Microplastics in the marine environment

Andrady, Anthony L.

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.030

Cited by 5,796 publications

(3,349 citation statements)

References 114 publications

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“…In marine systems, microplastics are likely to degrade and form plastics in the nanometre range 9,66 . Nanoplastics have been shown to absorb through the chorion of fish eggs, resulting in reduced survival 67 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ingestion of Microplastic Has Limited Impact on a Marine Larva

Kaposi

Mos

Kelaher

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci. Technol.

345

150

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ABSTRACT:There is increasing concern about the impacts of microplastics (< 1mm) on marine biota. Microplastics may be mistaken for food items and ingested by a wide variety of organisms. While the effects of ingesting microplastic have been explored for some adult organisms, there is poor understanding of the effects of microplastic ingestion on marine larvae. Here, we investigated the ingestion of polyethylene microspheres by larvae of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla. Ingestion rates scaled with the concentration of microspheres.Ingestion rates were, however, reduced by biological fouling of microplastic and in the presence of phytoplankton food. T. gratilla larvae were able to egest microspheres from their stomach within hours of ingestion. A microsphere concentration far exceeding those recorded in the marine environment had a small non-dose dependent effect on larval growth, but there was no significant effect on survival. In contrast, environmentally realistic concentrations appeared to have little effect. Overall, these results suggest that current levels of microplastic pollution in the oceans only pose a limited threat to T. gratilla and other marine invertebrate larvae, but further research is required on a broad range of species, trophic levels and polymer types.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ingestion of Microplastic Has Limited Impact on a Marine Larva

Kaposi

Mos

Kelaher

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci. Technol.

345

150

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Various studies demonstrated the presence of microplastics in the North Sea with maximum concentrations of up to 86 fibers·kg −1 sediment (dry weight) in subtidal habitats. 5,9,[17][18][19]21,22 Especially zones of low hydrodynamic action or dense macroalgal cover can reduce the water turbulence and thereby enhance deposition and sedimentation of particulate matter. 15,56 Additionally, Fucus canopies create a complex surface where plastic particles and fibers could stick to or get trapped.…”

Section: ■ Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fate of Microplastics in the Marine Isopod Idotea emarginata

Hämer

Gutow

Köhler

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci. Technol.

260

105

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Plastic pollution is an emerging global threat for marine wildlife. Many species of birds, reptiles, and fishes are directly impaired by plastics as they can get entangled in ropes and drown or they can ingest plastic fragments which, in turn, may clog their stomachs and guts. Microplastics of less than 1 mm can be ingested by small invertebrates, but their fate in the digestive organs and their effects on the animals are yet not well understood. We embedded fluorescent microplastics in artificial agarose-based food and offered the food to marine isopods, Idotea emarginata. The isopods did not distinguish between food with and food without microplastics. Upon ingestion, the microplastics were present in the stomach and in the gut but not in the tubules of the midgut gland which is the principal organ of enzyme-secretion and nutrient resorption. The feces contained the same concentration of microplastics as the food which indicates that no accumulation of microplastics happens during the gut passage. Long-term bioassays of 6 weeks showed no distinct effects of continuous microplastic consumption on mortality, growth, and intermolt duration. I. emarginata are able to prevent intrusion of particles even smaller than 1 μm into the midgut gland which is facilitated by the complex structure of the stomach including a fine filter system. It separates the midgut gland tubules from the stomach and allows only the passage of fluids and chyme. Our results indicate that microplastics, as administered in the experiments, do not clog the digestive organs of isopods and do not have adverse effects on their life history parameters.

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“…A poluição marinha por lixo gerado pela sociedade e suas consequências para os oceanos são atualmente não apenas tratados no âmbito das organizações supra-governamentais, 48 mas se tornaram indicadores consolidados da interferência humana no ambiente marinho 47 e têm destaque na literatura científica internacional 49,50 e nacional. [51][52][53] Apesar de haver preocupações legítimas com a presença nos ecossistemas marinhos de todos os diferentes materiais sólidos e semi-sólidos gerados, usados e posteriormente inadequadamente descartados pela sociedade, a classe de poluentes mais estudada nesse caso são os plásticos (Figura 3).…”

Section: Plásticos E Seus Poluentes Associadosunclassified

Oceanografia e Química: unindo conhecimentos em prol dos oceanos e da sociedade

Hatje¹,

Costa²,

Cunha³

2013

Quím. Nova

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Recebido em 17/7/13; aceito em 2/9/13; publicado na web em 18/9/13 OCEANOGRAPHY AND CHEMISTRY: BRIDGING KNOWLEDGE IN FAVOR OF THE OCEANS AND SOCIETY. The marine environment is certainly one of the most complex systems to study, not only because of the challenges posed by the nature of the waters, but especially due to the interactions of physical, chemical and biological processes that control the cycles of the elements. Together with analytical chemists, oceanographers have been making a great effort in the advancement of knowledge of the distribution patterns of trace elements and processes that determine their biogeochemical cycles and influences on the climate of the planet. The international academic community is now in prime position to perform the first study on a global scale for observation of trace elements and their isotopes in the marine environment (GEOTRACES) and to evaluate the effects of major global changes associated with the influences of megacities distributed around the globe. This action can only be performed due to the development of highly sensitive detection methods and the use of clean sampling and handling techniques, together with a joint international program working toward the clear objective of expanding the frontiers of the biogeochemistry of the oceans and related topics, including climate change issues and ocean acidification associated with alterations in the carbon cycle. It is expected that the oceanographic data produced this coming decade will allow a better understanding of biogeochemical cycles, and especially the assessment of changes in trace elements and contaminants in the oceans due to anthropogenic influences, as well as its effects on ecosystems and climate. Computational models are to be constructed to simulate the conditions and processes of the modern oceans and to allow predictions. The environmental changes arising from human activity since the 18 th century (also called the Anthropocene) have made the Earth System even more complex. Anthropogenic activities have altered both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and the legacy of these impacts in the oceans include: a) pollution of the marine environment by solid waste, including plastics; b) pollution by chemical and medical (including those for veterinary use) substances such as hormones, antibiotics, legal and illegal drugs, leading to possible endocrine disruption of marine organisms; and c) ocean acidification, the collateral effect of anthropogenic emissions of CO 2 into the atmosphere, irreversible in the human life time scale. Unfortunately, the anthropogenic alteration of the hydrosphere due to inputs of plastics, metal, hydrocarbons, contaminants of emerging concern and even with formerly "exotic" trace elements, such us rare earth elements is likely to accelerate in the near future. These emerging contaminants would likely soon present difficulties for studies in pristine environments. All this knowledge brings with it a great responsibility: helping to envisage viable adaptation and mitigation soluti...

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Microplastics in the marine environment

Cited by 5,796 publications

References 114 publications

Ingestion of Microplastic Has Limited Impact on a Marine Larva

Ingestion of Microplastic Has Limited Impact on a Marine Larva

Fate of Microplastics in the Marine Isopod Idotea emarginata

Oceanografia e Química: unindo conhecimentos em prol dos oceanos e da sociedade

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