causing different impacts on life activities of aquatic organisms. In addition, microplastics can adsorb various environmental chemical contaminants and release toxic plastic additives, thereby serving as a sink and source of these associated chemical contaminants and potentially changing their toxicity, bioavailability, and fate. However, knowledge regarding the potential risks of microplastics and associated chemical contaminants (e.g., hydrophobic organic contaminants, heavy metals, plastic additives) on diverse organisms, especially top predators, remains to be explored. Herein, this review describes the effects of microplastics on typical aquatic organisms from different trophic levels, and systematically summarizes the combined effects of microplastics and associated contaminants on aquatic biota. Furthermore, we highlight the research progress on trophic transfer of microplastics and associated contaminants along aquatic food chain. Finally, potential human health concerns about microplastics via the food chain and dietary exposure are discussed. This work is expected to provide a meaningful perspective for better understanding the potential impacts of microplastics and associated contaminants on aquatic ecology and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Biao Song
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Jie Liang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Qiuya Niu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Guangming Zeng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China.
| | - Maocai Shen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Jiaqin Deng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Yuan Luo
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Wen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Yafei Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China
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Post COVID-19 Recovery and 2050 Climate Change Targets: Changing the Emphasis from Promotion of Renewables to Mandated Curtailment of Fossil Fuels in the EU Policies. ENERGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/en14051347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The present work considers the dramatic changes the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the global economy, with particular emphasis on energy. Focusing on the European Union, the article discusses the opportunities policy makers can implement to reduce the climate impacts and achieve the Paris Agreement 2050 targets. The analysis specifically looks at the fossil fuels industry and the future of the fossil sector post COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis first revises the fossil fuel sector, and then considers the need for a shift of the global climate change policy from promoting the deployment of renewable energy sources to curtailing the use of fossil fuels. This will be a change to the current global approach, from a relative passive one to a strategically dynamic and proactive one. Such a curtailment should be based on actual volumes of fossil fuels used and not on percentages. Finally, conclusions are preliminary applied to the European Union policies for net zero by 2050 based on a two-fold strategy: continuing and reinforcing the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive to 2035, while adopting a new directive for fixed and over time increasing curtailment of fossils as of 2025 until 2050.
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