Recently, research examining the occurrence of microplastics in the marine environment has substantially increased. Field and laboratory work regularly provide new evidence on the fate of ...microplastic debris. This debris has been observed within every marine habitat. In this study, at least 101 peer-reviewed papers investigating microplastic pollution were critically analysed (Supplementary material). Microplastics are commonly studied in relation to (1) plankton samples, (2) sandy and muddy sediments, (3) vertebrate and invertebrate ingestion, and (4) chemical pollutant interactions. All of the marine organism groups are at an eminent risk of interacting with microplastics according to the available literature. Dozens of works on other relevant issues (i.e., polymer decay at sea, new sampling and laboratory methods, emerging sources, externalities) were also analysed and discussed. This paper provides the first in-depth exploration of the effects of microplastics on the marine environment and biota. The number of scientific publications will increase in response to present and projected plastic uses and discard patterns. Therefore, new themes and important approaches for future work are proposed.
Research on microplastics is not straightforward, and, until recently, the visual methods used to identify microplastics might have overestimated their amounts, mainly when the target plastics were ...<500 μm. The analytical approach has moved on since then, and more sophisticated methods are now used to sample and extract microplastic particles from a very wide variety of environmental samples. Therefore, as spectroscopy is the most reliable way to identify microplastics with sufficient certainty, reviewers demand the assignment of polymer types to single microplastic particles in environmental and biological samples, as a condition of final manuscript acceptance. This is a legitimate requirement for three fundamental reasons. First, it is important to confirm the correct nomenclature—which is a scientific principle applicable beyond microplastics pollution research. Second, plastics research is important, primarily due to the intrinsic characteristics of plastic constituent polymers, such as persistence in the environment, which often does not apply to other anthropogenic particles. Third, current scientific discussion on microplastic contamination issues is centered on their relatively long persistence in the environment, and only if reliable methods are used to identify plastic particles will the microplastic research field improve its credibility, survive the test of time, and become a permanent research field.
•Reviewers demand the assignment of polymer types to microplastics.•It is important to confirm the correct nomenclature on microplastics research.•Plastics research is important due to characteristics of their constituent polymers.•Scientific discussion is centered on plastics long persistence in the environment.•Reliable methods used to identify plastic particles improve research credibility.
As microplastic pollution evolved to a well-established research field, microplastic scientists started to explore new avenues in the field. Yet, while a multitude of different types of microplastics ...(microbeads, fibres, fragments) have been well-documented in microplastic literature, our analysis of this literature shows that glitter particles have been overlooked by the field. However, due to the presence of glitter-based research in forensic science, we explore the idea that glitter may have the potential to act as “flag items” - or markers – of a likely source, due to the often complex and individual composition of glitter particles compared to traditional microplastics, such as microbeads. As such, this article demonstrates glitter has insofar been overlooked as a microplastic particle, and demonstrates that glitter may have an important role in explaining microplastic pollution dynamics from source to sink.
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•Glitter particles have been overlooked as a microplastic type even being mostly composed by plastic.•A significant literature on glitter particles is however available among forensic scientists.•The uniqueness of glitter particles may have an important role in explaining microplastic pollution dynamics.•Glitter particles may act as “flag items” of microplastic pollution mainly from wastewater treatment plants.
Marine plastic pollution is present in all oceans, including remote oceanic islands. Despite the increasing number of articles on plastic pollution in the last years, there is still a lack of studies ...in islands, that are biodiversity hotspots when compared to the surrounding ocean, and even other recognized highly biodiverse marine environments. Articles published in the peer reviewed literature (N = 20) were analysed according to the presence of macro (>5 mm) and microplastics (<5 mm) on beaches and the marine habitats immediately adjacent to 31 islands of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The first articles date from the 1980s, but most were published in the 2000s. Articles on macroplastics were predominant in this review (N = 12). Beaches were the most studied environment, possibly due to easy access. The main focus of most articles was the spatial distribution of plastics associated with variables such as position of the beach in relation to wind and currents. Very few studies have analysed plastics colonization by organisms or the identification of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Islands of the North/South Atlantic and Caribbean Sea were influenced by different sources of macroplastics, being marine-based sources (i.e., fishing activities) predominant in the Atlantic Ocean basin. On the other hand, in the Caribbean Sea, land-based sources were more common.
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•Oceanic islands are marine biodiversity hotspots under threat of plastic pollution.•Beaches and surrounding waters are reported to be contaminated.•At present, studies are at the inventory level, and very few processes are known.•Atlantic islands might be a continuum of marine ecosystems connected by biotic and abiotic compartments.•The Caribbean islands have a differentiated status of (micro)plastics contamination.
Oceanic Islands of the Atlantic Ocean are under threat of plastic pollution from different sources, resulting from widely variable accumulation patterns and effects.
The Anthropocene as a potential new unit of the International Chronostratigraphic Chart (which serves as the basis of the Geological Time Scale) is assessed in terms of the stratigraphic markers and ...approximate boundary levels available to define the base of the unit. The task of assessing and selecting potential Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) candidate sections, a required part of the process in seeking formalisation of the term, is now being actively pursued. Here, we review the suitability of different stratified palaeoenvironmental settings and facies as potential hosts for a candidate GSSP and auxiliary sections, and the relevant stratigraphical markers for correlation. Published examples are evaluated for their strengths and weaknesses in this respect. A marked upturn in abundance of radioisotopes of 239Pu or 14C, approximately in 1952 and 1954CE respectively, broadly coincident with a downturn in δ13C values, is applicable across most environments. Principal palaeoenvironments examined include: settings associated with accumulations of anthropogenic material, marine anoxic basins, coral reefs, estuaries and deltas, lakes at various latitudes, peat bogs, snow/ice layers, speleothems and trees. Together, many of these geographically diverse palaeoenvironments offer annual/subannual laminae that can be counted and independently dated radiometrically (e.g. by 210Pb). Examples of possible sections offer the possibility of correlation with annual/seasonal resolution. From among such examples, a small number of potentially representative sites require the acquisition of more systematic and comprehensive datasets, with correlation established between sections, to allow selection of a candidate GSSP and auxiliary stratotypes. The assessments in this paper will help find the optimal locations for these sections.
► The work approaches the ingestion of plastic marine debris by catfishes in a tropical estuary. ► Plastic ingestion data are relatively rare for fish, especially small fish. ► These catfish species ...have no commercial value but are ecologically significant. ► The number of individuals studied is larger than normally found in ingestion reports (N=182). ► Sampling was made along a tropical estuarine ecocline and along a wide time span.
Plastic marine debris is a pervasive type of pollution. River basins and estuaries are a source of plastics pollution for coastal waters and oceans. Estuarine fauna is therefore exposed to chronic plastic pollution. Three important catfish species Cathorops spixii (N=60), Cathorops agassizii (N=60) and Sciades herzbergii (N=62) from South Western Atlantic estuaries were investigated in a tropical estuary of the Brazilian Northeast in relation to their accidental ingestion of plastic marine debris. Individuals from all three species had ingested plastics. In C. spixii and C. agassizii, 18% and 33% of individuals had plastic debris in their stomachs, respectively. S. herzbergii showed 18% of individuals were contaminated. All ontogenetic phases (juveniles, sub-adults and adults) were contaminated. Nylon fragments from cables used in fishery activities (subsistence, artisanal and commercial) played a major role in this contamination. These catfish spend their entire life cycles within the estuary and are an important feeding resource for larger, economically important, species. It is not yet possible to quantify the scale and depth of the consequences of this type of pollution. However, plastics are well known threat to living resources in this and other estuaries. Conservation actions will need to from now onto take plastics pollution into consideration.
At the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (the home institute of this paper), scientists have been exploring the common denominator between microplastics and microbiology for almost ...a decade. Given this fact, there is now a palpable feeling for the need to analyse the scientometric aspects of publications in this topic aiming to comprehend the impact of microplastic-microbiology studies within the scientific literature as a whole. Scientometrics is a research field focused on understanding of the metrics of science. From a researcher’s perspective, it is a powerful tool to increase, for example, the ability to find the best journal for a specific paper, and consequently have a better chance to have this paper cited, which is crucial considering the competitiveness of the modern scientific landscape. However, scientists working in specific research fields, from natural sciences to engineering; mathematics to medicine, are typically unaware of the knowledge that can be gleaned from bibliometrics or scientometrics when outlining their publications strategies. This paper aims to improve this knowledge base for researchers working in microplastic and microbiological research. A total of 47 publications under analysis span from 2011 to 2018, and have been published in 23 journals, most of them interdisciplinary journals that are available for a widespread audience from both complementary and diverse subject areas. Despite a short citation window, publications received > 390 citations with a clear exponential pattern, showing a promising future for microplastic-microbiological research. Whether insofar, a researcher has been focused on either solely microplastics or microbiology, as these fields continue to collide as microplastic-microbiology interaction research continues to increase, this paper might illuminate the next steps for researchers preparing future publications.
Recent evidence suggests that microplastic pollution is widespread in every oceanic basin; however, there is limited data available for the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. The purpose of this study ...was to examine the distribution, density and characteristics of plastic particles in plankton samples collected in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean. Neustonic tows (N = 160) were conducted near three important insular environments (Fernando de Noronha, Abrolhos and Trindade), and the presence of microplastics in the ocean surface of these areas was confirmed for the first time. The collected microplastic particles included hard plastic fragments, plastic films, paint chips and fibres and strands, which were classified as a secondary source of microplastics. The stock of plastic originates from both land-based and marine-based sources. This type of marine pollution in the tropical Atlantic Ocean is a potential threat to important ecological species.
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The identification of microplastics (MP), especially small (<500 μm) MP, using automated surface-chemistry approaches requires the best possible reduction of natural particles whilst ...preserving the integrity of the targeted synthetic polymers particles. In general, both natural and synthetic particles can be highly diverse physically and chemically and MP extraction, particularly from complex matrices such as sediments, sludge and soils, requires efficient method pipelines. Our paper presents a universal framework of modular protocols (presented in a decision tree) that fulfil predefined user requirements (QuEChERS: Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe) as well as providing best practises for reasonable MP working conditions within a standard laboratory. New procedures and technical innovations for density separation of particle-rich matrices are presented, such as a spiral conveyor developed and validated for MP recovery. In sharing such best-practice protocols, we aim to help in the push towards MP quantification method standardisation.
•Publication of protocols of an entire MP extraction (10 μm – 5 mm) pipeline for particle-based analysis of various environmental matrices•Modularity: Optimised quantitative sample preparation adapted to particle sizes and sample matrices•New protocols and technical innovations (e.g. spiral conveyor) optimise MP extraction
The Albuquerque atoll was studied as a representative natural laboratory to explore the role of sea-based sources of marine litter. This work aimed to identify the small-scale spatial distribution of ...marine litter (i.e., plastic, glass, paper, and others) as well as to explore the connectivity among the atoll habitats (sand beach, water surface, and reef) to give insights of potential sources of marine litter (>5 cm), mainly plastics. Marine litter was dominated by plastic items, as expected, with an average value of 0.5 items/m2. Large microplastics (1–5 mm) were also sampled on beaches with an average value of 90 particles/m2. In the atoll inner lagoon, marine litter was also composed by plastic, mainly fragments (average 0.059 items/m3). The predominance of plastic fragments on both the sea surface and beaches of the atoll makes inferences on sources limited. However, o fishing activities and sea-based sources might be relevant since local sources are very limited.
•The Albuquerque atoll was studied as a representative natural laboratory to explore sea-based sources of marine litter.•Insular habitats are polluted by marine litter acting as their temporary or final sinks.•The predominance of fragments highlights the reef vulnerability to marine litter, especially plastics.•Fishery and sea-based sources seem to be significant contributors to the amount of marine litter and plastic on the reef.
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