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Effect, Exposure, and Risk of Macro-, Micro-, and Nanoplastics in...
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Effect, Exposure, and Risk of Macro-, Micro-, and Nanoplastics in the Ocean

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Environmental Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 16494

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gert Everaert

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Unit Ocean and Human Health, Flanders Marine Institute, Wandelaarkaai 7, B-8400 Ostend, Belgium
Interests: ecological modeling; ecotoxicology; environmental impact; human health; (micro)plastics; multiple stressors; ocean health
Dr. Ana I. Catarino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Flemish Marine Institute (VLIZ), Ostend, Belgium
Interests: microplastics; nanoplastics; ecotoxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The presence of plastic in the marine environment is ubiquitous, but in situ concentrations, effects, and risks of macro-, micro-, and nanoplastics are still not well understood. Plastic comes in many forms with a myriad of shapes, sizes, densities, and weathering states. The lack of harmonized sampling strategies and sample processing protocols hampers the comparability of observational macro-, micro-, and nanoplastic studies and concentrations. Furthermore, ecotoxicity studies often focus on single species experiments;, to date, only a limited insight is available for the population or community-level effects of plastic particles. In most cases, the laboratory settings in which the experiments are performed cannot be considered environmentally relevant. The lack of experimental work using realistic particles or fibers and the lack of knowledge on ecosystem impacts present a significant challenge in providing future directions for reliable risk assessments and effective plastic mitigation policies. Future work in plastic research should better recognize the complexity of plastic litter and include experimental work and observational work in combination with (often existing) modeling principles from other eco(toxico)logical disciplines to assess how realistic plastic particles or fibers affect organisms, populations, and ecosystems.

 

In this Special Issue, contributions are welcomed on:

  • Novel, validated ways to detect, identify, and quantify macro-, micro-, and nano-plastics in the field;
  • Observational data and/or model-based estimates of in situ plastic litter concentrations at the local, regional, or global scale;
  • Environmentally relevant impact studies of micro- and nano-plastics that rely on realistic plastic particles or fibers and/or report (potential) effects at the population, community, or ecosystem level;
  • Reiterated or novel risk paradigms;
  • Quantified risks on the local, regional, or global scale;
  • Perspectives and applications on how existing modeling principles in other eco(toxico)logical disciplines can be used for plastic research.

Dr. Gert Everaert
Dr. Ana I. Catarino
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • macroplastics;
  • microplastics
  • nanoplastics
  • quantification
  • impact

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 6922 KiB  
Article
Abundance and Distribution of Macro- and Mesoplastic Debris on Selected Beaches in the Northern Strait of Malacca
by Er Vin Lim, Nithiyaa Nilamani, Norhanis M. Razalli, Shoufeng Zhang, Hongjun Li, Muhammad Lutfi Haron, Anisah Lee Abdullah, Zulfigar Yasin, Norlaila Mohd Zanuri and Aileen Tan Shau Hwai
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(5), 1057; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11051057 - 16 May 2023
Viewed by 1763
Abstract
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 [...] Read more.
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. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect, Exposure, and Risk of Macro-, Micro-, and Nanoplastics in the Ocean)
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13 pages, 2476 KiB  
Article
Pathways and Hot Spots of Floating and Submerged Microplastics in Atlantic Iberian Marine Waters: A Modelling Approach
by Eloah Rosas, Flávio Martins, Marko Tosic, João Janeiro, Fernando Mendonça and Lara Mills
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(11), 1640; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10111640 - 03 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1670
Abstract
Plastic pollution has been observed in many marine environments surrounding the Iberian Peninsula, from the surface water to deeper waters, yet studies on their pathways and accumulation areas are still limited. In this study, a global ocean reanalysis model was combined with a [...] Read more.
Plastic pollution has been observed in many marine environments surrounding the Iberian Peninsula, from the surface water to deeper waters, yet studies on their pathways and accumulation areas are still limited. In this study, a global ocean reanalysis model was combined with a particle-tracking Lagrangian model to provide insights into the pathways and accumulation patterns of microplastics originating in southern Portuguese coastal waters (SW Iberian). The study investigates microplastics floating on the surface as well as submerged at different water depths. Model results suggest that the North Atlantic Gyre is the main pathway for microplastics in surface and subsurface waters, transporting the microplastics southwards and eastwards towards the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands. Currents flowing out of the Mediterranean Sea act as the main pathway for microplastics in deep waters, transporting the microplastics along western Iberia. An average residence time of twenty days in the coastal waters suggests that microplastics do not accumulate close to their sources due to their relatively fast transport to adjacent ocean areas. Notably, a significant proportion of microplastics leave the model domain at all depths, implying that SW Iberia may act as a source of microplastics for the adjacent areas, including the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco, the Canary Islands, Western Iberia, and the Bay of Biscay. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect, Exposure, and Risk of Macro-, Micro-, and Nanoplastics in the Ocean)
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13 pages, 1009 KiB  
Article
Oxidative Stress in Far Eastern Mussel Mytilus trossulus (Gould, 1850) Exposed to Combined Polystyrene Microspheres (µPSs) and CuO-Nanoparticles (CuO-NPs)
by Nadezda Vladimirovna Dovzhenko, Victor Pavlovich Chelomin, Andrey Alexandrovich Mazur, Sergey Petrovich Kukla, Valentina Vladimirovna Slobodskova, Aleksandra Anatolievna Istomina and Avianna Fayazovna Zhukovskaya
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(5), 707; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10050707 - 22 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1895
Abstract
The ingress of nanoparticles of metal oxides and microfragments of synthetic polymers (microplastics) into a marine environment causes unpredictable consequences. The effects of such particles cannot be predicted due to a lack of ecotoxicological information. In this research, a series of laboratory experiments [...] Read more.
The ingress of nanoparticles of metal oxides and microfragments of synthetic polymers (microplastics) into a marine environment causes unpredictable consequences. The effects of such particles cannot be predicted due to a lack of ecotoxicological information. In this research, a series of laboratory experiments were conducted on the combined effects of CuO-nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) and polystyrene microspheres (µPSs) on the development of oxidative stress processes in the marine filter-feeder mollusk Mytilus trossulus. Biomarkers of oxidative stress, including the lysosome membrane stability of hematocytes (LMS), the index of antioxidant activity (IAA), the levels of malonaldehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyls (PCs), and DNA damage in digestive gland cells, were measured after 5 days of exposure. Based on a battery of biochemical markers, it was shown that oxidative stress was induced at varying degrees in the experimental mollusks when exposed to CuO-NPs and µPSs both separately and in combination. In contrast, the single-treatment effect on the lysosomal membrane was enhanced by the combined CuO-NPs and µPSs (from 77.14 ± 8.56 to 42 ± 4.26 min). In addition, exposure to both the compounds alone and in combination decreased the IAA (from 22.87 ± 1.25, to 19.55 ± 0.21, 10.73 ± 0.53, and 12.06 ± 1.62 nM/mg protein, respectively). The PC level significantly increased only after CuO-NP exposure (from 0.496 ± 0.02 to 0.838 ± 0.03 μM/mg protein). Furthermore, the results showed that the investigated particles, both alone and in combination, promoted DNA damage in digestive gland cells (from 2.02 ± 0.52 to 5.15 ± 0.37, 18.29 ± 2.14, and 10.72 ± 2.53%, respectively), indicating that these compounds are genotoxic. Overall, the results obtained suggest that oxidative stress is the leading factor in the negative effects of CuO-NPs and µPSs. Considering the exceptional role of genome integrity in the functioning of biological systems, the revealed damages in the DNA molecule structure should be attributed to the most important manifestations of the toxicity of these two forms of marine pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect, Exposure, and Risk of Macro-, Micro-, and Nanoplastics in the Ocean)
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13 pages, 3120 KiB  
Article
The Occurrence of Microplastics in Sediment Cores from Two Mangrove Areas in Southern Thailand
by Siriporn Pradit, Prakrit Noppradit, Pei-Sun Loh, Thongchai Nitiratsuwan, Thi Phuong Quynh Le, Chantha Oeurng, Che Abd Rahim Mohamed, Choon Weng Lee, Xixi Lu, Gusti Z. Anshari, Selvaraj Kandasamy and Jianjun Wang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(3), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030418 - 13 Mar 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4734
Abstract
Mangroves are areas that connect the land and sea, and are important to the ecosystem. They are important places for food sources and the habitat of aquatic fauna in the tidal areas. However, the existence of plastic debris poses a risk to the [...] Read more.
Mangroves are areas that connect the land and sea, and are important to the ecosystem. They are important places for food sources and the habitat of aquatic fauna in the tidal areas. However, the existence of plastic debris poses a risk to the aquatic environment. This study aimed to investigate the accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in sediment cores from two mangrove areas. The first mangrove area is in the outer section of the Songkhla lagoon (SK), while the second is in the coastal area of Pattani province (PN). Sediment core sampling was performed from SK = 8 stations and PN = 5 stations. Surface enrichment of MP was observed, especially in sediments of 0–4 cm. MPs were found throughout the depth in both areas, while fewer MPs were found in deeper sediment core layers (p < 0.05) at some stations inside the mangrove zone. Simple linear regression of the observed MPs and distance in the horizontal were found to be significant at SK within the mangrove zone with r2 = 0.79 (p < 0.05). MP fibers were the most commonly found MP type in both areas and were less than 1 mm. Blue and black MPs were the most abundant colors found in both areas. The six polymer types reported in this study comprised polyethylene, rayon, rubber, styrene, Poly (vinyl acetate), and paint. The findings of the present study suggest that long-term monitoring of marine debris along coastlines is necessary to help improve national policies and measures related to marine plastic debris. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect, Exposure, and Risk of Macro-, Micro-, and Nanoplastics in the Ocean)
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12 pages, 1864 KiB  
Article
Depth Profiles of Microplastics in Sediment Cores from Two Mangrove Forests in Northern Vietnam
by Luu Viet Dung, Truong Huu Duc, Le Thi Khanh Linh, Trinh Thi Dieu Ly, Hoang Anh Duong and Nguyen Thi My Hao
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1381; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121381 - 04 Dec 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4681
Abstract
Plastics are essential materials that play critical roles in people’s lives in the modern world. However, plastic pollution in the ocean has become a critical environmental problem due to the fact of its durability and long life span. In the present study, we [...] Read more.
Plastics are essential materials that play critical roles in people’s lives in the modern world. However, plastic pollution in the ocean has become a critical environmental problem due to the fact of its durability and long life span. In the present study, we analyze the contamination of microplastics in sediment cores from mangrove forests of the Red River Delta and Tien Yen Bay in Northern Vietnam. The results showed that the concentration of microplastics in sediment cores ranged from 0 to 4941 particles/kg, with four types of microplastics: microfiber, microfragment, microfoam, and microfilm. Microplastics were not observed in sediment samples lower than 65 and 70 cm core depth in sediment cores from the Tien Yen Bay and Red River Delta. The microplastic concentration in sediment cores from the Red River Delta was significantly higher than those of Tien Yen Bay, reflecting the influence of anthropogenic activities on microplastics pollution. The present results highlight that the accumulation of microplastics may have occurred a long time ago and tends to increase in the future. Further investigation on microplastic accumulation rates, sources of microplastics, and reducing plastic pollution is necessary to minimize the impacts of microplastic pollution on aquatic life and the environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect, Exposure, and Risk of Macro-, Micro-, and Nanoplastics in the Ocean)
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