Comparisons of microplastic pollution between mudflats and sandy beaches in Hong Kong,

Environmental Pollution, Volume 236, May 2018, Pages 208-217, ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:
Most of the previous studies of microplastic pollution on coastal
habitats focused on high energy beaches although low energy areas such
as mudflats are supposed to retain more microplastics, not to mention
that mudflats are biologically more diverse.
We quantified andcharacterized microplastics from 10 mudflats and 10 sandy beaches in
Hong Kong spanning from the eastern to western waters. Sediment samples
were collected at 1.0 m and 1.5 m above chart datum (CD) and at the
strandline. Abundance of microplastics ranged between 0.58 and 2116
items kg−1 sediment with that on mudflats being ten times more than on
beaches. Polyethylene (46.9%) was the most abundant and followed by
polypropylene (13.8%) and polyethylene terephthalate (13.5%).
Expanded polystyrene was the most abundant in the strandline samples but not at
1.0 m and 1.5 m above CD.

Although previous studies have concluded that the input from Pearl River is a major source
of microplastics on HongKong shores, this study has demonstrated that the contribution of local pollution
sources such as discharge from sewage treatment plants to microplastic pollution should not be neglected.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1folzxJOL2Iln0t3mliGIM6k0ZsWa08Nb
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.031.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117345451)

The post Comparisons of microplastic pollution between mudflats and sandy beaches in Hong Kong appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Comparisons of microplastic pollution between mudflats and sandy beaches in Hong Kong,

Environmental Pollution, Volume 236, May 2018, Pages 208-217, ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:

Most of the previous studies of microplastic pollution on coastal habitats focused on high energy beaches although low energy areas such as mudflats are supposed to retain more microplastics, not to mention that mudflats are biologically more diverse.

We quantified and characterized microplastics from 10 mudflats and 10 sandy beaches in Hong Kong spanning from the eastern to western waters. Sediment samples were collected at 1.0 m and 1.5 m above chart datum (CD) and at the
strandline. Abundance of microplastics ranged between 0.58 and 2116 items kg−1 sediment with that on mudflats being ten times more than on beaches.
Polyethylene (46.9%) was the most abundant and followed by polypropylene (13.8%) and polyethylene terephthalate (13.5%). Expanded polystyrene was the most abundant in the strandline samples but not at 1.0 m and 1.5 m above CD. Although previous studies have concluded that the input from Pearl River is a major source of microplastics on Hong Kong shores, this study has demonstrated that the contribution of local pollution sources such as discharge from sewage treatment plants to microplastic pollution should not be neglected.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1folzxJOL2Iln0t3mliGIM6k0ZsWa08Nb

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.031.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117345451)

The post Comparisons of microplastic pollution between mudflats and sandy beaches in Hong Kong appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Consistent patterns of debris on South African beaches indicate that industrial pellets and other mesoplastic items mostly derive from local
sources,
Environmental Pollution, 2018, ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:

Identifying the sources of small plastic fragments is challenging because the original source item seldom can be identified.
South Africa provides a useful model system to understand the factors influencing the distribution of beach litter because it has an open
coastline with four equally-spaced urban-industrial centres distant from other major source areas.
We sampled mesodebris (∼2–25 mm) at 82 South African beaches in 1994, 2005 and 2015. Plastic items comprised 99% by number and 95% by mass of litter items. Industrial pellets were the most abundant plastic items, but fragments of rigid plastic items comprised
most of the mass of debris. Strong correlations between industrial pellets and other plastic items indicate that common factors influence
the distribution of both pellets and secondary mesoplastics. The abundance of mesodebris at beaches also was correlated in successive
surveys, suggesting that beach-specific factors (e.g. aspect, slope, local currents, etc.) influence the amounts of debris on each beach.
Sample year had no effect on mesodebris abundance, indicating that there has been little change in the amounts of mesodebris over the last two decades. There were consistently higher densities of both industrial pellets and other plastic items at beaches close to urban-industrial
centres; there were only weak correlations with human population density and no correlation with local runoff. The size of industrial pellets
decreased away from local urban centres, further supporting the conclusion that, like macroplastic litter, most mesoplastic pollution on
continental beaches derives from local, land-based sources.
This finding means that local actions to reduce plastics entering the sea will have local benefits, and that it may be possible to assess the efficacy of mitigation measures to reduce marine inputs of mesoplastic items.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1X74Dtdclckwa0NQCLynx_yh2xihSFSqk
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.017.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117344767)

The post Consistent patterns of debris on South African beaches indicate that industrial pellets and other mesoplastic items mostly derive from local sources appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Consistent patterns of debris on South African beaches indicate that industrial pellets and other mesoplastic items mostly derive from local sources,

Environmental Pollution,2018, ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:

Identifying the sources of small plastic fragments is challenging because the original source item seldom can be identified.
South Africa provides a useful model system to understand the factors influencing the distribution of beach litter because it has an open coastline with four equally-spaced urban-industrial centres distant from other major source areas.
We sampled mesodebris (∼2–25 mm) at 82 South African beaches in 1994, 2005 and 2015. Plastic items comprised 99% by number and 95% by mass of litter items. Industrial pellets were the most abundant plastic items, but fragments of rigid plastic items comprised most of the mass of debris. Strong correlations between industrial pellets and other plastic items indicate that common factors influence the distribution of both pellets and secondary mesoplastics.
The abundance of mesodebris at beaches also was correlated in successive surveys, suggesting that beach-specific factors (e.g. aspect, slope, local currents, etc.) influence the amounts of debris on each beach. Sample year had no effect on mesodebris abundance, indicating that there has been little change in the amounts of mesodebris over the last two decades. There were consistently higher densities of both industrial pellets and other plastic items at beaches close to urban-industrial centres; there were only we correlations with human population density and no correlation with local runoff. The size of industrial pellets decreased away from local urban centres, further supporting the
conclusion that, like macroplastic litter, most mesoplastic pollution on continental beaches derives from local, land-based sources. This finding means that local actions to reduce plastics entering the sea will have local benefits, and that it may be possible to assess the efficacy of mitigation measures to reduce marine inputs of mesoplastic items.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1X74Dtdclckwa0NQCLynx_yh2xihSFSqk

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.017.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117344767)

The post Consistent patterns of debris on South African beaches indicate that industrial pellets and other mesoplastic items mostly derive from local sources appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..