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Plastic pellets in the marine environment of Tokyo Bay and Sagami Bay
Abstract
Resin pellets as a raw material of industrial plastic products are widespread in the coastal waters and beaches of the world. In this study, the distribution and abundance of the pellets were investigated on the coastal area (30 beaches) of Tokyo Bay and Sagami Bay. In most stations surveyed, the pellets were found (93% of total stations) and were particularly abundant at Kugenuma Beach, Nojima Seaside Park, Jonanjima Seaside Park and Kasai Seaside Park. The Highest density of the pellets on a beach exceeded 1,000/m2. From near infra-red spectrometry analyses, the pellets on most beaches were found to be comprised mostly of polyethylene (60%) and polypropylene (35%) which are very common constituents of plastic productions in Japan. Effluent from plastics manufacturers was suggested to be the major source of the pellets in the coastal areas of Tokyo Bay and Sagami Bay.
... Sieving was used by six sediment (Figure 1c-d) and five sea surface studies (Figure 1i). The sediment studies employed either one sieve 57,72,75,76 or sieve cascades of two 33 and three sieves. 29 Sea surface studies used one, 77 five, 37,78 and six sieves. ...
... Sources of plastic pellets were mainly associated to plastic-processing plants close to study sites. 76,87 However, plastic pellets have also been found on urban beaches distant from potential sources, implying Figure 2), (c) litter, 120 (d) debris, 5 (e) plankton, 121,122 (f) benthos, 123 (g) geology. 85 long-distance marine transport. ...
... 42 Pellets that presented a degree of weathering have been termed eroded or weathered plastic pellets. 76,90,91 Many of the plastic pellets found in a study on New Zealand beaches were fresh but some showed degradation and embrittlement. 51 Surface abrasion is also caused by physical degradation and oxidative aging of plastic particles in response to ultraviolet and infrared components from solar radiation. ...
This review of 68 studies compares the methodologies used for the identification and quantification of microplastics from the marine environment. Three main sampling strategies were identified: selective, volume-reduced, and bulk sampling. Most sediment samples came from sandy beaches at the high tide line, and most seawater samples were taken at the sea surface using neuston nets. Four steps were distinguished during sample processing: density separation, filtration, sieving, and visual sorting of microplastics. Visual sorting was one of the most commonly used methods for the identification of microplastics (using type, shape, degradation stage, and color as criteria). Chemical and physical characteristics (e.g., specific density) were also used. The most reliable method to identify the chemical composition of microplastics is by infrared spectroscopy. Most studies reported that plastic fragments were polyethylene and polypropylene polymers. Units commonly used for abundance estimates are "items per m(2)" for sediment and sea surface studies and "items per m(3)" for water column studies. Mesh size of sieves and filters used during sampling or sample processing influence abundance estimates. Most studies reported two main size ranges of microplastics: (i) 500 μm-5 mm, which are retained by a 500 μm sieve/net, and (ii) 1-500 μm, or fractions thereof that are retained on filters. We recommend that future programs of monitoring continue to distinguish these size fractions, but we suggest standardized sampling procedures which allow the spatiotemporal comparison of microplastic abundance across marine environments.
... Their ingestion by organisms has been of great concern for several decades. A number of studies have been conducted on their distribution in the marine environment (Carpenter and Smith, 1972;Gregory, 1978Gregory, , 1983Shiber, 1979;Kaminuma et al., 2000;Moore et al., 2001aMoore et al., ,b, 2002Kuriyama et al., 2002), ingestion of the plastics by marine organisms Bourne and Imber, 1982;Furness, 1985;Ryan, 1987;Ogi, 1990;Ogi et al., 1994;Toda et al., 1994;Robards et al., 1995;Spear et al., 1995;Vlietstra and Parga, 2002), and their harmful effects on organisms (Ryan and Jackson, 1987;Ryan, 1988;Auman et al., 1997). Potential adverse effects on organisms include blockage of the intestinal tract, reduction of food consumption, and increases in exposure to 0025 chemicals. ...
... fouled, weathered), and colors (e.g. clear, discolored, pigmented) (Gregory, 1978(Gregory, , 1983Kaminuma et al., 2000;Kuriyama et al., 2002). This implies that the potential as a sorbent and the history before stranding may vary considerably among particles. ...
... Most of the fouled pellets had black or gray flecks. Materials attached to pellets seemed to be diatoms, hy-droids, filamentous algae, dried-out mucoids, dried-out vegetative matter, or tarry residues (Carpenter and Smith, 1972;Gregory, 1978Gregory, , 1983Kuriyama et al., 2002). Foulants such as biomaterials and oil could also serve as additional sorbents for PCBs. ...
Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in beached resin pellets were examined to reveal variability between individual particles and differences among beaches. Fifty-five resin pellets from a beach in Tokyo were individually analyzed for PCBs, and showed concentrations ranging from <28 to 2,300 ng/g. This indicates that concentrations are highly variable between particles. Among several characters, discoloration (e.g., yellowing) had a positive relationship with PCB concentration: discolored pellets contained more PCBs than others on most of the beaches sampled. Given the color-selective ingestion of food by some organisms, this may be ecotoxicologically important. Measurements of samples from 47 beaches in Japan showed regional differences in PCB concentrations in resin pellets consistent with those in mussels. Sporadic high concentrations of PCBs were also found in pellets from remote islands, suggesting that resin pellets could be the dominant route of exposure to the contaminants at remote sites. The similarity of PCB concentrations between resin pellets and mussels suggests a potential use of resin pellets to monitor pollution in seawater.
... Plastic production pellets, or resin pellets, have been reported in marine waters and on beaches worldwide (Gregory, 1977(Gregory, , 1983Khordagui and Abuhilal, 1994;Kuriyama et al., 2002;Ivor do Sul et al., 2009;Ashton et al., 2010). Sources of pellets are both marineand land-based and include spillages during handling and transfer and losses during transportation. ...
... The abundance of pellets on the Maltese beaches is variable, but the greatest spatial densities are consistent with those reported for the backshores of other, more tidal beaches of the world (Gregory, 1977;Khordagui and Abuhilal, 1994;Kuriyama et al., 2002;Ashton et al., 2010). Compared with the latter studies, however, pellets encountered in Malta and in other regions of the Mediterranean (Shiber, 1979(Shiber, , 1987Karapanagioti and Klontza, 2007) appear to be considerably less varied in terms of their colour, shape and size. ...
The distribution, abundance and chemical characteristics of plastic production pellets on beaches of the island of Malta have been determined. Pellets were observed at all locations visited and were generally most abundant (> 1000m⁻² at the surface) on the backshores of beaches with a westerly aspect. Most pellets were disc-shaped or flattened cylinders and could be categorised as white, yellow, amber or brown. The polymeric matrix of all pellets analysed by infrared spectroscopy was polyethylene and the degree of yellowing or darkening was associated with an increase in the carbonyl index, hence extent of photo-oxidation or aging. Qualitatively, pellets are similar to those reported for other regions of the Mediterranean in surveys spanning three decades, suggesting that they are a general and persistent characteristic of the region.
... Plastic waste, originating as small particles or becoming miniaturized through external factors [3], includes microplastics (MPs), which are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size. MPs have been identified as pollutants in marine ecosystems [4][5][6], with an estimated annual input of approximately 1.5 million tons [7]. These MPs are found not only in oceans near populated areas but also in distant environments like the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans [8] and deepsea trenches [9]. ...
Density separation using a wet method is the standard technique for extracting microplastics (MPs) from coastal sediments. However, the 2021 Japanese submarine volcanic eruption introduced substantial pumice into these sediments, complicating the process. Pumice contamination in the floating matter from density separation significantly increases the workload of visual sorting. Pumice, distinguished by its spherical shape and hardness, exhibits distinct rolling and bouncing behaviors compared to plastic. In this study, we evaluated the sorting efficiency of a vibratory sorter in separating pumice from floating matter, comparing its performance with existing methods. We analyzed the progressive behavior and the virtual sorting efficiency of single large- and medium-diameter particles using a vibrating plate and the actual sorting efficiency of mixed large-diameter particles. The maximum Newton's efficiencies (ηmax) for the virtual sorting of single large-diameter pumice and plastic ranged from 0.74 to 1.00, and for medium-diameter particles, from 0.74 to 0.97. Sorting efficiency decreased with finer particles. The ηmax for the actual sorting of mixed large-diameter pumice and plastic was between 0.68 and 1.00, lower than the virtual sorting efficiency. While vibratory sorting, based on Newton's efficiency, does not replace visual sorting, the time required for vibratory sorting is 21% of that required for visual sorting, making it valuable for estimating approximate MP quantities in coastal sediments. Additionally, this study provides a practical method for beach cleanups.
... These pellets are transported to factories where they are heated, melted, pressed, and molded into the final product, such as packaging, toys, and automobile parts. During transportation and handling, a portion of the pellets are spilled to the environments and eventually washed into streams and rivers and then the ocean (Kuriyama et al., 2002). In addition, plastic resin pellets are spilled from containers onboard at the harbors accidentally and / or storm events (Saliba et al., 2022;James et al., 2023). ...
This study analyzed benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BUVSs), including UVP, UVPS, UV329, UV9, UV320, UV350, UV326, UV327, UV328, and UV234, in beached polypropylene (PP) pellets. First, the efficiency of soaking extraction in hexane was confirmed. This extraction method was then applied to 37 PP pellet samples (each sample basically consisted of 50 pellets) collected from beaches worldwide (Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas). Twenty samples had low levels of BUVSs that were <0.2 μg/g, while 14 samples exhibited high concentrations, ranging from >1 μg/g of BUVSs (sum of the 10 BUVSs) to 70 μg/g. These high concentrations were observed only for one or two BUVS (UV326, UV327, UV329, and UV328) in individual PP pellet samples. Piece-by-piece analyses of pellets from eight locations revealed sporadic and inhomogeneous occurrences of specific BUVSs. Pellets with high concentrations of BUVSs were industrially compounded with additives and/or were recycled, and they were even found on remote islands, such as, Macquarie Island, Hawaii Island, Ogasawara Island, and Hachijo Island. The concentrations of BUVSs in pellets from remote areas were similar orders of magnitude to those observed in anthropogenically impacted areas near industrial areas, such as Sydney or Tokyo. This study demonstrates that BUVSs, as plastic additives, travel in millimeter-sized plastics across thousands of kilometers without drastic desorption or degradation. The findings highlight the need for international regulation of plastics and associated chemicals.
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... In addition, weathered nurdles are often fouled (Endo et al., 2005). Foulant such as biogenic organic matter or tarry residues could also contribute to the sorption of organic pollutants (Kuriyama et al., 2002). Furthermore, weathered nurdles tend to have longer residence times in the environment, which will increase the exposure to and chances of absorbing pollutants (Conkle et al., 2018;Jiang et al., 2021;Liu et al., 2019a), and thus might explain the higher concentrations of sorbed organic pollutants (Mato et al., 2001). ...
Nurdles, also known as plastic resin pellets, are now a major source of plastic pollution on beaches globally, thus it is important to elucidate their weathering patterns and environmental fates as well as the associated pollutants. In this study we collected nurdles from 24 sites in the coastal bend region of south Texas, covering areas from the near shore railway stations to the adjacent bay and barrier island beaches. The morphologies of nurdles and associated pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and mercury, were investigated. The results showed that the nurdles varied greatly in color, shape, polymer composition, and oxidation degree. More than 80 % of the nurdles were made with polyethylene, and the rest with polypropylene, polyester, polystyrene, polyethylene-vinyl acetate, and polyvinyl chloride based on Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. PCBs were not detected on nurdles. PAHs and Mercury on nurdles were detected at 12 % and 20 % of the sampling sites. The detected total concentrations of PAHs ranged from 92.59 to 1787.23 ng/g-nurdle, and the detected mercury concentrations ranged from 1.23 to 22.25 ng/g-nurdle. Although the concentrations of these pollutants were not at the acute toxic effect level, the presence of PAHs and mercury suggested the potential risk of pollutant exposure to marine organisms in ecosystems, given the fact that nurdles are persistent in the environment.
... описание [Sartain, 2018]) а б в Redford et al., 1992], два , три [McDermid, McMullen, 2004;Esiukova, 2017;Chubarenko et al., 2018a], четыре [Esiukova et al., 2020a;, пять Shaw et al., 1994], шесть [Lattin et al., 2004, Moore et al., 2002, с размером ячеи от 0.038 до 4.75 или 5 мм. При этом сито с размером ячеи 1 мм фигурировало во всех просеиваниях, за исключением работ, где использовались или более мелкие размеры ячеи 0.038 мм , 0.33 мм [Kusui, Noda, 2003;Redford et al., 1992], или более крупные сита 2 мм Kuriyama et al., 2002]. В качестве материала для сит обычно применяется нержавеющая сталь [Dubaish et al., 2013;Bergmann et al., 2015] или медь . ...
Small plastic particles (microplastics, < 5 mm) are found in the World Ocean everywhere, from the surface to the bottom, from the ice of the Arctic to the waters of the Antarctic. Their properties differ from the properties of natural particles and at the same time change noticeably with time in the environment, so the description of the transfer of microplastics in the ocean and the patterns of its accumulation require additional, targeted, and deeply interdisciplinary efforts.
This book touches on only a small part of the issues on which some understanding has been achieved so far. Moreover, due to the scientific specialization of the authors, the clear preference is given to the problems of physical oceanography. According to the logic of presentation, the material is divided into five parts: from general questions and a review of publications - through analytical models and a laboratory experiment - to field observations and research methods.
The Introduction and Part I provide an overview of the general information on the problem of plastic pollution in the oceans. Potential threats to the environment and humans are discussed. Basic information about plastic as a material is given. Chapters 2 and 3 summarize information about the properties of microplastic particles actually observed in the marine environment, as well as the mechanisms for changing these properties over time.
Part II presents simple analytical models for describing the properties of microplastic particles. They include both simple balance and geometric models of a single particle (Chapter 4) and options for taking into account distributions of particle properties in terms of size, shape, and density (Chapter 5). Chapter 6 presents the results of modeling the probabilistic distribution of the terminal settling/rising velocity of microplastic particles, obtained on the basis of distributions of particle properties by size, density, and shape.
Part III is devoted to the results of laboratory experiments. Settling of microplastic particles of various forms, including synthetic fibers, is described (Chapter 7). The approaches and available experimental data on the resuspension of microplastic particles of various shapes from the bottom covered with natural sediment are discussed (Chapter 8). The results of a series of experiments on the fragmentation of various types of plastic in the surf zone are presented in detail (Chapter 9).
Field observations of microplastic and marine debris pollution in the Baltic Sea region – on its beaches, in the water column, and bottom sediments – are presented in Part IV.
Part V summarizes information on current sampling methods for microplastics in water, bottom sediment, and beach sediments, sample preparation techniques, extraction steps, and identification methods. The requirements for the control of external pollution, options for presenting the results in various units, and other "little things" that determine the quality of the final result and the possibility of its comparison with other studies are given.
The book is intended for ocean scientists, as well as undergraduate and graduate students of relevant specialties, but it will also be useful to the widest range of readers, showing the incredible vulnerability of the natural environment of our small planet.
The authors express their sincere gratitude to the colleagues with whom the results presented in the book were obtained and published: Dr. Andrey Bagaev and Dr. Artem Mizyuk (Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences), Dr. Mikhail Zobkov (Northern Water Problems Institute, Karelian Research Center of the RAS), Dr. Andrey Zyubin (Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University), Irina Efimova, Anastasiya Kupriyanova, as well as to many colleagues who participated in expeditions and sample processing. Great help in preparing the manuscript for publication was provided by Nataliya Martynyuk.
The book represents some results obtained by the authors while working on projects of the Russian Science Foundation (15-17-10020, 19-17-00041), Russian Foundation for Basic Research (18-55-76001, 18-55-76002, 18-35-00553, 19-35-50028; 19-45-393006), the Swedish Institute project 22805/2019 (MOTION), and within SCOR WG 153 (FLOTSAM).
... Freshwater studies (see Table 5 Kunz et al., 2016 Top 10 cm of beaches in Taiwan PE 1 (44%), PP 2 (43%), PS 3 (12%) Kuriyama et al., 2002 Japan. 30 beaches. ...
The whereabouts of the overwhelming majority of plastic estimated to enter the environment is unknown. This study’s aim was to combine information about the environmental occurrence and physicochemical properties of widespread polymers to predict the fate of aquatic plastic litter. Polyethylene and polypropylene are common in the surface layer and shorelines; polyester and cellulosic fibres in sewage treatment works, estuarine and deep-sea sediments. Overall, non-buoyant polymers are underrepresented on the ocean surface. Three main explanations are proposed for the missing plastic. The first is accumulation of both buoyant and non-buoyant polymers in sewage treatment works, river and estuarine sediments and along shorelines. The second is settling of non-buoyant polymers into the deep-sea. The third is fragmentation of both buoyant and non-buoyant polymers into particles smaller than captured by existing experimental methods. Some isolation techniques may overrepresent larger, buoyant particles; methodological improvements are needed to capture the full size-range of plastic litter. When microplastics fragment they become neutrally-buoyant, thus nanoplastics are potentially widely dispersed in aquatic systems, both horizontally and vertically. Ultimately, over decades or longer, plastics are potentially solubilized and subsequently biodegraded. The rates at which these processes apply to plastic litter in different environmental compartments remain largely unknown.
... The sinking of these types of microplastics relate to the process of aging which alters the item density, shape, and the development of surface biofilm (Cózar et al., 2014;Long et al., 2015). The greatest spatial densities of pellets on Maltese beaches are coherent with those on the tidal beaches of the world (Kuriyama et al., 2002). However, the variability of the pellets' colour, shape, and size from Malta and other regions of the Mediterranean are much less varied (Karapanagioti and Klontza, 2007). ...
The widespread occurrence of microplastic has invaded the environment to an extent that it appears to be present throughout the globe. This review investigated the global abundance and distribution of microplastics in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Furthermore, the issues and challenges have been addressed for better findings in microplastics studies. Findings revealed that the accumulation of microplastics varies geographically, with locations, hydrodynamic conditions, environmental pressure, and time. From this review, it is crucial that proper regulations are proposed and implemented in order to reduce the occurrence of microplastics in the aquatic environment. Without appropriate law and regulations, microplastic pollution will eventually threaten human livelihood.
... Water / / 0-6.63 x 10 2 items/ha Uchida et al., 2016 North Pacific Isobe et al., 2014Isobe et al., , 2015Day et al., 1990 Japanese coast Sediment / / 0.52-1 000 items/m 2 Kuriyama et al., 2002;Rios et al., 2007;Kusui and Noda 2003;Endo et al., 2005 Korean coast Water / / 2.6-359 748 items/m 3 Song et al., 2014Song et al., ,2015aSong et al., , 2015bKang et al., 2015;Chae et al., 2015 Korean coast Sediment / / 1.2-285 673 items/m 2 Lee et al., , 2015Kim et al., 2015;Heo et al., 2013 Korean Moore et al., 2002;Lattin et al., 2004;Gilfillan et al., 2009;Sutton et al., 2016 West coast, USA Sediment / / / Rios et al., 2007;Ogata et al., 2009;Van et al., 2012 90 Microplastics in fisheries and aquaculture Moore et al., 2001;Carson et al., 2013;Goldstein et al., 2012Goldstein et al., , 2013 South Pacific ...
Plastic production has increased exponentially since the early 1950s and reached
322 million tonnes in 2015, this figure does not include synthetic fibres which accounted
for an additional 61 million tonnes in 2015. It is expected that production of plastics will
continue to increase in the foreseeable future and production levels are likely to double
by 2025. Inadequate management of plastic waste has led to increased contamination
of freshwater, estuarine and marine environments. It has been estimated that in
2010 between 4.8 million to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic waste entered the oceans.
Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gears (ALDFG) are considered the
main source of plastic waste by the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, but their relative
contribution is not well known at regional and global levels.
Microplastics are usually defined as plastic items which measure less than 5 mm
in their longest dimension, this definition includes also nanoplastics which are
particles less than 100 nanometres (nm) in their longest dimension. Plastic items may
be manufactured within this size range (primary micro- and nanoplastics) or result
from the degradation and fragmentation of larger plastic items (secondary micro- and
nanoplastics). Microplastics may enter aquatic environments through different pathways
and they have been reported in all environmental matrices (beaches, sediments, surface
waters and water column).
Ingestion of microplastics by aquatic organisms, including species of commercial
importance for fisheries and aquaculture, has been documented in laboratory and field
studies. In certain field studies it has been possible to source ingested microplastics to
fisheries and aquaculture activities.
Microplastics contain a mixture of chemicals added during manufacture, the so-called
additives, and efficiently sorb (adsorb or absorb) persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic
contaminants (PBTs) from the environment. The ingestion of microplastics by aquatic
organisms and the accumulation of PBTs have been central to the perceived hazard and
risk of microplastics in the marine environment.
Adverse effects of microplastics ingestion have only been observed in aquatic
organisms under laboratory conditions, usually at very high exposure concentrations
that exceed present environmental concentrations by several orders of magnitude. In
wild aquatic organisms microplastics have only been observed within the gastrointestinal
tract, usually in small numbers, and at present there is no evidence that microplastics
ingestion has negative effects on populations of wild and farmed aquatic organisms.
In humans the risk of microplastic ingestion is reduced by the removal of the
gastrointestinal tract in most species of seafood consumed. However, most species
of bivalves and several species of small fish are consumed whole, which may lead
to microplastic exposure. A worst case estimate of exposure to microplastics after
consumption of a portion of mussels (225 g) would lead to ingestion of 7 micrograms
(µg) of plastic, which would have a negligible effect (less than 0.1 percent of total dietary
intake) on chemical exposure to certain PBTs and plastic additives.
... Location of the beaches Particle size Measured abundance Reference items per m 2 Kaliningrad region (Baltic Sea) 0.5-5 mm 7-5560 (42-1150) a This study Fernando de Noronha (Equatorial Western Atlantic) 2-5 mm 60 Ivar do Sul et al., 2009 The northeast of Brazil 0.5-1 mm 1000 Costa et al., 2010 Swiss lakes 0.3-5 mm 20-7200 Faure et al., 2015 The Sea of Japan (the Russian beaches/the Japanese beaches) 1-10 mm 31.1/2610 Kusui and Noda, 2003 Mumbai, India 1-5 mm 10-180 Jayasiri et al., 2013 South Korea (dry season/rainy season) 1-5 mm 8205/27,606 Lee et al., 2013 The SE Pacific (Chile) 1-4.75 mm b1-805 Hidalgo-Ruz and Thiel, 2013 a Greek island (Kea isl., Aegean Sea) 1-2 mm/2-4 mm 10-602/10-575 Kaberi et al., 2013 The northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea (1994Sea ( /1995) 2-3 mm 1232-878,400/1016-436,921 Abu-Hilal and Al-Najjar, 2009 The Portuguese coast 3-6 mm 84-362 Antunes et al., 2013 South Korea 0.05-5 mm 56-285,673 Kim et al., 2015 The Portuguese coastline 1.2 μm − 5 mm 133.3-185.1 Martins and Sobral, 2011 Halifax Harbor, Nova Scotia 0.8 μm − 5 mm 2000-8000 Mathalon and Hill, 2014 Tokyo, Japan 3-5 mm N1000 Kuriyama et al., 2002 The Hong Kong coastline 0.315-5 mm 16-258,408 (mean 5595) Fok and Cheung, 2015 items per kg Kaliningrad region (Baltic Sea) 0.5-5 mm 0.2-175. et al., 2014 China b1-1.5 mm 4320-12,160 Qiu et al., 2015 The Belgian coast 0.038-1 mm 92.8 (max 156) Claessens et al., 2011Claessens et al., , 2013 Slovenia 0.25-5 mm 178.8 Laglbauer et al., 2014 The island of Kachelotplate 1.2 μm − 5 mm 50,000 (max 62,100) Liebezeit and Dubaish, 2012 Singapore 1.6 μm − 5 mm 0-16 Ng and Obbard, 2006 mg per m 2 Kaliningrad region (Baltic Sea) 0.5-5 mm 67-16,000 (370-7330) a This study Swiss lakes 0.3-5 mm 1-6000 Faure et al., 2015 The Sea of Japan (the Russian beaches/the Japanese beaches) 1-10 mm 8780/13,600 Kusui and Noda, 2003 The Hong Kong coastline 0.315-5 mm 0.8-249,156 (mean 5598) Fok and Cheung, 2015 mg per kg Kaliningrad region (Baltic Sea) 0.5-5 mm 6.80-8380 (50-2890) a This study The Belgian coast 0.038-1 mm 0.23-1.05 ...
Contamination of sandy beaches of the Baltic Sea in Kaliningrad region is evaluated on the base of surveys carried out from June 2015 to January 2016. Quantity of macro/meso/microplastic objects in the upper 2 cm of the sandy sediments of the wrack zone at 13 sampling sites all along the Russian coast is reported. Occurrence of paraffin and amber pieces at the same sites is pointed out. Special attention is paid to microplastics (range 0.5–5 mm): its content ranges between 1.3 and 36.3 items per kg dry sediment. The prevailing found type is foamed plastic. No sound differences in contamination are discovered between beaches with high and low anthropogenic load. Mean level of contamination is of the same order of magnitude as has been reported by other authors for the Baltic Sea beaches.
... Small plastic fragments including plastic resin pellets that drift in the ocean have attracted attention since the 1970s due to their ability to adsorb and transport persistent organic pollutants [1,2]. Previous surveys conducted in Tokyo Bay and Sagami Bay suggested that the plastic resin pellets found in the ocean originated from the land [3]. Microplastics, which are derived from mismanaged ...
Sampling was conducted at 31 sites in the western Pacific Ocean from 2000 to 2001 with the aim of collecting plastic fragments with a neuston net (mesh size 1.00 mm × 1.64 mm). Small plastic fragments including microplastics (small fragments in the size range of 1.1–41.8 mm) were collected at multiple survey sites. Waters with high densities of small fragments were observed between 20°N and 30°N to the south of Japan and between 20S and 30S to the northeast of New Zealand (maxima of 6.63 × 102 and 2.03 × 102 pieces/ha, respectively). These waters are located to the west of the Ekman convergence zones related to trade winds in the subtropical gyres of the North and South Pacific Oceans. Nearly no small plastics were observed in the tropical circulation of the western Pacific Ocean.
... País Abundancia ( ítems por m 2 ) Referencia Rusia 0 , 2 Kusui & Noda ( 2003 ) Japón 3 , 4 Kusui & Noda ( 2003 ) Malasia 18 Ismail et al . ( 2009 ) Malta 35 Turner & Holmes ( 2011 ) Inglaterra 100 Ashton et al . ( 2010 ) Japón 500 Kuriyama et al . ( 2002 ) China 1000 Kaminuma et al . ( 2000 ) Estados Unidos 1200 Wilber ( 1987 ) Brasil 3000 Costa et al . ( 2010 ) Omán 9000 Khordagi & Abu - Hilal ( 1994 ) Inglaterra 20000 Morris & Hamilton ( 1974 ) Jordania 77000 Abu - Hilal & Al - Najjar ( 2009 ) Chile continental 30 Presente estudio Isla de Pascua 800 ...
The presence of microplastics (MPs) in human body parts has raised significant concerns due to their status as a major environmental pollutant. Despite existing methods for detecting and identifying MPs in human tissues, there is a lack of standardized techniques, compromising
the comparability of data across studies. This review critically analyzes the current knowledge on MPs in human body parts, sources and potential exposure pathways. This study underscores the urgent need for standardized and validated techniques for accurate MP analysis and characterization in human tissues, addressing the methodological challenges in MP detection. The findings of this review indicate that humans are exposed to MPs potentially through several routes such as ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact. However, the exact routes for MPs entering the body remain unclear. It also examines the wide range of
health impacts associated with MPs, such as oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, endocrine disruption, and potential genotoxicity. Nevertheless, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are still not well understood, especially when considering the diverse concentrations, shapes, and sizes of MPs. Therefore, further research is essential, particularly to enhance epidemiological studies that can robustly establish the link between MP exposure and health impacts in large populations. Advancing this knowledge will be crucial for developing effective strategies to safeguard both environmental and public health from the detrimental effects of MPs.
Keywords: Emerging contaminants; Microplastic Detection; Human health; Toxicity; Bioaccumulation; Mitigation strategies
We investigated the side of parking lots, garbage collection points and house wall to understand the source of plastic pieces. The survey was conducted approximately monthly from Apr. 2020 to Feb. 2021 with the aim of clarifying detailed rainfall variation in the density of plastic pieces on the shoulder. The discharge coefficient of gravel is 0.30 to 0.70, lower than that of asphalt, 0.70 to 0.95. As the plastic pieces on the gravel surface could be hard to be washed away and easy to be accumulated, the mass of plastic pieces flowing into the side was larger than that flowing out. PE, PP, PS, PET and PVC were predominant among the found polymer materials (43-66%by mass). The size corresponding to the cumulative ratio of 50% the plastic pieces on the side of house wall was smaller than that on the others. On the sides of house wall that was not near the plastic source, the plastic pieces could be weathered to fragment into smaller pieces than on the others. The number density of plastic pieces scattered on the side of garbage collection point was affected by the structure. It was found that the behavior of plastic load was complicatedly influenced by land properties, uses and rainfall.
Research on plastic debris in the ocean and rivers is being vigorously conducted, but there is little research on the dynamics of plastic from the basin, which is one of the sources of plastic waste, to rivers and coasts. In this study, we conducted a field survey of basins (roads) , rivers, and coasts in the Hikichi River basin, Kanagawa Prefecture, with the aim of clarifying the dynamics of plastic pieces in the basin, river, and coast. From the results of the sample particle recovery test, the target size of the plastic piece in this study was set to be > 1 mm. The results indicated that the numerical and mass concentration of plastic pieces in the road dust between districts considered were significantly higher in the commercial and residential areas, respectively, mainly because of the difference in plastic piece size distribution. A comparison of plastic materials on roads, rivers, and coasts showed that polyethylene (PE) , polypropylene (PP) , and polystyrene (PS) , which have low specific gravity, were predominant in the river and materials washed up on the coast, but not significant in the road dust.
In order to understand microplastic pollution in the coastal areas of Kanagawa Prefecture, we surveyed beached microplastics on the coast at 4 sites in Sagami Bay and 1 site in Tokyo Bay. We also examined spatial and temporal variations in microplastic distribution and characteristics.
Spatially, the characteristics of microplastics that accumulated at the high tide line differed between the coastal sites. We presume that this difference was caused by the influence of microplastics derived from inland sources only, not by microplastics from the open ocean. Some of the beached microplastics at the high tide line were transferred inland by the sea breeze, and this tendency was observed in the distribution of resin pellets. In addition, we found that the proportion of large-size microplastics was higher at the high tide line than in microplastics drifting at the sea surface near the coast.
Temporally, we found that the amount of beached microplastics greatly increased when weather conditions allowed strong onshore winds to persist for a long time. The amount of microplastics deposited during typhoon conditions was three times the amount deposited during normal weather conditions. Seasonally, we found that the density of drifting microplastics in coastal areas increased as a result of prevailing seasonal winds transporting drifting microplastics from offshore to the coasts. The amount of beached microplastics around Sagami Bay increased during the spring, however the composition of beached microplastics did not change significantly during this period.
By observing small expanded polystyrene spherules beached along 2 coasts, we determined that these spherules were likely micro-foaming beads used as cushioning material in packaging. We suggest that proper treatment and disposal of such products is important for controlling coastal microplastic pollution.
-Distribution of microplastics in environmental compartments
-Degradation of plastic in the marine environment
-Marine transport and accumulation zones of plastic and microplastic
Identifying and eliminating the sources of microplastic to habitats is crucial to reducing the social, environmental and economic impacts of this form of debris. Although eliminating sources of pollution is a fundamental component of environmental policy in the U.S.A. and Europe, the sources of microplastic and their pathways into habitats remain poorly understood compared to other persistent, bioaccumulative and/or toxic substances (i.e. priority pollutants; EPA in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2010–2014 Pollution Prevention (P2) Program Strategic Plan. Washington, USA, pp. 1–34, 2010; EU in Official J Eur Union L334:17–119, 2010). This chapter reviews our understanding of sources and pathways of microplastic, appraises terminology, and outlines future directions for meaningfully integrating research, managerial actions and policy to understand and reduce the infiltration of microplastic to habitats. © 2015, Springer International Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
Microplastics are omnipresent in the marine environment and sediments are hypothesized to be major sinks of these plastics. Here, over 100 articles spanning the last 50 year are reviewed with following objectives: (i) to evaluate current microplastic extraction techniques, (ii) to discuss the occurrence and worldwide distribution of microplastics in sediments, and (iii) to make a comprehensive assessment of the possible adverse effects of this type of pollution to marine organisms. Based on this review we propose future research needs and conclude that there is a clear need for a standardized techniques, unified reporting units and more realistic effect assessments.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
IMO/FAO/UNESCO-IOC/UNIDO/WMO/IAEA/UN/UNEP/UNDP Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection GESAMP. Rep. Stud. GESAMP No. 90, 96 p.
Microplastics are an emerging marine pollutant. It is important to understand their distribution in the marine environment and their implications on marine habitats and marine biota. Microplastics have been found in almost every marine habitat around the world, with plastic composition and environmental conditions significantly affecting their distribution. Marine biota interact with microplastics including birds, fish, turtles, mammals and invertebrates. The biological repercussions depend on to the size of microplastics encountered, with smaller sizes having greater effects on organisms at the cellular level. In the micrometre range plastics are readily ingested and egested, whereas nanometre-sized plastics can pass through cell membranes. Despite concerns raised by ingestion, the effects of microplastic ingestion in natural populations and the implications for food webs are not understood. Without knowledge of retention and egestion rates of field populations, it is difficult to deduce ecological consequences. There is evidence to suggest that microplastics enter food chains and there is trophic transfer between predators and prey. What is clear is that further research on a variety of marine organisms is required to understand the environmental implications of microplastics in more detail and to establish effects in natural populations.
Polystyrene spherules averaging 0.5 millimeter in diameter (range 0.1 to 2 millimeters) are abundant in the coastal waters
of southern New England. Two types are present, a crystalline (clear) form and a white, opaque form with pigmentation resulting
from a diene rubber. The spherules have bacteria on their surfaces and contain polychlorinated biphenyls, apparently absorbed
from ambient seawater, in a concentration of 5 parts per million. White, opaque spherules are selectively consumed by 8 species
of fish out of 14 species examined, and a chaetognath. Ingestion of the plastic may lead to intestinal blockage in smaller
fish.
The occurrence of plastic pellets along the coast of Lebanon is being reported for the first time. Although a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes was observed, most pellets seemed to be either an opaque-white or transparentamber colour, cylindrical to oval or round, and 2–5 mm in diameter. A random sampling was taken and the results of thermal analysis showed the pellets to be of either high density polyethylene (opaque-white pellets), polymethyl methacrylate (transparent), or polystyrene (amber).The presence of these pellets is most likely due to waste disposal by the numerous plastics ‘factories’ in the country, or possibly, cargo-loss during sea transport of raw plastics materials.
Small polystyrene particles, evidently of industrial origin, now appear as a contaminant of the sea in several parts of the world. They have been discovered in pellets of indigestible food regurgitated by gulls and terns, so are clearly entering the food chain at some point. So far as is known at present, they are harmless but it would be as well to exercise caution in releasing plastic to the environment.
A survey has been made of the quantities of small virgin plastic pellets and granules present in the litter stranding on shores of eastern Canada and Bermuda. Whilst particularly abundant on beaches of Bermuda, they are most uncommon on those of Nova Scotia and Sable Island—this, it is interpreted, reflects broad oceanic circulation patterns, lengthy residence times and distant sources, for there are no significant local ones. The polyethylene character of the granules was confirmed through burning characteristics and infra-red spectrophotometry. Polystyrene spherules were not identified. These plastic granules are commonly associated with pelagic tar balls and many have a tarry coating.The granules support a restricted, encrusting pseudoplanktonic biota, including serpulid worms and coralline algae, similar to that found on floating Sargassum. It is concluded, however, that their environmental consequence is not great.Although plastic granules progressively disappear through oxidative ageing and other degradational processes, they are an unnecessary contaminant of marine waters and evidence of evergrowing oceanic litter.
Plastic particles, in concentrations averaging 3500 pieces and 290 grams per square kilometer, are widespread in the western
Sargasso Sea. Pieces are brittle, apparently due to the weathering of the plasticizers, and many are in a pellet shape about
0.25 to 0.5 centimeters in diameter. The particles are surfaces for the attachment of diatoms and hydroids. Increasing production
of plastics, combined with present waste-disposal practices, will undoubtedly lead to increases in the concentration of these
particles. Plastics could be a source of some of the polychlorinated biphenyls recently observed in oceanic organisms.
Plastic resin pellets (small granules 0.1-0.5 centimeters in diameter) are widely distributed in the ocean all over the world. They are an industrial raw material for the plastic industry and are unintentionally released to the environment both during manufacturing and transport. They are sometimes ingested by seabirds and other marine organisms, and their adverse effects on organisms are a concern. In the present study, PCBs, DDE, and nonylphenols (NP) were detected in polypropylene (PP) resin pellets collected from four Japanese coasts. Concentrations of PCBs (4-117 ng/g), DDE (0.16-3.1 ng/g), and NP (0.13-16 microg/g) varied among the sampling sites. These concentrations were comparable to those for suspended particles and bottom sediments collected from the same area as the pellets. Field adsorption experiments using PP virgin pellets demonstrated significant and steady increase in PCBs and DDE concentrations throughout the six-day experiment, indicating that the source of PCBs and DDE is ambient seawater and that adsorption to pellet surfaces is the mechanism of enrichment. The major source of NP in the marine PP resin pellets was thought to be plastic additives and/or their degradation products. Comparison of PCBs and DDE concentrations in mari
The occurrence of plastic particles has recently been reported in the Sargasso Sea and in coastal waters of southern New England. These reports were based on a small number of samples within limited geographic areas, but the observers suggested that plastics might be more widely distributed. In this study the authors confirm, after examination of neuston (surface) net samples taken in July and August 1972, that plastic particles do occur over a wide area of the North Atlantic. These samples were collected on the first multiship MARMAP ichthyo plankton survey of coastal and oceanic waters from Cape Cod to the North Caribbean. Three National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessels participated in the survey. The type and characteristics of the plastic particles were as follows: white opaque polystyrene spherules; translucent to clear polystyrene spherules containing gaseous voids; opaque to translucent polyethylene cylinders or disks; pieces of Styrofoam; sheets of thin, flexible wrapping material; and pieces of hard and soft, clear and opaque plastics of various thicknesses which appear to be parts of plastic containers, toys, and so forth. It is concluded that the widespread distribution of polystyrene spherules and polyethylene disks in rivers, estuaries, and the open ocean suggests that improper waste water disposal is common practice in the plastics industry. Strong federal, state, and municipal pollution control and monitory programs are necessary to prevent the emission of plastic beads into the waste water systems of plastic producing and plastic processing plants.