Lost but can’t be neglected: Huge quantities of small microplastics hide in the South China Sea,

Science of The Total Environment, Volume 633, 15
August 2018, Pages 1206-1216, ISSN 0048-9697,

Abstract:

Large quantities of microplastics with small particle sizes were found
in the South China Sea (SCS). The abundances of microplastics in
seawater were 0.045 ± 0.093and 2569 ± 1770 particles/m3 according to the
bongo net and pumping sampling methods, respectively. Smaller-size
fractions (size < 0.3 mm) contributed 92% of the number of microplastics
to the total load. Continental slope is the largest reservoir of
microplastics with an inventory of 295 tons. 21 polymer types were found
in the samples using the micro Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
(FTIR), among which alkyds (22.5%) and polycaprolactone (PCL) (20.9%)
accounted for almost half of the total polymer content. Lighter plastics
would not only concentrate upon the coastal area, being more likely to
drift further into open seas with ocean currents. The distribution
characteristics showed that it was mainly controlled by terrestrial
input of the Pearl River. This study, as the first report from SCS on
microplastics in water for its distribution and influence factors,
provided impetus for further research on the transportation fate and the
behavior of this emerging pollutant from coastal zone to the open
oceans.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Optkv-LRAILdqPJ48-dE9f_mHc4TXMhL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.197.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969718309562)

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Environmental Pollution, Volume 236, May 2018, Pages

Abstract:

Plastic polymers act as passive samplers in air system and concentrate hydrophobic organic contaminants by sorption or specific interactions, which can be transported to other systems such as the marine environment.
In this study plastic debris was sampled in the surrounding area of a Mediterranean lagoon in order to determine the concentration of persistent and emerging organic contaminants.
More specifically, desorption of 91 regulated and emerging organic contaminants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorinated pesticides, current-use pesticides, personal care products, other
pesticides and plastic additives) was characterized for the first 24 h from different polymers to seawater and the remaining content of these contaminants was also extracted by ultrasonic extraction with methanol.

All samples were analyzed by Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction coupled to GC/MS. A significant fraction of sorbed contaminants in polymers was desorbed in the first 24 h, particularly for triazines and organophosphorus pesticides due to their lower hydrophobicity than other considered analytes.
The remaining contaminants contained in plastics can be also transferred to seawater, sediments or biota. Considering 24 h desorbed fraction plus the remaining methanol extracted fraction, the highest transfer levels corresponded to personal care products, plastic additives, current-use pesticides and PAHs. This is the first
study to show the relevance of the transport of organic contaminants on plastic debris from littoral areas to the marine environment.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1kHouESKwbBx628quWw3FW0kK290n7mqE
442-453, ISSN 0269-7491, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.114.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117348698)

The post Potential transfer of organic pollutants from littoral plastics debris to the marine environment appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Environmental Pollution, Volume 235, 2018, Pages 680-691, ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:

Plastic debris has become an environmental problem during
recent years. Among the plastic debris, microplastics (<5 mm; MPLs)
imply an extra problem due to their capacity to enter into the fauna
through ingestion. In this work, we study the capacity of three MPLs,
that include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS) and
polystyrene carboxylate (PS-COOH), to sorb 18 perfluoroalkyl substances
(PFASs; including carboxylic acids, sulphonates and one sulphonamide)
from the surrounding waters (freshwater and seawater). Conclusions drawn
from the results are that perfluoro sulphonates and sulphonamides have
more tendency to be sorbed onto MPLs. In addition, PS and PS-COOH have
more affinity for PFASs than HDPE. Finally, the increment of
conductivity and pH of the water decreases the exposure time that is
necessary to reach equilibrium. However, the presence of salts decreases
the tendency of PFASs to be sorbed onto plastic surfaces. These results
highlight the problem associated with the presence of MPLs in inland and
marine waters since toxic compounds can be sorbed onto surrounding
plastics that could be ingested by aquatic fauna.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rtdzyjDJ0A375NPIpVx_KudbRZihrEQc

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.12.075.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117323436)

The post Adsorption of perfluoroalkyl substances on microplastics under environmental conditions appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Adsorption of perfluoroalkyl substances on microplastics under environmental conditions,
Environmental Pollution, Volume 235, 2018, Pages 680-691, ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:

Plastic debris has become an environmental problem during recent years. Among the plastic debris, microplastics (<5 mm; MPLs) imply an extra problem due to their capacity to enter into the fauna through ingestion.
In this work, we study the capacity of three MPLs, that include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS) and polystyrene carboxylate (PS-COOH), to sorb 18 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs; including carboxylic acids, sulphonates and one sulphonamide) from the surrounding waters (freshwater and seawater). Conclusions drawn from the results are that perfluoro sulphonates and sulphonamides have more tendency to be sorbed onto MPLs. In addition, PS and PS-COOH have more affinity for PFASs than HDPE. Finally, the increment of conductivity and pH of the water decreases the exposure time that is necessary to reach equilibrium. However, the presence of salts decreases the tendency of PFASs to be sorbed onto plastic surfaces.
These results highlight the problem associated with the presence of MPLs in inland and marine waters since toxic compounds can be sorbed onto surrounding plastics that could be ingested by aquatic fauna.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rtdzyjDJ0A375NPIpVx_KudbRZihrEQc

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.12.075.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117323436)

The post Adsorption of perfluoroalkyl substances on microplastics under environmental conditions appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..