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Microplastics in Marine Environment

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A special issue of Microplastics (ISSN 2673-8929).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 27317

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Dr. Corinne Corbau

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DISAP, Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, FE, Italy
Interests: sediments; coastal geomorphology; coastal processes; GIS and remote sensing; marine litter; microplastics; coastal sciences; coastal and marine policies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Elisabetta Olivo

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Guest Editor

DISAP, Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, FE, Italy
Interests: marine geology; sedimentology; geophysics; geomorphology; marine pollution; marine litter

Dr. Carmela Vaccaro

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Guest Editor

DISAP, Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, FE, Italy
Interests: mineralogy; microplastic; sediments; clay; isotope geochemistry; environment; earth sciences; food science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Marine litter is often defined as any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material, which has been discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment, and which can be classified according to material type. Plastic items are generally the main constituent due to the high production and versatility of plastics; moreover, plastics are fairly resistant to biodegradation and are therefore largely broken down in the environment by abiotic and biotic factors. This fragmentation generates secondary microplastics that are of special concern regarding the environment, as well as animal and human health, mainly due to their small size.

The lack of technologies/procedures equipped to efficiently determine the quantitative and qualitative aspects of microplastics in the marine environment is a problem that could be engaged with via the following approaches:

characterization of micro- and macroplastic sources in marine and coastal area, including biota;
development of dedicated transport/diffusion mathematical models for the microparticles;
development of innovative instrumentation relying on optical analysis for in situ detection of microplastics;
tuning and validation of the innovative technologies with standard laboratory analyses;
identification of alarm thresholds of microplastic concentration;
definition of procedures to generate early warnings to fishing farms to reduce health risks.

Therefore, the present Special Issue aims to cover two main aspects, as follows:

the characterization of micro- and macroplastic (MP) sources in marine and coastal areas, including biota;
the development of innovative technologies and approaches for tackling plastic marine litter, including monitoring, modelling and alert systems.

Dr. Corinne Corbau
Dr. Elisabetta Olivo
Dr. Carmela Vaccaro
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. Microplastics is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1000 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

marine litter
microplastic
sediment–water–biota monitoring and analysis
new technology
health impacts
awareness
recycling

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1133 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microplastics in Lampanyctus crocodilus (Risso 1810, Myctophidae), a Common Lanternfish Species from the Ibiza Channel (Western Mediterranean)

by Olga Novillo-Sanjuan, Sergio Gallén, Juan Antonio Raga and Jesús Tomás

Microplastics 2023, 2(3), 242-254; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics2030020 - 18 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1393

Abstract

Microplastics’ presence in the pelagic environment is still largely unknown due to the difficulty of sampling in this part of the ocean. In this study, we quantify microplastics’ exposure in a pelagic lanternfish species from the western Mediterranean, Lampanyctus crocodilus (Risso 1810), which occupies an intermediate position in the marine food web. L. crocodilus were captured in the Ibiza Channel by a trawling vessel and microplastics were extracted by digestion of their gastrointestinal systems. Almost half of the analysed lanternfish contained microplastics, mostly blue and black fibres (40.9% and 34.66%, respectively). In fishes with at least one microplastic, the median was 3 MPs/fish (CI 95% = 3.46–6.8), similar to other studies performed in other fish species in the area. Biometric parameters of fish, such as total length and body condition, were not correlated with the number of microplastics. Data presented here contribute to quantifying the severity of microplastic pollution in the pelagic environment and in a wild, non-commercial species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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12 pages, 4261 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microplastics on Beaches in the Nautla-Vega de Alatorre Turtle Nesting Area, Veracruz

by Clara Ivonne Ruíz-Reyes, Fabiola Lango-Reynoso, María del Refugio Castañeda-Chávez and Angel Moran-Silva

Microplastics 2023, 2(3), 230-241; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics2030019 - 14 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1701

Abstract

The low cost of production and the widespread use of plastics has brought about a problem that is difficult to measure; microplastics are considered emerging pollutants because their presence can pose a risk to the environment. This study focuses on the characterization of microplastics (MPs) in the nesting area of green (Chelonia mydas) and Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles, on the coastal municipalities of Nautla and Vega de Alatorre, Veracruz, Mexico. Five beaches along 15.5 km of coastline were analyzed and samples were taken in the intertidal zone. In this work, only microplastics in sizes from one to five mm were analyzed. A characterization of the potential sources of microplastics at the basin level was carried out and 94% of the samples analyzed presented MPs, the greatest amount was at site Playa Navarro (B32) (1.2 Item/kg dw), and in the high tide zone (4.86 ± 2.79 Item/kg dw). The predominant color of the MPs was white (42%), the most representative form were fragments (31%), while most of the MPs presented sizes of 4–5 mm (35%) followed by 1–2 mm (34%). The chemical composition of most of the MPs was polyethylene (55%). Regarding the sources of the MPs generation, livestock, agriculture, fishing, tourism, wastewater discharges, urban solid waste and, to a lesser extent, the plastic industry were identified. The mobilization factors of the MPs turned out to be the Colipa and Misantla rivers with runoff from the basin, wind, waves and marine currents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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10 pages, 1292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microplastic Pollution in Sea Turtle Nests on the Beaches of Nautla and Vega de Alatorre, Veracruz

by Belem Anahy Estrella-Jordan, Fabiola Lango-Reynoso, María del Refugio Castañeda-Chávez, Jesús Montoya-Mendoza and David Reynier-Valdes

Microplastics 2023, 2(2), 182-191; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics2020014 - 12 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2832

Abstract

Microplastic contamination has become a topic of interest and concern worldwide due to its persistence and the possible effects it may cause to the environment. When microplastics are present, they can alter their physical properties, negatively affecting the surrounding fauna, such as sea turtles that use the beaches to nest in the sand. In this study, the exposure of sea turtle nests to microplastics on the beaches of Nautla and Vega de Alatorre, Veracruz, one of the main nesting areas for the green turtle Chelonia mydas, as well as Kemp’s ridley turtle Lepidochelis kempii from the Gulf of Mexico, was determined. Sand samples were obtained directly from the nests in situ on four beaches in the area and from two nesting pens, revealing the presence of microplastics in 100% of the nests in situ, with an average abundance of 2.43 ± 2.66 #MP/kg SS and a concentration of 0.00672 ± 0.02286 mgMP/kg SS, predominantly the form of foam, white in color, and from 1 to 2 mm in size. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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18 pages, 3036 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Macroplastics and Microplastics in Intertidal Sediment of Vinces and Los Tintos Rivers, Guayas Province, Ecuador

by Rebecca Talbot, Maritza Cárdenas-Calle, James M Mair, Franklin López, Guillermo Cárdenas, Beatríz Pernía, Mark G. J. Hartl and Miguel Uyaguari

Microplastics 2022, 1(4), 651-668; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1040045 - 07 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2043

Abstract

The composition, abundance and distribution of macroplastics (MAPs) and microplastics (MPs) in the Vinces and Los Tintos rivers were determined in three sites (Pueblo Nuevo, Santa Marianita, Los Tintos) from the low basin in the coastal province of Guayas, Ecuador. MAPS were recorded by visual census, covering a total distance of 140 m, and MPs were extracted in the intertidal sediments via density separation using a saturated NaCl solution, and these were counted using a stereomicroscope. A total of 940 plastic items were identified. The predominant debris was plastic with 85.2%, followed by manufactured materials and metals. The Vinces River contained the highest abundance of plastic in the locality of Pueblo Nuevo. The most abundant plastic was MPs. The most common MAPs were plastic bags (23%), food packaging (17%) and foamed plastic (8%). MP size classes quantified between 0.15 and 2.52 mm in intertidal, very fine sandy sediment and decreased in abundance with increasing grain size. The most common MPs were fibres (65.2%) (black (43.8%) and blue (25.8%)), and their distribution has a high correlation with population density and water flow direction: Santa Marianita 5.55 g⁻¹, Pueblo Nuevo 7.39 g⁻¹, Los Tintos 8.17⁻¹. A significant abundance of fibres was identified in Pueblo Nuevo. The plastic spatial distribution revealed major plastic pollution in areas where recreational and tourism activities have been developed. Therefore, we recommend implementing awareness campaigns by educating businesses, residents and tourists on managing solid waste (especially plastic) and wastewater. Our results can serve as a baseline for future plastic monitoring in the area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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11 pages, 3439 KiB

Open AccessArticle

State of the Art Offshore In Situ Monitoring of Microplastic

by Daniele Calore and Nicola Fraticelli

Microplastics 2022, 1(4), 640-650; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1040044 - 02 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1737

Abstract

Microplastics make up a significant amount of the overall quantity of plastic debris that is present in seawater. However, their detection and monitoring at sea is cost-inefficient and challenging; typically, it consists of water sampling with special manta nets, followed by long (i.e., weeks) laboratory analysis to obtain valid results. The analysis of the state-of-the-art technologies capable of monitoring/detecting microplastics in the sea (typically in coastal areas) presented in this paper shows that there are currently no specific tools to obtain quick measurements. The classic multiparametric probes are useless and the contribution of their relative chemical–physical parameters to determine the presence of microplastics in water is insignificant. The evolution in the last decade of hardware and software tools for capturing hologram images and related post-processing seems to be one of the most effective methods available currently for the rapid detection of microplastics in seawater. In particular, some results of monitoring campaigns carried out in the Adriatic Sea using this type of technology are reported. The acquired data are analyzed and discussed, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, with indications of the possible methodologies that could be used to improve these systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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18 pages, 2813 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Microplastic Prevalence and Dispersion from Saigon Urban Canals via Can Gio Mangrove Reserve to East Sea by Raman Scattering Microscopy

by Vo Thi Kim Khuyen, Dinh Vu Le, Hung Anh Le, Axel René Fischer and Christina Dornack

Microplastics 2022, 1(3), 536-553; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1030038 - 05 Sep 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2657

Abstract

Plastic pollution is one of the significant environmental concerns due to the threefold increase in global plastic waste. Marine microplastics, including petroleum-based plastic pieces and synthetic and artificial fibers smaller than 5 mm, are not only ubiquitous in natural water but also high in wastewater streams due to the direct discharge, transfer and breakdown of plastic items. This research aims to investigate the presence and dispersion of microplastics in the downtown area and coastal suburban area of Ho-Chi-Minh City by using Raman microscopy. As a result, the most common plastics (PE, PET, PA, PP, PVC, PS and PMMA) were detected, and most of them were fibrous shorter than 500 μm. The total microplastics decreased gradually from the urban waterborne (up to 220 MPs/L) via Can Gio UNESCO Mangrove Biosphere Reserve (10 MPs/L) and to the East Sea (3 MPs/L), which reveals the potential role of the mangrove in reducing marine contaminants including microplastics. This study provides important insights into microplastic pollution in the Western Pacific Region, especially the Saigon-Dong Nai river systems, supporting useful data for natural water resources management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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17 pages, 2984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Presence of Microplastics and Mesoplastics in Coral Reef and Mangrove Fishes in Isla Grande, Colombia

by Valeria Jimenez-Cárdenas, Andrea Luna-Acosta and Luis David Gómez-Méndez

Microplastics 2022, 1(3), 477-493; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1030034 - 29 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2148

Abstract

This study aims to determine whether differences exist between the presence of microplastics and mesoplastics in fishes of coral reef and mangrove ecosystems, in Isla Grande, Colombian Caribbean. The collection of three species of coral reef (Centropomus undecimalis, Caranx hippos, and Lutjanus synagris) and three species of mangrove from coral reef (Centropomus undecimalis, Eugerres plumieri, and Archosargus rhomboidalis) were found to have ingested microplastics and mesoplastics, with a significantly higher in the mangrove species than in the coral reef species (1.9 vs. 1.6 items/individual). Furthermore, the average abundance and weight of microplastics and mesoplastics were significantly higher in females than in males (p < 0.05) and the abundance of microplastics and mesoplastics in the intestines was significantly higher than in the stomach (p < 0.05). PE, polyester, PVC, and PET were the most abundant polymers among common plastics found in species of the two habitats. Our findings highlight the importance of more rigorous plastic waste management strategies in areas nearby the coast and mangrove habitats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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12 pages, 3394 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microfiber Contamination in Potable Water: Detection and Mitigation Using a Filtering Device

by Michela Volgare, Roberto Avolio, Rachele Castaldo, Maria Emanuela Errico, Hakim El Khiar, Gennaro Gentile, Andreja Sinjur, Danilo Susnik, Andrej Znidarsic and Mariacristina Cocca

Microplastics 2022, 1(3), 322-333; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1030024 - 22 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2564

Abstract

In recent years, microfibers released from synthetic fabrics have been identified as the main contributor to primary microplastic pollution. These pollutants have been detected in several products for human consumption. This work aims to evaluate the efficiency of a specific device used with the purpose to monitor and reduce this anthropogenic pollution in potable water. The device was tested using potable water from several cities in Slovenia by mounting the device containing the porous membrane directly to the faucet in private and public buildings. The results highlight the effectiveness of the applied device in removing natural and synthetic microfibers from tap water and confirm the abundance of microfibers as a contaminant of potable water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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16 pages, 3866 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Accumulation Evaluation of Potential Microplastic Particles in Mytilus galloprovincialis from the Goro Sacca (Adriatic Sea, Italy)

by Federica Pizzurro, Sara Recchi, Eliana Nerone, Romolo Salini and Nadia Beatrice Barile

Microplastics 2022, 1(2), 303-318; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1020022 - 11 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3195

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs; <5 mm) are present throughout the marine environment and are recognized as an emerging threat to aquatic ecosystems. Filter feeding organisms, such as mussels, are considered as bioindicators of MP pollution and are useful to evaluate the potential risks of MPs to human health. The work presented shows data on potential MPs found in Mytilus galloprovincialis samples collected from the Adriatic Sea during two sampling sections (1st sampling: December 2019 and 2nd sampling: May 2020). The mussels were subjected to digestion with H₂O₂ individually and filtered and the MP elements found were observed using a stereomicroscope and ultimately categorized by shape, size class and color, with the aid of a digital camera and data acquisition software. The highest MP concentrations were observed in the mussels collected in December 2019 (1.11 microplastic items per gram wet weight of mussels’ tissue), highlighting the possible influence of the following two main factors: greater river discharges following adverse weather events and higher river water pollution due to industrial activities. Indeed, the second sampling was performed after the Italian lockdown, due to the COVID-19 emergency. MP fibers (50–80%) were the most abundant type of MPs identified, followed by fragments (10–40%), granules (1.5–2.5%), non-categorized shape (1–2%) and foam (<1%). The color black (50–70%) and sizes smaller than 500 µm were the most dominant characteristics recorded both in the 1st sampling (50–70%) and the 2nd survey (30–50%). These data could be overestimated, due to the lack of polymer identification. The results of this study provide further data on the importance of bivalves as environmental bioindicators with regard to the pollution of MPs in the Adriatic Sea, supporting their instrumental role as environmental bioindicators for MP pollution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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12 pages, 938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microplastics’ Occurrence in Edible Fish Species (Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus) from an Italian Marine Protected Area

by Serena Felline, Manuela Piccardo, Giuseppe Egidio De Benedetto, Cosimino Malitesta and Antonio Terlizzi

Microplastics 2022, 1(2), 291-302; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1020021 - 18 May 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2500

Abstract

This study reports on the presence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts and livers of demersal fish (the mullet, Mullus spp.) from a Marine Protected Area (Porto Cesareo) along the Ionian Sea coast (Apulia, Southern Italy). The results showed microplastic ingestion in more than 60% of specimens analyzed with an average of three items per fish and average levels in red mullets being almost twice as high as the average in the congeneric striped red mullets. The dominant polymers identified by Attenuated Total ReflectanceFourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Prolysis Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (Py-GCMS) analysis were polyethylene and polystyrene. Results can be used to set baseline levels for the assessment of microplastic pollution useful for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) descriptor 10 in the Italian coast of Ionian Sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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Review

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13 pages, 991 KiB

Open AccessReview

Adsorption of PAHs and PCDD/Fs in Microplastics: A Review

by Juan A. Conesa

Microplastics 2022, 1(3), 346-358; https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1030026 - 13 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2898

Abstract

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment, and the effects that the ingestion of these materials can have on organisms, can be aggravated by the adsorption of harmful substances on the surface or inside the MPs. Of special relevance are the studies that have been carried out on the adsorption and transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs). This review will delve into the research carried out to date regarding the adsorption by conventional and biodegradable MPs of dangerous organic compounds such as those mentioned. In general, the presence of MPs is considered a vector for the entry of these contaminants into living beings, since their capacity to adsorb contaminants is very high and they are ingested by different organisms that introduce these contaminants into the trophic chain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics in Marine Environment)

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