http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/jfb.12838/abstract

Lima, A. R. A., Barletta, M., Costa, M. F., Ramos, J. A. A., Dantas, D.
V., Melo, P. A. M. C., Justino, A. K. S. and Ferreira, G. V. B. (2015),
Changes in the composition of ichthyoplankton assemblage and plastic
debris in mangrove creeks relative to moon phases. Journal of Fish
Biology. doi: 10.1111/jfb.12838

Abstract
Lunar influence on the distribution of fish larvae, zooplankton and
plastic debris in mangrove creeks of the Goiana Estuary, Brazil, was
studied over a lunar cycle. Cetengraulis edentulus, Anchovia clupeoides
and Rhinosardinia bahiensis were the most abundant fish larvae (56·6%),
independent of the moon phase. The full moon had a positive influence on
the abundance of Gobionellus oceanicus, Cynoscion acoupa and Atherinella
brasiliensis, and the new moon on Ulaema lefroyi. The full and new moons
also influenced the number of zoeae and megalopae of Ucides cordatus,
protozoeae and larvae of caridean shrimps, and the number of hard and
soft plastic debris, both <5 and >5 mm. Micro and macroplastics were
present in samples from all 12 creeks studied, at densities similar to
the third most abundant taxon, R. bahiensis. Cetengraulis edentulus and
R. bahiensis showed a strong positive correlation with the last quarter
moon, when there was less zooplankton available in the creeks and higher
abundance of microplastic threads. Anchovia clupeoides, Diapterus
rhombeus, U. lefroyi and hard microplastics were positively associated
with different moon phases, when calanoid copepods, Caridean larvae and
zoeae of U. cordatus were highly available in the creeks. Cynoscion
acoupa, G. oceanicus and A. brasiliensis were strongly associated with
the full moon, when protozoeae of caridean shrimps and megalopae of U.
cordatus were also highly available, as were hard and soft
macroplastics, paint chips (<5 mm) and soft microplastics. The results reinforce the role of mangrove creeks as nursery habitats. The moon phases influenced the distribution of fish larvae species, zooplankton and plastic debris by changing their compositions and abundances in the mangrove creeks of the Goiana Estuary when under the influence of different tidal current regimes. Keywords: fish larvae; lunar cycle; microplastics; north-east Brazil; tropical estuary

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http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/etc.3361/abstract

Batel, A., Linti, F., Scherer, M., Erdinger, L. and Braunbeck, T.
(2016), The transfer of benzo[a]pyrene from microplastics to Artemia
nauplii and further to zebrafish via a trophic food web experiment –
CYP1A induction and visual tracking of persistent organic pollutants.
Environ Toxicol Chem. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1002/etc.3361

Abstract
The uptake of microplastic particles and the transfer of potential
harmful substances along with microplastics has been studied in a
variety of organisms, especially invertebrates. However, the potential
accumulation of very small microplastic particles along food webs ending
with vertebrate models has not been investigated so far. Therefore, a
simple artificial food chain with Artemia spec. nauplii and zebrafish
(Danio rerio) was established to analyze the transfer of microplastic
particles and associated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) between
different trophic levels. Very small (1 – 20 µm) microplastic particles
accumulated in Artemia nauplii and were subsequently transferred to
fish. Virgin particles not loaded with POPs did not cause any observable
physical harm in the intestinal tracts of zebrafish, although part of
the particles were retained within the mucus of intestinal villi and
might even be taken up by epithelial cells. The transfer of associated
POPs was tested with the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a]pyrene
and an ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assay for CYP1A induction in
zebrafish liver as well as via fluorescence analyses. Whereas a
significant induction in the EROD assay could not be shown due to high
individual variation and low sensitivity regarding substance
concentration, the fluorescence tracking of benzo[a]pyrene indicates
that food-borne microplastic-associated POPs may actually desorb in the
intestine of fish and are thus transferred to the intestinal epithelium
and liver.

Keywords:
Microplastics; Food web; Zebrafish; Benzo[a]pyrene; CYP1A induction

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Chenxi Wu, Kai Zhang, Xiaolong Huang, Jiantong Liu
Sorption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products to polyethylene
debris
Environmental Science and Pollution Research
First online: 26 January 2016
DOI 10.1007/s11356-016-6121-7

Abstract
Presence of plastic debris in marine and freshwater ecosystems is
increasingly reported. Previous research suggested plastic debris had a
strong affiliation for many pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and heavy metals.
In this study, the sorption behavior of pharmaceuticals and personal
care products (PPCPs), including carbamazepine (CBZ),
4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4MBC), triclosan (TCS), and 17α-ethinyl
estradiol (EE2), to polyethylene (PE) debris (250 to 280 μm) was
investigated. The estimated linear sorption coefficients (K d) are
191.4, 311.5, 5140, and 53,225 L/kg for CBZ, EE2, TCS, and 4MBC, and are
related to their hydrophobicities. Increase of salinity from 0.05 to 3.5
% did not affect the sorption of 4MBC, CBZ, and EE2 but enhanced the
sorption of TCS, likely due to the salting-out effect. Increase of
dissolved organic matter (DOM) content using Aldrich humic acid (HA) as
a proxy reduced the sorption of 4MBC, EE2, and TCS, all of which show a
relatively strong affiliation to HA. Results from this work suggest that
microplastics may play an important role in the fate and transport of
PPCPs, especially for those hydrophobic ones.

Keywords
Microplastics PPCPs Sorption Hydrophobic interaction Salinity Dissolved
organic matter

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Removal of derelict fishing gear has major economic impact

by David Malmquist | January 21, 2016

Study shows Bay watermen earned extra $20M from removal of ghost pots

A new study by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science
shows that a 6-year program to remove derelict crab pots from lower
Chesapeake Bay generated more than $20 million in harvest value for area
watermen.

Lead author Andrew Scheld, an assistant professor at VIMS, says “it’s
well known that derelict fishing gear can harm the environment and
increase crab mortality, but the economic impacts of this ‘ghost
fishing’ have rarely been quantified. Our study shows that VIMS’
collaborative efforts to remove ghost crab pots from the lower Bay led
to an additional 13,504 metric tons in harvest valued at $21.3 million—a
27% increase above that which would have occurred had the pots stayed in
place.”

The study, co-authored by VIMS professors Donna Bilkovic and Kirk
Havens, appears in today’s issue of Scientific Reports, an online,
open-access journal from the publishers of Nature. The research was
supported by NOAA’ s Marine Debris Program.

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Abstract
Every year, millions of pots and traps are lost in crustacean fisheries
around the world. Derelict fishing gear has been found to produce
several harmful environmental and ecological effects, however
socioeconomic consequences have been investigated less frequently. We
analyze the economic effects of a substantial derelict pot removal
program in the largest estuary of the United States, the Chesapeake Bay.
By combining spatially resolved data on derelict pot removals with
commercial blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) harvests and effort, we show
that removing 34,408 derelict pots led to significant gains in gear
efficiency and an additional 13,504 MT in harvest valued at US $21.3
million—a 27% increase above that which would have occurred without
removals. Model results are extended to a global analysis where it is
seen that US $831 million in landings could be recovered annually by
removing less than 10% of the derelict pots and traps from major
crustacean fisheries. An unfortunate common pool externality, the
degradation of marine environments is detrimental not only to marine
organisms and biota, but also to those individuals and communities whose
livelihoods and culture depend on profitable and sustainable marine
resource use.

http://www.nature.com/articles/srep19671.pdf

http://www.nature.com/articles/srep19671#supplementary-information

PDF files
1.
Supplementary Information

http://www.nature.com/article-assets/npg/srep/2016/160121/srep19671/extref/srep19671-s1.pdf

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Plastic debris crossing the Pacific can transport more species with the
help of barnacles

FEBRUARY 3, 2016
MICHELLE NEELEY
PHOTOGRAPHER: MARINA GARLAND

The smooth surfaces of much of the plastic waste rapidly increasing in
the ocean appear to provide poor habitat for animals — that is, until
barnacles step in.

University of Florida researchers discovered that diverse communities of
rafting animals can inhabit even the smoothest pieces of plastic debris
if barnacles step in first to create complex habitat, similar to trees
in a rainforest or corals in a reef. That means plastics could better
transport foreign species across oceans than previously believed, said
Mike Gil, who, as a doctoral candidate at UF, led the study published
Jan. 27 in Scientific Reports.

Now the bad news: While conservationists generally aim to preserve
biological diversity, Gil said, the diversity found on plastic debris
could be harmful.

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Michael A. Gil & Joseph B. Pfaller
Oceanic barnacles act as foundation species on plastic debris:
implications for marine dispersal
Scientific Reports 6, Article number: 19987 (2016)
doi:10.1038/srep19987

Abstract
Plastic has emerged as an abundant, stable substratum for oceanic
dispersal of organisms via rafting. However, the ecological mechanisms
underlying community diversity on plastic debris remain poorly
understood. On a cruise from California to Hawai’i, we surveyed plastic
debris, some likely originating from the 2011 Tōhoku tsunami, to examine
the relationship between rafting community diversity and both habitat
area and stalked barnacle (Lepas spp.) abundance. For sessile taxa
richness, we observed an interaction in which the positive effect of
debris area weakened the negative effect of barnacle cover. In contrast,
for mobile taxa richness, including cohabiting species from opposite
sides of the Pacific Ocean, barnacle abundance had a positive effect
that was strongest at smaller debris sizes. These findings suggest that
barnacles, through interactions with habitat area, have trait-dependent
effects on other species, serving as both foundation species and
competitors, mediating the diversity and dispersal potential of marine
organisms on plastic debris.

http://www.nature.com/articles/srep19987.pdf

http://www.nature.com/articles/srep19987#supplementary-information

PDF files
1.
Supplementary Information

http://www.nature.com/article-assets/npg/srep/2016/160127/srep19987/extref/srep19987-s1.pdf

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