Trophic level transfer of microplastic: Mytilus edulis (L.) to Carcinus maenas (L.).

doi:10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2013.01.046

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Trophic level transfer of microplastic: Mytilus edulis (L.) to Carcinus maenas (L.).

Journal Article•DOI•

Trophic level transfer of microplastic: Mytilus edulis (L.) to Carcinus maenas (L.).

Paul Farrell¹, Kathryn Nelson¹•Institutions (1)

University of Portsmouth¹

01 Jun 2013-Environmental Pollution (Environ Pollut)-Vol. 177, Iss: 177, pp 1-3

TL;DR: This study is the first to show 'natural' trophic transfer of microplastic, and its translocation to haemolymph and tissues of a crab, and has implications for the health of marine organisms, the wider food web and humans.

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About: This article is published in Environmental Pollution.The article was published on 2013-06-01. It has received 1090 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Mytilus & Carcinus maenas.

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Journal Article•DOI•

Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea

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Marcus Eriksen, Laurent Lebreton¹, Henry S. Carson², Martin Thiel³, Charles J. Moore⁴, Jose C. Borerro, François Galgani⁵, Peter G. Ryan⁶, Julia Reisser⁷ - Show less +5 more•Institutions (7)

Wellington Management Company¹, University of Hawaii at Hilo², Catholic University of the North³, California State University, Long Beach⁴, IFREMER⁵, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology⁶, University of Western Australia⁷

10 Dec 2014-PLOS ONE

TL;DR: The total number of plastic particles and their weight floating in the world's oceans is estimated from 24 expeditions across all five sub-tropical gyres, costal Australia, Bay of Bengal and the Mediterranean Sea conducting surface net tows and visual survey transects of large plastic debris.

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Abstract: Plastic pollution is ubiquitous throughout the marine environment, yet estimates of the global abundance and weight of floating plastics have lacked data, particularly from the Southern Hemisphere and remote regions. Here we report an estimate of the total number of plastic particles and their weight floating in the world’s oceans from 24 expeditions (2007–2013) across all five sub-tropical gyres, costal Australia, Bay of Bengal and the Mediterranean Sea conducting surface net tows (N5680) and visual survey transects of large plastic debris (N5891). Using an oceanographic model of floating debris dispersal calibrated by our data, and correcting for wind-driven vertical mixing, we estimate a minimum of 5.25 trillion particles weighing 268,940 tons. When comparing between four size classes, two microplastic ,4.75 mm and meso- and macroplastic .4.75 mm, a tremendous loss of microplastics is observed from the sea surface compared to expected rates of fragmentation, suggesting there are mechanisms at play that remove ,4.75 mm plastic particles from the ocean surface.

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3,091 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Microplastics in freshwater and terrestrial environments: Evaluating the current understanding to identify the knowledge gaps and future research priorities.

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Alice A. Horton¹, Alexander Walton², David J. Spurgeon, Elma Lahive, Claus Svendsen - Show less +1 more•Institutions (2)

Leiden University¹, University of Exeter²

15 May 2017-Science of The Total Environment

TL;DR: This review critically evaluates the current literature on the presence, behaviour and fate of microplastics in freshwater and terrestrial environments and, where appropriate, draws on relevant studies from other fields including nanotechnology, agriculture and waste management.

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1,864 citations

Cites background from "Trophic level transfer of microplas..."

...Microplastics are now commonly defined as particles with 171 the largest dimension smaller than 5 mm, although no lower size limit has been specifically defined 172 (Arthur and Baker, 2009; Duis and Coors, 2016; Faure et al., 2012)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review of the emerging threats, identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of research needs

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Dafne Eerkes-Medrano¹, Richard C. Thompson², David C. Aldridge¹•Institutions (2)

University of Cambridge¹, University of Plymouth²

15 May 2015-Water Research

TL;DR: The issue of microplastics in freshwater systems is reviewed to summarise current understanding, identify knowledge gaps and suggest future research priorities.

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1,688 citations

Cites background from "Trophic level transfer of microplas..."

...Benthic marine invertebrates that ingest microplastics include sea cucumbers (Graham and Thompson, 2009), mussels (Browne et al., 2008; Farrell and Nelson, 2013), lobsters (Murray and Cowie, 2011), amphipods, lugworms, and barnacles (Thompson et al., 2004; Browne et al., 2013; Wright et al., 2013a)....
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...vertebrates that ingest microplastics include sea cucumbers (Graham and Thompson, 2009), mussels (Browne et al., 2008; Farrell and Nelson, 2013), lobsters (Murray and Cowie, 2011), amphipods, lugworms, and barnacles (Thompson et al....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Microplastics in bivalves cultured for human consumption.

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Lisbeth Van Cauwenberghe¹, Colin R. Janssen¹•Institutions (1)

Ghent University¹

01 Oct 2014-Environmental Pollution

TL;DR: The presence of marine microplastics in seafood could pose a threat to food safety, however, due to the complexity of estimating microplastic toxicity, estimations of the potential risks for human health posed by microplastically in food stuffs is not (yet) possible.

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1,378 citations

Cites background from "Trophic level transfer of microplas..."

...Microplastics can either be ingested directly or indirectly through the consumption of lower trophic level prey (Farrell and Nelson, 2013)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) as a Source of Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment

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Fionn Murphy¹, Ciaran Ewins¹, Frederic Carbonnier, Brian Quinn¹•Institutions (1)

University of the West of Scotland¹

18 May 2016-Environmental Science & Technology

TL;DR: This study shows that despite the efficient removal rates of MP achieved by this modern treatment plant when dealing with such a large volume of effluent even a modest amount of microplastics being released per liter of Effluent could result in significant amounts of micro Plastics entering the environment.

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Abstract: Municipal effluent discharged from wastewater treatment works (WwTW) is suspected to be a significant contributor of microplastics (MP) to the environment as many personal care products contain plastic microbeads. A secondary WwTW (population equivalent 650 000) was sampled for microplastics at different stages of the treatment process to ascertain at what stage in the treatment process the MP are being removed. The influent contained on average 15.70 (±5.23) MP·L–1. This was reduced to 0.25 (±0.04) MP·L–1 in the final effluent, a decrease of 98.41%. Despite this large reduction we calculate that this WwTW is releasing 65 million microplastics into the receiving water every day. A significant proportion of the microplastic accumulated in and was removed during the grease removal stage (19.67 (±4.51) MP/2.5 g), it was only in the grease that the much publicised microbeads were found. This study shows that despite the efficient removal rates of MP achieved by this modern treatment plant when dealing with su...

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1,191 citations

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References

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Journal Article•DOI•

Lost at sea: where is all the plastic?

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Richard C. Thompson¹, Ylva S. Olsen¹, Richard P. Mitchell¹, Anthony Davis¹, Steven J. Rowland¹, Anthony W. G. John, Daniel F. McGonigle², Andrea E. Russell² - Show less +4 more•Institutions (2)

University of Plymouth¹, University of Southampton²

07 May 2004-Science

TL;DR: It is shown that microscopic plastic fragments and fibers are also widespread in the marine environment and may persist for centuries.

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Abstract: Millions of metric tons of plastic are produced annually. Countless large items of plastic debris are accumulating in marine habitats worldwide and may persist for centuries ([ 1 ][1]–[ 4 ][2]). Here we show that microscopic plastic fragments and fibers ([Fig. 1A][3]) are also widespread in the

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4,067 citations

"Trophic level transfer of microplas..." refers background in this paper

...Particles can also accumulate in sediment (Thompson et al., 2004), suggesting that these would be available to many benthic species....
[...]
...Invertebrates with a range of feeding methods have been shown to ingest microplastic including; filter feeders (mussels, barnacles), deposit feeders (lugworms) and detritivores (amphipods, sea cucumbers) (Browne et al., 2008; Thompson et al., 2004; Graham and Thompson, 2009)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Transport and release of chemicals from plastics to the environment and to wildlife

[...]

Emma L. Teuten¹, Jovita M. Saquing², Detlef R.U. Knappe², Morton A. Barlaz², Susanne Jonsson³, Annika Björn³, Steven J. Rowland¹, Richard C. Thompson¹, Tamara S. Galloway⁴, Rei Yamashita⁵, Daisuke Ochi⁵, Yutaka Watanuki⁵, Charles J. Moore, Pham Hung Viet⁶, Touch Seang Tana, Maricar S. Prudente⁷, Ruchaya Boonyatumanond, Mohamad Pauzi Zakaria⁸, Kongsap Akkhavong, Yuko Ogata⁹, Hisashi Hirai⁹, Satoru Iwasa⁹, Kaoruko Mizukawa⁹, Yuki Hagino⁹, Ayako Imamura⁹, Mahua Saha⁹, Hideshige Takada⁹ - Show less +23 more•Institutions (9)

University of Plymouth¹, North Carolina State University², Linköping University³, University of Exeter⁴, Hokkaido University⁵, Hanoi University⁶, De La Salle University⁷, Universiti Putra Malaysia⁸, University of Tokyo⁹

27 Jul 2009-Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B

TL;DR: Model calculations and experimental observations consistently show that polyethylene accumulates more organic contaminants than other plastics such as polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride, and PCBs could transfer from contaminated plastics to streaked shearwater chicks.

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Abstract: Plastics debris in the marine environment, including resin pellets, fragments and microscopic plastic fragments, contain organic contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides (2,2′-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane, hexachlorinated hexanes), polybrominated diphenylethers, alkylphenols and bisphenol A, at concentrations from sub ng g–1 to µg g–1. Some of these compounds are added during plastics manufacture, while others adsorb from the surrounding seawater. Concentrations of hydrophobic contaminants adsorbed on plastics showed distinct spatial variations reflecting global pollution patterns. Model calculations and experimental observations consistently show that polyethylene accumulates more organic contaminants than other plastics such as polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride. Both a mathematical model using equilibrium partitioning and experimental data have demonstrated the transfer of contaminants from plastic to organisms. A feeding experiment indicated that PCBs could transfer from contaminated plastics to streaked shearwater chicks. Plasticizers, other plastics additives and constitutional monomers also present potential threats in terrestrial environments because they can leach from waste disposal sites into groundwater and/or surface waters. Leaching and degradation of plasticizers and polymers are complex phenomena dependent on environmental conditions in the landfill and the chemical properties of each additive. Bisphenol A concentrations in leachates from municipal waste disposal sites in tropical Asia ranged from sub µg l–1 to mg l–1 and were correlated with the level of economic development.

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2,114 citations

"Trophic level transfer of microplas..." refers background in this paper

...PCBs can transfer from plastic to streaked shearwater chicks (Teuten et al., 2009) and hydrophobic contaminants have been found to be transported to sediment-dwelling organisms via plastic (Teuten et al., 2007)....
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...Plastic contains organic contaminants, either added during manufacture or adsorbed from the seawater (Teuten et al., 2009)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Ingested Microscopic Plastic Translocates to the Circulatory System of the Mussel,Mytilus edulis(L.)

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Mark Anthony Browne¹, Awantha Dissanayake², Tamara S. Galloway², David M. Lowe², Richard C. Thompson² - Show less +1 more•Institutions (2)

University of Plymouth¹, Plymouth Marine Laboratory²

30 May 2008-Environmental Science & Technology

TL;DR: The data indicate as plastic fragments into smaller particles, the potential for accumulation in the tissues of an organism increases and further work using a wider range of organisms, polymers, and periods of exposure will be required to establish the biological consequences of this debris.

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Abstract: Plastics debris is accumulating in the environment and is fragmenting into smaller pieces; as it does, the potential for ingestion by animals increases. The consequences of macroplastic debris for wildlife are well documented, however the impacts of microplastic (< 1 mm) are poorly understood. The mussel, Mytilus edulis, was used to investigate ingestion, translocation, and accumulation of this debris. Initial experiments showed that upon ingestion, microplastic accumulated in the gut. Mussels were subsequently exposed to treatments containing seawater and microplastic (3.0 or 9.6 microm). After transfer to clean conditions, microplastic was tracked in the hemolymph. Particles translocated from the gut to the circulatory system within 3 days and persisted for over 48 days. Abundance of microplastic was greatest after 12 days and declined thereafter. Smaller particles were more abundant than larger particles and our data indicate as plastic fragments into smaller particles, the potential for accumulation in the tissues of an organism increases. The short-term pulse exposure used here did not result in significant biological effects. However, plastics are exceedingly durable and so further work using a wider range of organisms, polymers, and periods of exposure will be required to establish the biological consequences of this debris.

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1,708 citations

"Trophic level transfer of microplas..." refers background or methods in this paper

...Microspheres ingested by mussels were translocated from the gut into the circulatory system and persisted for over 48 days (Browne et al., 2008)....
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...Microplastic is ingested by many marine invertebrates as the particles are in the size range of plankton (Browne et al., 2008)....
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...Invertebrates with a range of feeding methods have been shown to ingest microplastic including; filter feeders (mussels, barnacles), deposit feeders (lugworms) and detritivores (amphipods, sea cucumbers) (Browne et al., 2008; Thompson et al., 2004; Graham and Thompson, 2009)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Synthetic polymers in the marine environment: A rapidly increasing, long-term threat

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Charles J. Moore¹•Institutions (1)

California State University, Long Beach¹

01 Oct 2008-Environmental Research

TL;DR: Marine plastic debris is divided into two categories: macro, >5 mm and micro, <5 mm, which provide potential danger to marine ecosystems from the accumulation of plastic debris on the sea floor and the potential bioavailability of compounds added to plastics at the time of manufacture, as well as those adsorbed from the environment.

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1,572 citations

"Trophic level transfer of microplas..." refers background in this paper

...Effects include blockage of the digestive tract and false satiation (Moore, 2008)....
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...Many of these effects have yet to be studied and the long-term consequences remain largely unknown (Moore, 2008)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Plastic Resin Pellets as a Transport Medium for Toxic Chemicals in the Marine Environment

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Yukie Mato¹, Tomohiko Isobe¹, Hideshige Takada¹, Haruyuki Kanehiro¹, Chiyoko Ohtake¹, Tsuguchika Kaminuma¹ - Show less +2 more•Institutions (1)

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology¹

15 Jan 2001-Environmental Science & Technology

TL;DR: Field adsorption experiments using PP virgin pellets demonstrated significant and steady increase in PCBs and DDE concentrations throughout the six-day experiment, indicating that the source of PCBs, DDE, and nonylphenols is ambient seawater and that adsor adaptation to pellet surfaces is the mechanism of enrichment.

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Abstract: Plastic resin pellets (small granules 0.1−0.5 centimeters in diameter) are widely distributed in the ocean all over the world. They are an industrial raw material for the plastic industry and are unintentionally released to the environment both during manufacturing and transport. They are sometimes ingested by seabirds and other marine organisms, and their adverse effects on organisms are a concern. In the present study, PCBs, DDE, and nonylphenols (NP) were detected in polypropylene (PP) resin pellets collected from four Japanese coasts. Concentrations of PCBs (4−117 ng/g), DDE (0.16−3.1 ng/g), and NP (0.13−16 μg/g) varied among the sampling sites. These concentrations were comparable to those for suspended particles and bottom sediments collected from the same area as the pellets. Field adsorption experiments using PP virgin pellets demonstrated significant and steady increase in PCBs and DDE concentrations throughout the six-day experiment, indicating that the source of PCBs and DDE is ambient seawater...

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1,481 citations

"Trophic level transfer of microplas..." refers background in this paper

...Plastic can concentrate contaminants, up to the order of 106 (Mato et al., 2001), potentially acting as both source and vector for the contaminants....
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