Favored use of anti-predator netting (APN) applied for the farming of clams leads to little benefits to industry while increasing nearshore impacts and plastics pollution

Bendell, L.I.

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.12.043

Cited by 17 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In addition to the shellfish aquaculture industry introducing microbeads into the intertidal environment, the industry also makes extensive use of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), in the form of netting, oyster bags, trays, cages and fences (e.g., vexar) [ 37 ]. Each year, 3–4 tonnes of debris, comprised primarily of these plastic materials is recovered from the intertidal regions of Baynes Sound [ 38 ]. Sites where the greatest number of microfragments and microfibers were found (sites 5 and 15, and sites 13 and 15 respectively) also coincide with regions of extensive shellfish aquaculture equipment.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abundance and distribution of microplastics within surface sediments of a key shellfish growing region of Canada

Kazmiruk

Bendell

2018

PLoS ONE

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The abundance and distribution of microplastics within 5 sediment size classes (>5000 μm, 1000–5000 μm, 250–1000 μm, 250–0.63 μm and < 0.63 μm) were determined for 16 sites within Lambert Channel and Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada. This region is Canada’s premier growing area for the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas). Microplastics were found at all sampling locations indicating widespread contamination of this region with these particles. Three types of microplastics were recovered: microbeads, which occurred in the greatest number (up to 25000/kg dry sediment) and microfibers and microfragments, which were much less in number compared with microbeads and occurred in similar amounts (100–300/kg dry sediment). Microbeads were recovered primarily in the < 0.63 μm and 250–0.63 μm sediment size class, whereas microfragments and microfibers were generally identified in all 5 sediment size classes. Abundance and distribution of the three types of microplastics were spatially dependent with principal component analysis (PCA) indicating that 84 percent of the variation in abundance and distribution was due to the presence of high numbers of microbeads at three locations within the study region. At these sites, microbeads expressed as a percent component of the sediment by weight was similar to key geochemical components that govern trace metal behavior and availability to benthic organisms. Microbeads have been shown to accumulate metals from the aquatic environment, hence in addition to the traditional geochemical components such as silt and organic matter, microplastics also need to be considered as a sediment component that can influence trace metal geochemistry. Our findings have shown that BC’s premier oyster growing region is highly contaminated with microplastics, notably microbeads. It would be prudent to assess the degree to which oysters from this region are ingesting microplastics. If so, it would have direct implications for Canada’s oyster farming industry with respect to the health of the oyster and the quality of product that is being farmed and sets an example for other shellfish growing regions of the world.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abundance and distribution of microplastics within surface sediments of a key shellfish growing region of Canada

Kazmiruk

Bendell

2018

PLoS ONE

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“…There are some studies reporting on lost or discarded mariculture gear and the resulting contamination of areas with extensive aquaculture (Andréfouët et al 2014;Bendell 2015) but also areas farther afield (Fujieda and Sasaki 2005;Gago et al 2014). No quantitative estimates of plastic input from mariculture are available even though locally these inputs can be substantial.…”

Section: Aquaculturementioning

confidence: 99%

Accelerating phytoremediation of degraded agricultural soils utilizing rhizobacteria and endophytes: a review

Song

Sarpong

et al. 2019

Environ. Rev.

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Agricultural activities and agro-inputs, particularly chemical fertilizers, farmyard manure, pesticide, sewage sludge, plastic mulch, irrigation, etc., are the primary source of pollutants in farmlands. Agricultural land degradation has become a major concern as it poses a threat to crop productivity. In recent years, microbial-assisted phytoremediation has gained much attention as a promising in situ remediation technology for cleaning polluted soils. Several beneficial rhizobacteria and endophytes facilitate phytoremediation by stimulating innate plant growth-promoting traits such as the production of siderophores, phytohormones, and chelators in addition to their ability to biodegrade contaminants and enhance their removal. Current studies on microbial mediated phytoremediation are demonstrating significant remediation potential. However, there are several challenges in the field that restrict the remediation process. Here we highlight the specific traits, mechanisms, roles, advantages, and problems associated with microbial-assisted phytoremediation.

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“…In particular, shellfish aquaculture requires the use of ropes, rafts, floats, and trays that -due to low cost and durability -are usually composed of polystyrene, polypropylene, PVC, or high-density polyethylene (GESAMP 2016, Schoof & DeNike 2017. In some cases, cultured shellfish have been shown to contain higher MP concentrations than their wild counterparts (Mathalon & Hill 2014, Bendell 2015, Phuong et al 2018, and it has been suggested that by using plastic infrastructure, shellfish aquaculture could be contaminating its own stock as well as the sur rounding environment (Mathalon & Hill 2014, Castro et al 2016. However, little is known about the extent to which shellfish aquaculture equipment contaminates the environment compared with other well-established sources, such as sewage effluent, urban runoff, and aerial dispersal (Dris et al 2016, GESAMP 2016, Schoof & DeNike 2017, Gies et al 2018.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics in bivalves and their habitat in relation to shellfish aquaculture proximity in coastal British Columbia, Canada

Covernton¹,

Collicutt²,

Gurney‐Smith³

et al. 2019

Aquacult. Environ. Interact.

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Shellfish aquaculture often uses large amounts of plastic equipment and has been suggested as a potential source of microplastic contamination in the marine environment. To determine the influence of shellfish aquaculture on microplastic concentrations in bivalves and their environment, we compared microplastic particle (MP) concentrations in Manila clams Venerupis philippinarum and Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas grown on commercial shellfish beaches with those in individuals of the same species grown on nearby non-aquaculture beaches in 6 regions of coastal British Columbia, Canada. MP concentrations did not differ between shellfish aquaculture and non-aquaculture sites for either bivalve species, sediment, or water samples. Plastic presence differed by site and oysters on sites with many synthetic anti-predator nets contained significantly, yet marginally, more MPs than those on sites without (0.05 vs. 0.03 g -1 dry-tissue weight on average). However, analysis of suspected MPs using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in dicated a predominance of fibres from textiles (including nylon and polyester), which are not typically used in shellfish aquaculture, suggesting that this may be caused by the larger average body weight of oysters grown at non-aquaculture sites rather than by the degradation of aquaculture infrastructure.

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Favored use of anti-predator netting (APN) applied for the farming of clams leads to little benefits to industry while increasing nearshore impacts and plastics pollution

Cited by 17 publications

References 26 publications

Abundance and distribution of microplastics within surface sediments of a key shellfish growing region of Canada

Abundance and distribution of microplastics within surface sediments of a key shellfish growing region of Canada

Accelerating phytoremediation of degraded agricultural soils utilizing rhizobacteria and endophytes: a review

Microplastics in bivalves and their habitat in relation to shellfish aquaculture proximity in coastal British Columbia, Canada

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