Variation in microplastics composition at small spatial and temporal scales in a tidal flat of the Yangtze Estuary, China

Wu, Fengrun; Pennings, Steven C.; Tong, Chunfu; Xu, Yutian

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134252

Cited by 78 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…For instance, Sukhsangchan et al reported neap tide to have a greater abundance of MPs compared to spring tide in surface water near a river mouth, whereas Sadri and Thompson found that more MPs were observed in the surface water during spring tides. Wu et al found MPs to be more abundant in the surface sediment layer in the neap tide compared to in the spring tide, where the concentration of MPs exhibited a negative correlation with hydrological forces in an estuary. Zhang et al observed linear relationships between MP concentration growth rates and the tidal current velocity but not between MP concentration growth rate and tidal range.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transport of Microplastics in Shore Substrates over Tidal Cycles: Roles of Polymer Characteristics and Environmental Factors

Feng

Chen

Greer

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Tidal zones providing habitats are particularly vulnerable to microplastic (MP) pollution. In this study, the effects of tidal cycles on the transport of MPs (4–6 μm polyethylene, PE1; 125 μm polyethylene, PE2; and 5–6 μm polytetrafluoroethylene, PFTE) in porous media combined with various environmental and MPs properties were systemically investigated. The results indicated that smaller substrate sizes exhibited higher retention percentages compared to those of larger substrate sizes under different tidal cycles. In terms of the size of MPs, a larger size (same density) was found to result in enhanced retention of MPs in the column. As the number of tidal cycles increased, although the transport of MPs from the substrate to the water phase was enhanced, PE1 was washed out more with the change in water level, compared to PTFE. Additionally, more MPs were retained in the column with the increase of salinity and the decrease of flow velocity under the same tidal cycles. Ultraviolet and seawater aged PE1 showed enhanced transport, while aged PTFE showed enhanced retention under the same tidal cycles. These results can help understand the MP behaviors in the shoreline environment and provide support for future cleanup and sampling in tidal zones.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transport of Microplastics in Shore Substrates over Tidal Cycles: Roles of Polymer Characteristics and Environmental Factors

Feng

Chen

Greer

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…It is likely that microplastics in the intertidal areas sampled in American Samoa are not being uniformly deposited in this dynamic marine environment, but rather are patchily distributed and/or being carried out to offshore areas. Other studies have also shown that microplastic abundance in the intertidal zone is negatively associated with the strength of hydrological processes, including flow velocity and submergence time ( Wu et al., 2020 ). Regardless, comparison of microplastic particles in sea water and marine sediments across different studies is increasingly problematic, given the extreme variation in extraction methods, temporal and spatial sampling regimes, net or filtration pore sizes, and the general lack of reporting of recovery rates ( Cutroneo et al., 2020 ; Phoung et al., 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A screening-level human health risk assessment for microplastics and organic contaminants in near-shore marine environments in American Samoa

Polidoro

Lewis

Clement

2022

Heliyon

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“… 13 – 15 ), it is only recently that detailed studies of microplastics cycling and trapping in estuaries have begun to appear in the published literature (e.g. 16 , 17 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of tidal trapping of microplastics in a temperate salt marsh system using sea surface microlayer sampling

Stead

Cundy

Hudson

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Microplastics are contaminants of increasing global environmental concern. Estuaries are a major transport pathway for land-derived plastics to the open ocean but are relatively understudied compared to coastal and open marine environments. The role of the "estuarine filter", by which the supply of sediments and contaminants to the sea is moderated by processes including vegetative trapping and particle flocculation, remains poorly defined for microplastics land to sea transfer. Here, we focus on the sea surface microlayer (SML) as a vector for microplastics, and use SML sampling to assess microplastic trapping in a temperate marsh system in Southampton Water, UK. The SML is known to concentrate microplastics relative to the underlying water and is the first part of rising tidal waters to traverse intertidal and upper tidal surfaces. Sampling a salt marsh creek at high temporal resolution allowed assessment of microplastics in-wash and outflow from the salt marsh, and its relationship with tidal state and bulk suspended sediment concentrations (SSC), over spring and neap tides. A statistically significant decrease in microplastics abundance from the flood tide to the ebb tide was found, and a weak positive relationship with SSC observed. Microplastics are defined as "any synthetic solid particles or polymeric matrix, with regular or irregular shape and size, and with size ranging from 1 µm to 5 mm, of either primary or secondary manufacturing origin, which are insoluble in water" 1. They are of increasing environmental concern due to their ubiquitous presence in oceans 2 , rivers 3,4 , the atmosphere 5 and on land 6. Microplastics are also more abundant by quantity compared to larger meso-or macroplastic debris 2. It is currently estimated that 80% of marine plastic debris is derived from land-based anthropogenic sources 7 , although these estimates are highly uncertain 7. Between 1.15 and 2.47 million tonnes of plastic debris of any size larger than 300 µm is estimated to be transported by rivers 3. Due to this large plastic throughflow, estuaries are recognised as an important transport pathway from land to sea for microplastics 8. As well as these riverine inputs, estuaries are frequently sites of intense urbanisation and industrial development, and receive plastic inputs from these sources directly, including through discharges from storm drains and waste water treatment works 9. Estuaries are, however, relatively understudied compared to beach and open marine environments with respect to both macro-and micro-plastics 10,11 , despite their likely importance for microplastic land-sea transfer and their ecological importance. Estuarine habitats such as salt marshes and mudflats are also potentially more favourable for the deposition of microplastics over high-energy environments such as sandy beaches 12. While several estuaries worldwide have been sampled to determine the abundance of microplastics (e.g. 13-15), it is only recently that detailed studies of microplastics cycling and trapping in estuaries have be...

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Variation in microplastics composition at small spatial and temporal scales in a tidal flat of the Yangtze Estuary, China

Cited by 78 publications

References 35 publications

Transport of Microplastics in Shore Substrates over Tidal Cycles: Roles of Polymer Characteristics and Environmental Factors

Transport of Microplastics in Shore Substrates over Tidal Cycles: Roles of Polymer Characteristics and Environmental Factors

A screening-level human health risk assessment for microplastics and organic contaminants in near-shore marine environments in American Samoa

Identification of tidal trapping of microplastics in a temperate salt marsh system using sea surface microlayer sampling

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