Sea Water Contamination in the Vicinity of the Italian Minor Islands Caused by Microplastic Pollution

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

The abundance and distribution of microplastics (MP) were evaluated in six “clean” sites (Italian minor islands) and in two “polluted” areas (near the mouth of two major Italian rivers). Samples of MP, plankton and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were collected using a manta trawl (MA) and a plankton net (WP2), both lined with a 333 µm mesh net. MP have been confirmed to be ubiquitous since they were found at each site, showing an average density of 0.3 ± 0.04 items/m3 (values ranged from 0.641 to 0.119 ). When comparing the clean sites with the polluted ones, a significantly higher value of MP was found near the river mouths. The most common types of MP were synthetic filaments (50.24%), followed by fragments (30.39%), thin plastic films (16.98%) and spheres (2.39%). Infrared spectroscopy analysis highlighted that the most abundant polymers were polyethylene (PE-26%), polypropylene (PP-11%), polyethylene-terephthalate/polyester (PET/PEST-8%) and ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA-5%). Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides were detected in all the samples with a high variability among sites and depths. This study adds to the existing information on the distribution of contaminants across the Mediterranean Sea, and is useful to policy makers who wish to implement effective measures to reduce MP pollution.

Related collections

Most cited references 20

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Ingested plastic transfers hazardous chemicals to fish and induces hepatic stress

Chelsea M. Rochman, Eunha Hoh, Tomofumi Kurobe … (2013)

Plastic debris litters aquatic habitats globally, the majority of which is microscopic (< 1 mm), and is ingested by a large range of species. Risks associated with such small fragments come from the material itself and from chemical pollutants that sorb to it from surrounding water. Hazards associated with the complex mixture of plastic and accumulated pollutants are largely unknown. Here, we show that fish, exposed to a mixture of polyethylene with chemical pollutants sorbed from the marine environment, bioaccumulate these chemical pollutants and suffer liver toxicity and pathology. Fish fed virgin polyethylene fragments also show signs of stress, although less severe than fish fed marine polyethylene fragments. We provide baseline information regarding the bioaccumulation of chemicals and associated health effects from plastic ingestion in fish and demonstrate that future assessments should consider the complex mixture of the plastic material and their associated chemical pollutants.

0 comments Cited 434 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Synthetic polymers in the marine environment: a rapidly increasing, long-term threat.

Charles James Moore (2008)

Synthetic polymers, commonly known as plastics, have been entering the marine environment in quantities paralleling their level of production over the last half century. However, in the last two decades of the 20th Century, the deposition rate accelerated past the rate of production, and plastics are now one of the most common and persistent pollutants in ocean waters and beaches worldwide. Thirty years ago the prevailing attitude of the plastic industry was that "plastic litter is a very small proportion of all litter and causes no harm to the environment except as an eyesore" [Derraik, J.G.B., 2002. The pollution of the marine environment by plastic debris: a review. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44(9), 842-852]. Between 1960 and 2000, the world production of plastic resins increased 25-fold, while recovery of the material remained below 5%. Between 1970 and 2003, plastics became the fastest growing segment of the US municipal waste stream, increasing nine-fold, and marine litter is now 60-80% plastic, reaching 90-95% in some areas. While undoubtedly still an eyesore, plastic debris today is having significant harmful effects on marine biota. Albatross, fulmars, shearwaters and petrels mistake floating plastics for food, and many individuals of these species are affected; in fact, 44% of all seabird species are known to ingest plastic. Sea turtles ingest plastic bags, fishing line and other plastics, as do 26 species of cetaceans. In all, 267 species of marine organisms worldwide are known to have been affected by plastic debris, a number that will increase as smaller organisms are assessed. The number of fish, birds, and mammals that succumb each year to derelict fishing nets and lines in which they become entangled cannot be reliably known; but estimates are in the millions. We divide marine plastic debris into two categories: macro, >5 mm and micro, <5 mm. While macro-debris may sometimes be traced to its origin by object identification or markings, micro-debris, consisting of particles of two main varieties, (1) fragments broken from larger objects, and (2) resin pellets and powders, the basic thermoplastic industry feedstocks, are difficult to trace. Ingestion of plastic micro-debris by filter feeders at the base of the food web is known to occur, but has not been quantified. Ingestion of degraded plastic pellets and fragments raises toxicity concerns, since plastics are known to adsorb hydrophobic pollutants. The potential bioavailability of compounds added to plastics at the time of manufacture, as well as those adsorbed from the environment are complex issues that merit more widespread investigation. The physiological effects of any bioavailable compounds desorbed from plastics by marine biota are being directly investigated, since it was found 20 years ago that the mass of ingested plastic in Great Shearwaters was positively correlated with PCBs in their fat and eggs. Colonization of plastic marine debris by sessile organisms provides a vector for transport of alien species in the ocean environment and may threaten marine biodiversity. There is also potential danger to marine ecosystems from the accumulation of plastic debris on the sea floor. The accumulation of such debris can inhibit gas exchange between the overlying waters and the pore waters of the sediments, and disrupt or smother inhabitants of the benthos. The extent of this problem and its effects have recently begun to be investigated. A little more than half of all thermoplastics will sink in seawater.

0 comments Cited 415 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in marine sediments along the Belgian coast.

Michiel Claessens, Steven De Meester, Lieve Van Landuyt … (2011)

Plastic debris is known to undergo fragmentation at sea, which leads to the formation of microscopic particles of plastic; the so called 'microplastics'. Due to their buoyant and persistent properties, these microplastics have the potential to become widely dispersed in the marine environment through hydrodynamic processes and ocean currents. In this study, the occurrence and distribution of microplastics was investigated in Belgian marine sediments from different locations (coastal harbours, beaches and sublittoral areas). Particles were found in large numbers in all samples, showing the wide distribution of microplastics in Belgian coastal waters. The highest concentrations were found in the harbours where total microplastic concentrations of up to 390 particles kg(-1) dry sediment were observed, which is 15-50 times higher than reported maximum concentrations of other, similar study areas. The depth profile of sediment cores suggested that microplastic concentrations on the beaches reflect the global plastic production increase. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

0 comments Cited 290 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

All references

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): WATEGH

Title: Water

Abbreviated Title: Water

Publisher: MDPI AG

ISSN (Electronic): 2073-4441

Publication date Created: August 2018

Publication date (Electronic): August 20 2018

Volume: 10

Issue: 8

Page: 1108

Article

DOI: 10.3390/w10081108

SO-VID: 4b82b7b0-abef-480d-9c21-06b08c6dda86

License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

History

Data availability:

Comments

Comment on this article

scite_

Cited by 16

See all cited by

Most referenced authors 427

See all reference authors

Sea Water Contamination in the Vicinity of the Italian Minor Islands Caused by Microplastic Pollution

Read this article at

Abstract

Related collections

Italian Studies

Most cited references 20

Ingested plastic transfers hazardous chemicals to fish and induces hepatic stress

Synthetic polymers in the marine environment: a rapidly increasing, long-term threat.

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in marine sediments along the Belgian coast.

Author and article information

Journal

Article

History

Comments

Comment on this article

Similar content 20

Cited by 16

Most referenced authors 427