The distribution and morphology of microplastics in coastal soils adjacent to the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea,

Geoderma,
Volume 322,
2018,
Pages 201-208,
ISSN 0016-7061,

Abstract:

Microplastics (<5 mm) are considered to be emerging pollutants
of global concern. Investigations on microplastics pollution in coastal
and marine environments have increased recently but knowledge gaps still
exist regarding microplastics in coastal beach soils with high-intensity
human activities. In the present study a total of 120 soil samples were
taken from 53 sites along >3000 km of coastline in Shandong province,
east China, adjacent to both the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea coastlines
under different land use management. Microplastics were separated from
the soil samples using a continuous flow and floating separation
apparatus. The shape type, size, abundance, spatial distribution,
polymer composition and surface morphology of the microplastics were
identified by a range of advanced microscopic and micro-analytical
methods. The analytical results show that seven shape types, namely
foams, pellets, fragments, flakes, fibers, films and sponges, were
present in the beach soils. The polymer composition of the microplastics
included polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyether urethane
and a polymer blend of both polyethylene and polypropylene.
Approximately 60% of the observed microplastics had a size range < 1 mm.
Microplastic abundance varied greatly among the soils, ranging from 1.3
to 14,712.5 N kg−1 (dry weight) as influenced by high-intensity human
activities such as mariculture, tourism, and port construction. The
seven shape types of microplastics from the coastal environment had
different weathering surface morphologies, showing scratches, creases,
micropores, cracks, either concave or convex, and of various shapes and
sizes, possibly due to physical friction, photochemical oxidation and/or
animal attack. Algae or crude oil was observed on the surface of some
microplastics. The weathered surfaces of microplastics might act as a
high-capacity carrier with adhering microorganisms and chemicals.
Further studies are required on the weathering processes, sorption
capacity and transport of microplastics especially in smaller size
(<1 mm) under coastal conditions.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=131wx-tA08xrjZVl5nZZWTV34jpwqsOMW
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.02.015.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001670611732150X)

The post The distribution and morphology of microplastics in coastal soils adjacent to the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Characterization of microplastic litter in the gastrointestinal tract of Solea solea from the Adriatic Sea,

Environmental Pollution,
Volume 234,
2018,
Pages 943-952,
ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:

Micro-plastic particles in the world’s oceans represent a
serious threat to both human health and marine ecosystems. Once released
into the aquatic environment plastic litter is broken down to smaller
pieces through photo-degradation and the physical actions of waves,
wind, etc.
The resulting particles may become so small that they are
readily taken up by fish, crustaceans and mollusks. There is mounting
evidence for the uptake of plastic particles by marine organisms that
form part of the human food chain and this is driving urgent calls for
further and deeper investigations into this pollution issue.
The present study aimed at investigating for the first time the occurrence, amount,
typology of microplastic litter in the gastrointestinal tract of Solea
solea and its spatial distribution in the northern and central Adriatic
Sea. This benthic flatfish was selected as it is a species of high
commercial interest within the FAO GFCM (General Fisheries Commission
for the Mediterranean) area 37 (Mediterranean and Black Sea) where
around 15% of the overall global Solea solea production originates. The
digestive tract contents of 533 individuals collected in fall during
2014 and 2015 from 60 sampling sites were examined for microplastics.
These were recorded in 95% of sampled fish, with more than one
microplastic item found in around 80% of the examined specimens.

The most commonly found polymers were polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene,
polyethylene, polyester, and polyamide, 72% as fragments and 28% as
fibers. The mean number of ingested microplastics was 1.73 ± 0.05 items
per fish in 2014 and 1.64 ± 0.1 in 2015. PVC and PA showed the highest
densities in the northern Adriatic Sea, both inshore and off-shore while
PE, PP and PET were more concentrated in coastal areas with the highest
values offshore from the port of Rimini.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ociS8dweJEPr1ndmfqqSC9bYJsYssByD
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.12.038.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117332062)

The post Characterization of microplastic litter in the gastrointestinal tract of Solea solea from the Adriatic Sea appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Available online 6 March 2018, ISSN 0016-7061,

Abstract:

Microplastics (<5 mm) are considered to be emerging pollutants of global
concern. Investigations on microplastics pollution in coastal and marine
environments have increased recently but knowledge gaps still exist
regarding microplastics in coastal beach soils with high-intensity human
activities. In the present study a total of 120 soil samples were taken
from 53 sites along >3000 km of coastline in Shandong province, east
China, adjacent to both the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea coastlines
under different land use management. Microplastics were separated from
the soil samples using a continuous flow and floating separation
apparatus. The shape type, size, abundance, spatial distribution,
polymer composition and surface morphology of the microplastics were
identified by a range of advanced microscopic and micro-analytical
methods. The analytical results show that seven shape types, namely
foams, pellets, fragments, flakes, fibers, films and sponges, were
present in the beach soils. The polymer composition of the microplastics
included polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyether urethane
and a polymer blend of both polyethylene and polypropylene.
Approximately 60% of the observed microplastics had a size range < 1 mm.
Microplastic abundance varied greatly among the soils, ranging from 1.3
to 14,712.5 N kg−1 (dry weight) as influenced by high-intensity human
activities such as mariculture, tourism, and port construction. The
seven shape types of microplastics from the coastal environment had
different weathering surface morphologies, showing scratches, creases,
micropores, cracks, either concave or convex, and of various shapes and
sizes, possibly due to physical friction, photochemical oxidation and/or
animal attack. Algae or crude oil was observed on the surface of some
microplastics. The weathered surfaces of microplastics might act as a
high-capacity carrier with adhering microorganisms and chemicals.
Further studies are required on the weathering processes, sorption
capacity and transport of microplastics especially in smaller size
(<1 mm) under coastal conditions.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=131wx-tA08xrjZVl5nZZWTV34jpwqsOMW

The post The distribution and morphology of microplastics in coastal soils adjacent to the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, Geoderma appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

The distribution and morphology of microplastics in coastal soils adjacent to the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea,

Geoderma, Available online 6 March 2018, ISSN 0016-7061,

Abstract:

Microplastics (<5 mm) are considered to be emerging pollutants of global concern. Investigations on microplastics pollution in coastal and marine environments have increased recently but knowledge gaps still exist regarding microplastics in coastal beach soils with high-intensity human activities.
In the present study a total of 120 soil samples were taken from 53 sites along >3000 km of coastline in Shandong province, east
China, adjacent to both the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea coastlines under different land use management. Microplastics were separated from the soil samples using a continuous flow and floating separation apparatus. The shape type, size, abundance, spatial distribution,
polymer composition and surface morphology of the microplastics were identified by a range of advanced microscopic and micro-analytical
methods.
The analytical results show that seven shape types, namely foams, pellets, fragments, flakes, fibers, films and sponges, were
present in the beach soils. The polymer composition of the microplastics included polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyether urethane and a polymer blend of both polyethylene and polypropylene.
Approximately 60% of the observed microplastics had a size range < 1 mm. Microplastic abundance varied greatly among the soils, ranging from 1.3 to 14,712.5 N kg−1 (dry weight) as influenced by high-intensity human activities such as mariculture, tourism, and port construction.

The seven shape types of microplastics from the coastal environment had different weathering surface morphologies, showing scratches, creases, micropores, cracks, either concave or convex, and of various shapes and sizes, possibly due to physical friction, photochemical oxidation and/or animal attack. Algae or crude oil was observed on the surface of some microplastics. The weathered surfaces of microplastics might act as a high-capacity carrier with adhering microorganisms and chemicals.
Further studies are required on the weathering processes, sorption capacity and transport of microplastics especially in smaller size
(<1 mm) under coastal conditions.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.02.015.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001670611732150X)

The post The distribution and morphology of microplastics in coastal soils adjacent to the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..