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Microplastic ingestion by pelagic and benthic fish and diet composition: A case study in the NW Iberian shelf Full text
2020
Filgueiras, Ana Virginia | Preciado, Izaskun | Cartón, Ana | Gago, Jesús
We evaluated the incidence of microplastics in the digestive tract contents of four fish species: Engraulis encrasicolus, Sardina pilchardus, Callionymus lyra and Mullus surmuletus. Alkaline digestion (10% KOH) was used to degrade the organic matter. The percentage of fish with microplastics was 78% (88% fibres, 12% fragments). The main types of polymers identified by Raman spectroscopy were polyethylene and polypropylene. The diet of the four species was also studied and two feeding types were determined: plankton-feeders and benthic-feeders. The effect of a set of biological variables (Length, Fullness index, Fulton's condition factor and Feeding type) on the number and size of microplastics ingested was studied using Generalised Additive Models (GAMs). A significant increase in the number of microplastics with increasing length was observed. No significant effect of trophic variables (fullness index and feeding type) on the number and size of microplastics was found.
Show more [+] Less [-]Nitrogen loss process in hypoxic seawater based on the culture experiment Full text
2020
Tian, Dongfan | Wang, Yueqi | Xing, Jianwei | Sun, Qiqi | Song, Jinming | Li, Xuegang
The oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) and other hypoxic seawaters are considered as the main areas of oceanic nitrogen loss. The laboratory simulation culture was conducted to study the main reactions, rates and proportions of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in different dissolved oxygen concentrations seawater, with aim of clarifying the process of nitrogen loss in hypoxic seawater. The results showed that the change of DIN in hypoxic water could be divided into three stages. In the first stage, the main reactions were the dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and denitrification. In the second stage, anammox and denitrification were main reactions. In the last stage, anammox was the most important nitrogen loss reaction; nitrogen loss eventually reached a relative balance with the input from sediment mineralization. Based on the data obtained from the last stage, the annual nitrogen loss could be estimated to be about 240–260 Tg in the global OMZs.
Show more [+] Less [-]Occurrence of plastics ingested by Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) destined for human consumption (Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador) Full text
2020
Saturno, Jacquelyn | Liboiron, Max | Ammendolia, Justine | Healey, Natasha | Earles, Elise | Duman, Nadia | Schoot, Ignace | Morris, Tristen | Favaro, Brett
In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, fishing is a core occupation and also a source of marine plastic pollution. To look at this relationship, we examined 216 gastrointestinal tracts of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) caught by commercial fishers at Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We found three tracts contained plastic for a frequency of occurrence of 1.4%. While this result is consistent with other cod sampled in the province, this study found two gastrointestinal tracts contained intact bait bags, used in commercial pots, and the third tract contained a polypropylene thread, likely originating from fishing rope. Our findings demonstrate the frequency of plastic ingestion in this region is low, but fishing-gear related plastics represent a key source of marine plastics in the region that should be addressed.
Show more [+] Less [-]Assessment of persistent organic pollutants in surface sediments along Lebanese coastal zone Full text
2020
Merhaby, Dima | Ouddane, Baghdad | Net, Sopheak | Halwani, Jalal
The levels of some persistent organic pollutants (POPs) along the Lebanese coastal zone (LCZ) were assessed by collecting15 surface sediments from five hotspot stations. Such stations were influenced by various industrial units, riverine input, and touristic activities. The levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (∑16PAHs), their methylated derivatives (∑18Me-PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (∑28PCBs) were in the range of 537–3773 μg∙kg⁻¹ dw, 187–1541 μg∙kg⁻¹ dw, and 143–303 μg∙kg⁻¹ dw respectively. Significant contamination was found at Beirut Port that is surrounded by a densely populated area and is subjected to multidisciplinary activities. Source identification of PAHs was confirmed by using the diagnostic ratio of PAHs with low molecular weight and high molecular weight (LMW/HMW). For PCBs, LCZ is polluted by higher chlorinated congeners with 4 to 9 chlorinated atoms generated from volatilization and combustion processes. Toxicity and biological risks were assessed using toxic equivalent quantity (TEQcarc) and sediment quality guideline quotient (SQGq).
Show more [+] Less [-]Bioremediation as a promising strategy for microplastics removal in wastewater treatment plants Full text
2020
Masiá, Paula | Sol, Daniel | Ardura, Alba | Laca, Amanda | Borrell, Yaisel J. | Dopico, Eduardo | Laca, Adriana | Machado-Schiaffino, Gonzalo | Díaz, Mario | García Vázquez, Eva
Bioremediation as a promising strategy for microplastics removal in wastewater treatment plants Full text
2020
Masiá, Paula | Sol, Daniel | Ardura, Alba | Laca, Amanda | Borrell, Yaisel J. | Dopico, Eduardo | Laca, Adriana | Machado-Schiaffino, Gonzalo | Díaz, Mario | García Vázquez, Eva
Microplastics (MPs) attract ever-increasing attention due to environmental concerns. Nowadays, they are ubiquitous across ecosystems, and research demonstrates that the origin is mainly terrestrial. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a major source of MPs, especially fibres, in water masses. This review is focused on understanding the evolution and fate of microplastics during wastewater treatment processes with the aim of identifying advanced technologies to eliminate microplastics from the water stream. Among them, bioremediation has been highlighted as a promising tool, but confinement of microorganisms inside the WWTP is still a challenge. The potential for MPs bioremediation in WWTPs of higher aquatic eukaryotes, which offer the advantages of low dispersion rates and being easy to contain, is reviewed. Animals, seagrasses and macrophytes are considered, taking into account ecoethical and biological issues. Necessary research and its challenges have been identified.
Show more [+] Less [-]Bioremediation as a promising strategy for microplastics removal in wastewater treatment plants Full text
2020
Masiá Lillo, Paula | Sol Sánchez, Daniel | Ardura Gutiérrez, Alba | Laca Pérez, Amanda | Borrell Pichs, Yaisel Juan | Dopico Rodríguez, Eduardo Vicente | Laca Pérez, Adriana | Machado Schiaffino, Gonzalo | Díaz Fernández, José Mario | García Vázquez, Eva
This study was carried out thanks to funding from Spanish Project EIN2019-103189 and the Government of Asturias Principality (Spain) through grants IDI/2018/000127 and IDI/2018/000201 .
Show more [+] Less [-]Community-based adaptation to climate change in villages of Western Province, Solomon Islands Full text
2020
Basel, Britt | Goby, Gillian | Johnson, Johanna
People, local cultures and the environments they live in are complex and dynamic social-ecological systems that have evolved together over time and are continually affected by a myriad of factors, including climate and global changes. Escalating climate and global changes present an imminent threat to Pacific communities, particularly for food security, livelihoods, health and safety, cultural identity and biodiversity conservation. A participatory community-based climate change adaptation planning process was used to engage with communities on Rendova Island in Western Province, Solomon Islands to identify local adaptation priorities. The methodology recognized that local community members are the managers of the resources they use daily, have direct knowledge of the status of key local resources and have direct influence over ongoing resource governance. The study focused on two objectives: (1) identifying community priorities and documenting them in adaptation plans intended for local implementation, and (2) evaluating whether community adaptation priorities addressed key vulnerabilities identified independently using a semi-quantitative vulnerability assessment.The adaptation priorities identified by the communities encompassed: governance, leadership and planning; farming and livestock; sustainable livelihoods; natural resource management; and youth capacity building. The community adaptation priorities were found to address the key climate change vulnerabilities identified in the semi-quantitative assessment and also addressed additional drivers of social vulnerability and adaptive capacity. This finding reiterates the importance of fully inclusive and participatory vulnerability assessments and community-identification of adaptation priorities coupled with scientific climate projections to comprehensively assess the complexity of social-ecological systems. The climate change adaptation priorities have informed ongoing local actions and are intended to be used by communities, government and NGOs to focus local effort, funding and project development. A review of the suitability of the adaptation priorities by similar villages on neighbouring islands would determine the utility of scaling-up and applying these adaptations to other rural communities in the Solomon Islands, and possibly more widely in other Pacific communities.
Show more [+] Less [-]Using citizen science to investigate the spatial-temporal distribution of floating marine litter in the waters around Taiwan Full text
2020
Chiu, Ching-Chun | Liao, Chun-Pei | Kuo, Ting-Chun | Huang, Hsiang-Wen
Marine litter is currently one of the most widespread pollutants. However, monitoring the spatial-temporal changes of floating marine litter remains challenging. In this study, with data collected by citizen scientists, we investigated the distribution and density of floating marine litter in the waters around Taiwan. With 40 volunteers surveying 978 transects in 410 cruises from December 2017 to December 2018, the overall survey area was approximately 121.26 km² (5455 km in length). We found that the mean density of floating marine litter was 90.10 ± 8.60 items/km² and that the majority was plastic (63.2%). Nearly 70% of the litter was found in 30% of the surveyed area. We also identified hotspots of floating marine litter, which are at the Northwestern and Southeastern regions of Taiwan. Our study highlights the contribution of citizen science to monitor floating marine litter and provides insight into the management of marine litter.
Show more [+] Less [-]Occurrences and distribution of microplastic pollution and the control measures in China Full text
2020
Fu, Dongdong | Chen, Chein Min | Qi, Huaiyuan | Fan, Zhengquan | Wang, Zezheng | Peng, Licheng | Li, Bo
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has been increasingly investigated in marine and freshwater environments, even in atmosphere in China. Current literatures show that MPs contamination is highly related to human activities and geomorphology. Higher MPs occurrences were detected in freshwaters than those in seawaters in China. Furthermore, the abundance of MPs was influenced by many factors, including sampling method, unit of measurement, characteristics of sampling area, and others. Currently, investigating the condition of MPs occurrences and distribution on a broader scale and developing standardized protocol, along with basic toxicological research, will help to address crucial knowledge gaps regarding MPs pollution, their interaction with other pollutants and ecological consequences on individual, population or ecosystem levels in the environment. Meanwhile, this review calls for more efforts to be made for better and scientifically sound risk management for mitigation of MPs pollution in China.
Show more [+] Less [-]Chemical composition and abundance of microplastics in the muscle of commercial shrimp Pleoticus muelleri at an impacted coastal environment (Southwestern Atlantic) Full text
2020
Fernández Severini, M.D. | Buzzi, N.S. | Forero López, A.D. | Colombo, C.V. | Chatelain Sartor, G.L. | Rimondino, G.N. | Truchet, D.M.
Chemical composition and abundance of microplastics in the muscle of commercial shrimp Pleoticus muelleri at an impacted coastal environment (Southwestern Atlantic) Full text
2020
Fernández Severini, M.D. | Buzzi, N.S. | Forero López, A.D. | Colombo, C.V. | Chatelain Sartor, G.L. | Rimondino, G.N. | Truchet, D.M.
Microplastics (plastics <5 mm) contamination is of worldwide concern and represents a threat to the environment, biota, and humans. Also, they are potential carriers of other contaminants, increasing their adverse effects. In this study, it was analyzed for the first time the chemical composition and abundance of microplastics (MPs) in the commercial shrimp Pleoticus muelleri. Fibers were the predominant plastics (mean: 1.31 fibers g⁻¹ wet weight) in the abdominal muscle of the shrimps being black, the dominant colour. μ-Raman showed that fibers were composed of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and cellulose. Also, weathering and topography of the fibers were analyzed through wide-field confocal microscopy. C, O, Si, Al, K, as well as Fe, Zn, S, Ba, Br, and Ti on the plastic surface were detected with SEM/EDS, indicating potential carriers of contaminants.The shrimp Pleoticusmuelleri ingests fibers with different chemical elements adsorbed on the plastic surface.
Show more [+] Less [-]Chemical composition and abundance of microplastics in the muscle of commercial shrimp Pleoticus muelleri at an impacted coastal environment (Southwestern Atlantic) Full text
2020
Fernandez Severini, Melisa Daiana | Buzzi, Natalia Sol | Forero Lopez, Ana Deisy | Colombo, Carolina Victoria | Chatelain Sartor, G. L. | Rimondino, Guido Noé | Truchet, Daniela María
Microplastics (plastics <5 mm) contamination is of worldwide concern and represents a threat to the environment, biota, and humans. Also, they are potential carriers of other contaminants, increasing their adverse effects. In this study, it was analyzed for the first time the chemical composition and abundance of microplastics (MPs) in the commercial shrimp Pleoticus muelleri. Fibers were the predominant plastics (mean: 1.31 fibers g−1 wet weight) in the abdominal muscle of the shrimps being black, the dominant colour. μ-Raman showed that fibers were composed of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and cellulose. Also, weathering and topography of the fibers were analyzed through wide-field confocal microscopy. C, O, Si, Al, K, as well as Fe, Zn, S, Ba, Br, and Ti on the plastic surface were detected with SEM/EDS, indicating potential carriers of contaminants. Capsule: The shrimp Pleoticus muelleri ingests fibers with different chemical elements adsorbed on the plastic surface. | Fil: Fernandez Severini, Melisa Daiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina | Fil: Buzzi, Natalia Sol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentina | Fil: Forero Lopez, Ana Deisy. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentina | Fil: Colombo, Carolina Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina | Fil: Chatelain Sartor, G. L.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina | Fil: Rimondino, Guido Noé. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentina | Fil: Truchet, Daniela María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina
Show more [+] Less [-]Patterns of plastic ingestion in Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) populations breeding in northern Patagonia, Argentina Full text
2020
Yorio, Pablo | Marinao, Cristian | Kasinsky, Tatiana | Ibarra, Cynthia | Suárez, Nicolás
Patterns of plastic ingestion in Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) populations breeding in northern Patagonia, Argentina Full text
2020
Yorio, Pablo | Marinao, Cristian | Kasinsky, Tatiana | Ibarra, Cynthia | Suárez, Nicolás
Human waste is a global concern, and volumes are growing rapidly. For opportunistic species, like many birds, urban waste offers alternative food which in turn may lead to plastic ingestion with potential negative effects. We assessed the incidence of plastics and other marine debris in breeding Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) diet at nine colonies located along ~2400 km of coastline from southern Buenos Aires to southern Chubut, Argentina, using regurgitated pellets (n = 2355) and chick stomach content samples (n = 588). Plastics were recorded at all colonies, and incidence varied between 0.0 and 16.2% in adult pellets and 0.0–12.5% in chick stomach content samples, depending on the colony, breeding stage and year. Contrary to our expectation, incidence of debris including plastics in Kelp Gull diet was relatively low despite its opportunistic feeding habits and widespread use of refuse dumps, even at colonies located close (<10 km) to these anthropogenic food subsidies.
Show more [+] Less [-]Patterns of plastic ingestion in Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) populations breeding in northern Patagonia, Argentina Full text
2020
Yorio, Pablo | Marinao, Cristian Javier | Kasinsky, Tatiana | Ibarra, Cynthia | Suárez, Nicolás
Human waste is a global concern, and volumes are growing rapidly. For opportunistic species, like many birds, urban waste offers alternative food which in turn may lead to plastic ingestion with potential negative effects. We assessed the incidence of plastics and other marine debris in breeding Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) diet at nine colonies located along ~2400 km of coastline from southern Buenos Aires to southern Chubut, Argentina, using regurgitated pellets (n = 2355) and chick stomach content samples (n = 588). Plastics were recorded at all colonies, and incidence varied between 0.0 and 16.2% in adult pellets and 0.0-2.5% in chick stomach content samples, depending on the colony, breeding stage and year. Contrary to our expectation, incidence of debris including plastics in Kelp Gull diet was relatively low despite its opportunistic feeding habits and widespread use of refuse dumps, even at colonies located close (< 10 km) to these anthropogenic food subsidies. | Fil: Yorio, Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados Unidos | Fil: Marinao, Cristian Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina | Fil: Kasinsky, Tatiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina | Fil: Ibarra, Cynthia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina | Fil: Suárez, Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina
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