The application of the fungicide thiabendazole (TBZ) in fruit packaging plants (FPP) results in the production of effluents which are often disposed in adjacent field sites. These require remediation to prevent further environmental dispersal of TBZ. We assessed the bioaugmentation potential of a newly isolated TBZ-degrading bacterial consortium in a naturally contaminated soil (NCS) exhibiting a natural gradient of TBZ levels (12000, 400, 250 and 12 mg kg⁻¹). The effect of aging on bioaugmentation efficacy was comparatively tested in a soil with similar physicochemical properties and soil microbiota, which was artificially, contaminated with the same TBZ levels (ACS). The impact of bioaugmentation and TBZ on the bacterial diversity in the NCS was explored via amplicon sequencing. Bioaugmentation effectively removed TBZ from both soils at levels up to 400 mg kg⁻¹ but failed at the highest contamination level (12000 mg kg⁻¹). Dissipation of TBZ in bioaugmented samples showed a concentration-dependent pattern, while aging of TBZ had a slight effect on bioaugmentation efficiency. Bioaugmentation had no impact on the soil bacterial diversity, in contrast to TBZ contamination. Soils from the hotspots of TBZ contamination (12000 mg kg⁻¹) showed a drastically lower α-diversity driven by the dominance of β- and γ-proteobacteria at the expense of all other bacterial phyla, especially Actinobacteria. Overall, bioaugmentation with specialized microbial inocula could be an effective solution for the recovery of disposal sites contaminated with persistent chemicals like TBZ.

Although previous studies showed that children are widely exposed to phthalates, the sources of phthalate exposure for school-aged children in China are not well understood. This study aimed to assess phthalate metabolite levels and explore the factors influencing exposure in children. We collected demographic data and biological samples from 336 children aged 6–12 years. We calculated urinary concentrations of 14 mono-phthalate metabolites and conducted chi-square (χ2) tests and logistic regression analysis to determine the variables associated with phthalate levels. Mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) were the most abundant urinary phthalate metabolites. In addition, housing type, decorating materials in the home, and frequency of canned food consumption were associated with exposure to low molecular weight phthalates. Water source, duration of time spent playing with toys, residential area, and frequency of canned food consumption were associated with exposure to high molecular weight phthalates. Based on these results, potential strategies to reduce exposure to phthalates include avoiding plastic food containers and chemical fragrances as well as eating fewer processed foods, especially canned foods, and foods in plastic packaging.

Plastic debris in marine environments and its impact on wildlife species is becoming a problem of increasing concern. In pinnipeds, entanglements commonly consist of loops around the neck of non-biodegradable materials from fishing gear or commercial packaging, known as “neck collars”. These entanglements can cause injuries, death by suffocation and starvation, and therefore they may add to the overall decrease in population. Our objective was to describe the entanglement of two species of otariids (Arctocephalus australis and Otaria flavescens) in the South West Atlantic Ocean. These two species have widely different population sizes and contrasting trends, being the O. flavescens population one order of magnitude lower in abundance with a negative population trend. A total number of 47 entangled individuals and the ingestion of a fishing sinker were recorded (A. australis: n = 26; O. flavescens: n = 22). For A. australis about 40% of the objects came from industrial fishing with which this species overlap their foraging areas, although also its lost or discarded gear can travel long distances. In O. flavescens 48% of observed injuries were very severe, which might indicate that they had been entangled for a long time. More than 60% of the objects came from artisanal and recreational fishing that operates within 5 nautical miles off the coast, which is probably related to coastal foraging habits of this species. Due to the frequent interaction between artisanal fisheries and O. flavescens, it is possible that entangled nets could be active gears. An important contribution to mitigate entanglements can be the development of education programs setting the scenario for effective communication, and exchange with involved fishermen to collect and recycle old fishing nets. Returning to natural fibers or replacement of the current materials used in fishing gear for biodegradable materials can also be a recommended mitigation measure.

Recently it was demonstrated that mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae consume and biodegrade polystyrene. Thus, in this study a breeding investigation with various types of polystyrene was performed to follow the changes in the gut microbiome diversity. Polystyrene used for packaging purposes (PSp) and expanded polystyrene (EPS) were perceived as more favorable and attacked more frequently by mealworms compared to raw polystyrene (PS) and material commercially available for parcels (PSp). Although our studies showed that larvae could bite and chew selected materials, they are not able to degrade and use them for consumption purposes. In a next-generation sequencing experiment, among all samples, seven classes, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, Clostridia, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Flavobacteria, were indicated as the most abundant, whereas the predominant genera were Enterobacter, Lactococcus and Enterococcus. Additionally, we isolated three bacteria strains able to use diverse types of bioplastic as a sole carbon source. The strains with biodegradable activity against bioplastic were identified as species of the genera Klebsiella, Pseudomonas and Serratia. The presence of a bacterial strain able to degrade bioplastic may suggest a potential niche for further investigations.

Beach accumulation surveys can be used as a proxy to estimate litter flows into the marine environment. However, litter loads can be influenced by various factors including catchment area characteristics, weather conditions and ocean water movements. This complexity is evidenced by the results of five beach surveys conducted in Cape Town in 2017. Observed average litter accumulation rates across the beaches ranged from 36 to 2961 items·day⁻¹·100 m⁻¹. Item mass ranged from 0.01–367 g, with items weighing <1 g contributing 61–85% of count. Plastic items accounted for 94.5–98.9% of total count and this prevalence appears to have increased relative to older data (1989–1994). The top ten identifiable items accounted for 40–57% of plastic debris. Nine of these were associated with foods commonly consumed on-the-go, including polystyrene packaging, snack packets and straws. A mitigation approach focused on these items may address one third to one half of marine litter sources in Cape Town.

This study investigated the composition, density and distribution of floating macro-litter along the Liguro-Provençal basin with respect to cetaceans presence. Survey transects were performed in summer between 2006 and 2015 from sailing vessels with simultaneous cetaceans observations. During 5171km travelled, 1993 floating items were recorded, widespread in the whole study area. Plastics was the predominant category, with bags/packaging always representing >45% of total items. Overall mean density (14.98 items/km2) was stable with significant increase reported only in 2010–2011; monthly analysis showed lower litter densities in July–September, suggesting possible seasonal patterns. Kernel density estimation for plastics revealed ubiquitous distribution rather than high accumulation areas, mainly due to the circulation dynamics of this area. The presence range of cetaceans (259 sightings, 6 species) corresponded by ~50% with plastic distribution, indicating high potential of interaction, especially in the eastern part of the area, but effective risks for marine species might be underrepresented.

Oceanic plastic pollution is a growing worldwide environmental concern, endangering numerous marine species. Pinnipeds are particularly susceptible to entanglement, especially in abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear and packaging straps. We searched three international databases to compile a comprehensive review of all reported pinniped entanglements over the last 40 years, with the aim to identify areas of concern and foci for mitigation. The majority of published records of entanglement emanate from North America and Oceania and are focused on a few populous species (notably, Zalophus californianus and Arctocephalus gazella). Reporting bias, skewed research effort and incomplete understanding of plastic pollution and pinniped abundance overlap, combine to cloud our understanding of the entanglement problem. Broader geographical effort in entanglement data collection, reporting of such data, and improved quantification of the proportions of populations, sexes and ages that are most susceptible, will aid our efforts to pinpoint priority mitigation measures.

In this paper, we examined the ingestion of marine debris (MD) in South American fur seals (SAFS), Arctocephalus australis, found dead in coastal beaches of northern Argentina and southern Brazil. Seven percent of 133 SAFS analyzed presented marine debris in their stomach (n=10), with no differences between sampling countries (Brazil n=7, Argentina n=3) and sexes (female=3; male=6). However, significant differences were observed between ages classes, with MD exclusively present in stomach contents of young specimens. Plastics represents 90% of MD ingested by the SAFS, whereas regarding the source, fishery-related items (e.g. monofilament lines) were the main MD (70%), with a lesser proportion of packaging (e.g. pieces of bags). Low numbers but large size pieces of MD were found in each stomach affected. Negative effects on the individuals could not be fully evaluated. Therefore, the potential impacts of the marine debris to the SAFS deserve further elucidation.

Between November 1989 and March 2013, 1033 Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella were observed entangled in marine debris at Bird Island, South Georgia. The majority of entanglements involved plastic packaging bands (43%), synthetic line (25%) or fishing net (17%). Juvenile male seals were the most commonly entangled (44%). A piecewise regression analysis showed that a single breakpoint at 1994 gave the best description of inter-annual variability in the data, with higher levels of entanglements prior to 1994 (mean=110±28) followed by persistent lower levels (mean=28±4). Records of entanglements from other sites monitored in the Scotia Sea are also presented. Legislation imposed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has, to a certain extent, been effective, but persistent low levels of seal entanglements are still a cause for concern at South Georgia.

In situ studies of plastic deterioration can help us understand the longevity of macroplastic as well as the generation of microplastics in the environment. Photo-oxidation contributing to the generation of microplastics in the marine environment was explored using four types of plastic (polyethene, polystyrene, poly(ethylene terephthalate) and Biothene® exposed in light and in shade, in both air and sea water. Metrics for deterioration were tensile extensibility and oxidation rate. Measurements were conducted at intervals between 7 and 600 days' exposure. Deterioration was faster in air than in sea water and was further accelerated in direct light compared to shade. Extensibility and oxidation were significantly inversely correlated in samples exposed in air. Samples in sea water lost extensibility at a slower rate. Polystyrene, which enters the waste stream rapidly due to its wide application in packaging, deteriorated fastest and is, therefore, likely to form microplastics more rapidly than other materials, especially when exposed to high levels of irradiation, for example when stranded on the shore.