Academic literature on the topic 'Macroplastic pollution'

Macroplastic pollution in mountain rivers can threaten water resources, biodiversity, and the recreational values provided by them. The first step towards evaluating and then mitigating these risks is the systematic collection of reliable and spatially uniform data on the amount and type of macroplastics deposited in different land covers occurring in a mountain river channel. To maximise the opportunity for the large-scale collection of such data using the citizen science approach, we propose in this study an illustrated step-by-step guide to sample the macroplastic deposited along mountain rivers and to record the collected information using a photo taken by smartphone and a simple online form. Our guide includes three steps: (i) the location of sampling plots across 3–4 predefined surface covers occurring in mountain rivers of temperate climate, (ii) the hand collection of macroplastic deposited in them, and (iii) the photorecording and archiving of information on macroplastics collected using a smartphone and an online form. The proposed guide can allow for the low-cost collection of data on macroplastic deposition in mountain rivers on regional and global scales. The collected data can be further analysed by environmental scientists to quantify the amount and types of macroplastic deposited and to evaluate the resulting risks. They can be also used as illustrative materials to increase the awareness of local communities about the plastic pollution problem.

Lakes are the greatest reserve of available superficial inland fresh water and concurrently one of the most threatened ecosystems. Among the many pollutants, plastics contaminate lakes worldwide; notwithstanding that, little is known on the impacts of macroplastics. The aim of this work is to provide the first global overview of scientific articles researching macroplastic pollution in lakes. Articles were selected from Web of Science and Scopus databases. We performed a bibliometric analysis of the results on the publication trend, geographical distribution of study areas, investigated matrix (i.e., water, sediment, biota), as well as abundance and type (i.e., shape, litter category, polymer) of lacustrine macroplastics. We also compared the articles’ methodologies. Fourteen articles were collected (the publication trend is increasing in recent years), showing a diffuse contamination by macroplastics. Research efforts are mostly focused on shoreline assessments. There is a lack of information and methodological standardisation (i.e., macroplastic size definition, sampling protocol, shape, litter categories), which limits the comparison of article outputs. We propose the definition of lacustrine macroplastics as plastics >5 mm and the adoption of the UNEP/IOC protocol to sample lake shoreline. We suggest focusing future investigations on (1) testing the methodological standardisation, (2) understanding the factors influencing macroplastic dispersal, and (3) assessing the impacts on biota.

Plastic pollution in the ocean is an emerging environmental concern in the Philippines. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of macroplastics, composition of plastic litter, and the clean-coast index (CCI) of urban and rural beaches in Sarangani Bay. Plastic litter was collected by delineating a 100-m transecting line with three 4 m × 4 m quadrats. The density of macroplastic litter in urban areas (0.66 items m−2) was significantly higher than in rural areas (0.29 items m−2). The plastics sampled were predominantly food packaging, such as polyethylene bags, which are locally known as sando bags. The accumulation rate of macroplastic litter ranged from 0.07 items d−1 m−2 to 0.40 items d−1 m−2, in which urban beaches (0.25 items d−1 m−2) have a significantly higher accumulation rate than rural beaches (0.11 items d−1 m−2). Overall, the calculated CCI of the beaches of Sarangani Bay was categorized as clean to moderately clean for rural beaches and moderately clean to extremely dirty for urban beaches.

Abstract The exponential rise in plastic usage without adequate waste management has a detrimental effect on the ecosystem. This study estimated the density of plastic waste encountered, including: macroplastic (>25 mm); mesoplastic (5-25 mm) and microplastic (1-5 mm) in the coastal environments of northern Ambon Island. The samples were collected in April of 2018. Two quadrats were used for the sampling. On two beaches in northern Ambon Island, the average amount of marine plastic debris was 0.492 item.m−2 for macroplastic (>25 mm), 10.8 item.m−2 for mesoplastic (5-25 mm), and 29.8 item.m−2 for microplastic (1-5 mm). The dominance of plastic-type for macroplastics was a film that comes from food/beverage packaging and single-use plastic bags. Both coastlines were rated as moderate according by the the Clean Coast Index (CCI) evaluation for macroplastic, implying that a few pieces of trash can be spotted. We recommend more innovative waste management and implementing an effective pollution law system in Ambon Island. A routine beach clean-up activity at the lowest government level would be an excellent campaign to protect the coastal area.

This study investigates the occurrence and characteristics of macroplastic and polymer microparticles in the Urias coastal lagoon’s beach sediments, in northwest Mexico. Coastal lagoons, productive and vulnerable ecosystems, are impacted significantly by anthropogenic activities, leadings to their pollution by various contaminants, including plastics. Our research involved sampling sediments from four sites within the lagoon that were influenced by different human activities such as fishing, aquaculture, thermoelectric power plant operations, industrial operations, and domestic wastewater discharge. Our methodology included collecting macroplastics and beach sediment samples, followed by laboratory analyses to identify the plastic debris’ size, shape, color, and chemical composition. The results indicated a notable presence of macroplastic items (144), predominantly bags, styrofoam, and caps made of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The polymer microparticles were mainly fibers, with cotton and polyester as the most common polymers, suggesting a significant contribution from clothing-related waste. The dominant colors of the microparticles were blue and transparent. High densities were observed in areas with slower water exchange. Our findings highlight the urgent need for better waste management practices to mitigate plastic pollution in coastal lagoons, preserving their ecological and economic functions.

Abstract Macroplastic waste has been spotted around the shoreline and the waters of Lake Singarak, West Sumatra. Macroplastic waste has been the main source of microplastic pollution in the marine and freshwater environment. This study aimed to determine the types and abundance of macroplastic waste in the riparian area of Lake Singkarak. Macropalstic waste collection was carried out using a 0.25 m2 square transect with a radius of 10 m at six sampling locations around the lake. The collected macroplastic waste was then sorted by its type and calculated to determine the abundance of each type. The six collection points, the most abundant macroplastic waste was at a hotel area (Sumpur) with a waste weight of 3.07 kg/m2, while the shoreline area (Batu Baraguang) with less human activity was the location with the lowest waste abundance of 0.53 kg/m2. The dominating types of macroplastic waste at Sumpur Hotel were plastic film (33%) and hard plastic-fragment (19%). Not only at Sumpur Hotel, the plastic film type also became the most dominant type of macroplastic waste observed in all sampling locations, except at the main river inlet area (Sumani) where the most dominant type found was styrofoam. Overall, there were four types of macroplastic waste that dominated in the riparian of Lake Singkarak, namely plastic film, food bag packaging, hard plastic fragments, also bottle and cup packaging. A high abundance of macropalstic waste in the riparian area could pose a risk of microplastic pollution in Lake Singkarak.

Plastic debris makes up the majority of marine debris around the world, and pollution is a serious threat to marine wildlife. Threats represent two types of biological interactions with plastic: entanglement and ingestion. This paper describes interactions of seabirds with plastic in Mirny and draw the attention of researchers to the existing problem. In 2012/2013 and 2015/2016, year-round observations of the author were carried out at Mirny station and Haswell Islands (area of about 12 km2), east Antarctica. One case of entanglement of a molting adult Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) in a fishing line was been identified; in addition to one case of an adult emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) mistakenly ingesting plastic braided rope and subsequently feeding it as part of a food lump to the chick, and two cases of macroplastics found in pellets of south polar skuas (Catharacta maccormicki). Registrations of entanglement and ingestion of macroplastic by seabirds in Mirny are rare. They signal to us about problem that needs to be included in the monitoring for the health of terrestrial biota of the Haswell archipelago.

Abstract Purpose The present study provides quantitative data on the degree of macroplastic contamination of two conventionally treated arable areas in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), which differ only in the use of organic fertilizers (e.g., compost). Methods The plastic contamination of both areas was determined by means of field sampling. The study areas were divided into edge and central areas to minimize and identify direct influences from the boundaries. After cleaning and drying, the collected macroplastic particles were analyzed by phototechnical and optical methods for number and size of particles. Results The arable area with compost fertilization showed a substantially higher macroplastic pollution with 9247 particles per hectare compared to the 220 particles per hectare found on the arable land without compost application. Furthermore, the differences in plastic forms and types on both areas, the presence of plastic directly related to household and garden products, and the homogeneous distribution of plastic particles on the arable area with compost application allow to conclude that compost can be regarded as reason for substantially higher pollution. Areas close to a road showed a higher degree of contamination and differences in the found plastic products compared to the center areas, which indicates littering as a further considerable entry path. Conclusions The causes of plastic contamination of the investigated arable areas (e.g., contaminated compost by improper waste management and littering) are predominantly external to agricultural practices. The knowledge gained contributes to the knowledge about quantities, impacts, and fate of plastic in the environment.

Plastics account for 60–80% of marine debris worldwide, and, in 2021, Malaysia was the 28th largest plastic polluter in the world. In light of this finding, the Malaysian government has launched the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 and the Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021–2030 to reduce plastic pollution and implement a circular economy for Malaysia. A comprehensive database of the status of plastic pollution in Malaysia is needed to achieve this target. This study aims to record the presence of macro- (>2.5 cm) and mesoplastic (0.5–2.5 cm) debris at selected beaches in the northern Strait of Malacca. All study sites are publicly accessible beaches (Pulau Songsong, Teluk Aling, and Pulau Gazumbo) except Pulau Lembu, which is in a Marine Protected Area (MPA). The debris was collected from predetermined transects on the beach and categorised according to its form and economic market segments in Malaysia. Most of the macro- (53–75% of total mass) and mesoplastics (52–80% of the total number) were accumulated in the backshore area. Public beaches such as Pulau Gazumbo and Pulau Songsong recorded the highest abundance of macroplastics, with 7.32 g/m2 and 9.77 g/m2, respectively. Teluk Aling recorded the lowest abundance of macroplastics (3.58 g/m2) but the highest in mesoplastics (0.55 items/m2). Most of the macroplastics found were packaging plastics such as plastic bottles, containers, and polystyrene foam debris. Although Pulau Lembu is an MPA, the amount of macroplastics found was considerably high (7.17 g/m2). Based on the beach cleanliness index, Pulau Gazumbo (−3.99) was the dirtiest site, followed by Pulau Lembu (−2.92) and Pulau Songsong (−2.85), while Teluk Aling (−1.63) was the cleanest site, which can explain the amount of macroplastic debris found. However, all the study sites’ cleanliness may not be ideal, as the indexes were less than zero due to the low availability of waste bins and insufficient frequency of beach cleaning. This may not be able to curb the effects of high anthropogenic activities conducted in addition to uncontrollable natural factors.

La pollution plastique, résultant de la production massive et de l'utilisation de plastiques depuis le 20e siècle, est omniprésente dans la biosphère. Les plastiques, conçus pour leur durabilité, perdurent des décennies, voire des siècles, et se fragmentent en microplastiques, répandus partout, des fonds marins aux montagnes. Dans le milieu aquatique, les plastiques favorisent la formation de communautés microbiennes, appelées "plastisphère", similaires aux biofilms aquatiques naturels. Les écosystèmes marins ont été largement étudiés pour quantifier la présence de plastiques, en particulier de microplastiques, et leur impact sur les communautés microbiennes. Cependant, les écosystèmes d'eau douce ont été moins explorés que les écosystèmes marins, tant sur la présence de plastiques que sur l'impact de ces derniers sur les communautés microbiennes naturelles du benthos de la rivière. De plus, la fraction de taille la plus étudié correspond aux microplastiques par rapport aux macroplastiques.La première partie de cette thèse a comparé la colonisation microbienne entre deux types de plastiques (non biodégradable et biodégradable) et des substrats naturels (sédiments, rochers et feuilles) sur deux sites de rivières, avec des niveaux de pollution plastique distincts. Cette comparaison a été faite avec l'analyse des descripteurs structuraux et fonctionnels des communautés microbiennes. De façon globale, les densités microbiennes et les activités de décomposition du carbone, azote et phosphore organique étaient plus élevées au niveau des substrats naturels (sédiments, rochers et feuilles) qu'au niveau des substrats plastiques. Ceci peut être dû à une plus grande disponibilité en carbone organique et en nutriments dans les substrats naturels. Les microorganismes de rivière ont montré des différences de colonisation, avec une densité bactérienne et des activités enzymatiques plus élevées sur le plastique biodégradable dans le site en aval. En conséquence, la présence de macroplastiques biodégradables augmenterait davantage l'hétérotrophie de l'écosystème fluvial que la présence de macroplastiques non biodégradables.La deuxième partie a évalué l'impact structurel et fonctionnel des deux types de plastiques sur les communautés microbiennes des sédiments et rochers en microcosmes de rivière. Les résultats ont montré des effets contrastés en fonction de l'échelle d'étude. Au niveau du substrat, l'ajout de plastique non biodégradable a augmenté l'activité enzymatique β-glucosidase et l'ajout de plastique biodégradable a réduit la densité fongique sur les communautés microbiennes des rochers. Cependant, à l'échelle du microcosme, la présence des deux plastiques a réduit les activités N-acetyl-glucosaminidase et phosphatase ainsi que les biomasses fongique et algale présents dans l'ensemble du microcosme. Tant à l'échelle du substrat qu'à l'échelle du microcosme, l'ajout de litières de feuilles tend à réduire l'impact des plastiques sur les communautés microbiennes naturelles.L'impact des plastiques sur les communautés microbiennes benthiques dépend de divers facteurs, notamment le type de plastique, les conditions physico-chimiques de la rivière, la présence de substrats organiques (ex. feuilles) et de l'échelle de l'étude. Cette recherche met en évidence l'impact des macroplastiques sur la structure et la fonction des communautés microbiennes des rochers et appel à un équilibre dans la recherche sur la pollution plastique, au-delà des microplastiques
Plastic pollution, resulting from massive production and use of plastic polymers since the 20th century, is now ubiquitous in the biosphere. Plastics durability makes them able to persist for decades to centuries, fragmenting into microplastics, that can accumulate everywhere from the deep ocean to the top of the mountains. In aquatic environments, plastics promote the formation of microbial communities similar to natural aquatic biofilms known as the 'plastisphere'. While the presence and impact of plastics on microbial communities has been extensively characterized for the marine ecosystems, freshwater ecosystems have been less explored. Furthermore, most of the studies focus on the effect of the microplastics size fraction rather than on macroplastics.The first part of this thesis compared the microbial colonization between two plastic types (non-biodegradable and biodegradable) and natural substrata (sediments, rocks, and leaves) in two sites of the same watershed with contrasting plastic-pollution levels. This comparison included an analysis of the structural and functional descriptors of microbial communities during substrata colonization. Overall, microbial densities and enzymatic activities involved in organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous decomposition were higher on natural substrata (sediments, rocks, and leaves) than on plastics substrata. This could be due to the greater availability of organic carbon and nutrients in natural substrata. River microorganisms exhibited colonization differences between plastic types at the downstream site, with higher bacterial density and enzymatic activities values measured on the biodegradable compared to the non-biodegradable plastic. Consequently, the presence of biodegradable macroplastics would increase heterotrophy to the river ecosystem more than the presence of non-biodegradable macroplastics.The second part assessed the structural and functional impact of the same plastic types on sediment and rock microbial communities in a river microcosm experiment. Main findings revealed contrasting plastic effects depending on the approach used. At the substratum scale, the addition of non-biodegradable plastic increased β-glucosidase activity and the addition of biodegradable plastic reduced the fungal density in microbial communities from rocks. However, at the microcosm scale, the presence of both plastics reduced N-acetyl-glucosaminidase and phosphatase activities, as well as fungal and algal biomasses in the entire microcosm. At both substratum and microcosm scales, the addition of leaf litter tended to mitigate the plastic impact on microbial communities, especially those from rocks.The impact of plastics on benthic microbial communities depends on several factors, including the plastic type, water physicochemical characteristics, the presence of organic substrata (e.g. leaves), and the scale of the study. This research highlights the impact of macroplastics on the structure and function of rock microbial communities, and calls for a more balanced research between the study of microplastics and plastics form other size fractions

AbstractThe microplastic cycle was originally and formally introduced and defined as a novel concept and paradigm for understanding plastic pollution and its fluxes across ecosystem reservoirs. This concept has now been expanded to include macroplastic particles and links all aspects of the fate, transport, and effects of plastic pollution, including source-receptor models in the environment, and expanded on previously established perspectives that viewed the plastic pollution issue in a less integrated manner. The value of this paradigm is that this perspective integrates three basic scientific spheres: environmental chemistry, biology (i.e., trophic transfer), and human health. The goal of this chapter is to introduce readers to the microplastic pollution problem and to outline the microplastic cycle as a concept and holistic paradigm for addressing this ubiquitous environmental and potential public health problem. The specific objectives of this chapter were to (1) introduce this volume and its chapters by outlining the microplastic pollution issue in the context of the entire plastic cycle; (2) evaluate fluxes of microplastics across different ecosystem compartments, including the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere. and biosphere, including humans; and (3) provide insights on public policy and potential solutions to the microplastic pollution problem.

The aim of this chapter is to investigate the environmental effect of plastics (macroplastic and microplastic) during the Anthropocene and the Great Acceleration. Plastic production has worldwide increased since 1950. For instance, many Tunisian regions such as Bizerte, Kerkennah, and Gabes witness a proliferation of plastic and microplastic. The manifestation of the plastic invasion is obviously dispersed within continental and marine environments. The detection of microplastic needs an extraction protocol and the use of the infrared spectroscopy. Added to their esthetic pollution, effect of plastics on environment and human health remains controversial. On the other hand, microplastic fragments obtained after the partial destruction of plastic represent more serious dangers. These fragments are integrated within the pedosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. They may be eaten by animals, including humans. Plastics are also good and safe niches for pathogenic viruses. They are considered as motivators of the Anthropocene virology.

Plastic debris has become the main component of marine litter in the Moroccan Mediterranean due to the massive consumption of plastic and poor plastic waste management. In Morocco, plastic pollution has been a subject of increasing environmental concern in the last few years. This literature review was conducted to collect current data on plastic pollution in the Moroccan Mediterranean, considering the presence of marine debris as well as macroplastics and microplastics in different compartments. Our study shows that, until now, very few studies have been carried out and there is a lack of information, especially on the prevalence of plastic debris in the water environment, sea floor, and aquatic animals. In general, plastic is the most predominant waste on the beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean, always contributing to more than 50% of the total composition of the waste encountered. Based on the records, tourism, recreational activities, and fishing are one of the main sources of plastic accumulation in the Moroccan Mediterranean. This was due to a lack of awareness among beach users. Awareness and behavior change is key to minimizing plastic waste on Morocco's beaches and coasts. In addition, all aspects of waste management must be improved. The beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean have also been contaminated by microplastics. A significant positive correlation was also observed between human population density and industrial activity on microplastic abundance. Microplastic has only been found in a few commercial fish species and sea turtles, but more work will be needed in the future.

Microplastics possess a significant threat to water resources as well as aquatic life and present a challenge in overall water resource management. Among a wide variety of entry routes available for microplastics from land to water bodies, municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are suspected to be one of the important land-based sources (entry point) of microplastics affecting water quality. Few studies reported the presence of microplastic in the leachate obtained from municipal solid waste landfills corroborating that MSW landfills not only act as a sink of microplastic pollution but also act as a source. Microplastics from these leachates move to the soil system thereby affecting its quality and further migrate to aquatic systems. This movement of microplastic from leachate to aquatic system not only deteriorate the water quality but also highlights the importance of land-based sources of microplastic. In this review, we focused on the role of landfills as a pathway for microplastics to water bodies. The main aims of this review the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in landfills and discuss the role of landfill age. Polyethylene in fragmented and fibrous form remains the predominant type and shape of microplastic in leachates. The shape, size, and abundance of microplastics in leachates vary with landfill age. Landfills also provide a favorable environment for microplastic degradation thereby turning macroplastics into tiny plastic pieces. The major type of degradation is oxidative degradation. Our review confirms that MSW landfills are indeed a source of microplastic and contribute to microplastic pollution in soil and aquatic systems.

With a recent study identified the Mekong River as one of ten rivers to contribute over 90% of plastic debris to the world’s marine environment, there is an urgent need for a reliable data and information on riverine plastic debris pollution and their impacts to the aquatic environment of Mekong River. This Riverine Macroplastic Monitoring Protocol has been developed and finalized as one of three protocols of the MRC’s Detailed Methodology for the Long-term and Cost-effective Monitoring of Riverine Plastic Debris Pollution in the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB). The finalization of the detailed methodology was made possible through the concerted efforts and commitment of the MRC Member Countries and support of experts at national, regional and global levels, and included rigorous processes of consultations, capacity building, and piloting to ensure that the methodology is adapted to the situation of the LMB. The methodology aims to provide the much-needed data and information for an improved knowledge and understanding on the pathway and behaviors of plastic debris pollution in the LMB, from land-based sources to riverine environment, and ultimately to the marine environment. Information derived from the long-term implementation of methodology can be used to assess the effectiveness of plastic waste management the LMB.