Microplastic contamination in the San Francisco Bay, California, USA. Issue 1 (15th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sutton, Rebecca; Mason, Sherri A.; Stanek, Shavonne K.; Willis-Norton, Ellen; Wren, Ian F.; Box, Carolynn
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 109:Issue 1(2016:Aug.)
• Page Start: 230
• Page End: 235
• Publication Date: 2016-08-15
• Subjects: Plastic pollution -- Marine debris -- San Francisco Bay -- Microplastic -- Microbeads -- Wastewater; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.05.077
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Despite widespread detection of microplastic pollution in marine environments, data describing microplastic abundance in urban estuaries and microplastic discharge via treated municipal wastewater are limited. This study presents information on abundance, distribution, and composition of microplastic at nine sites in San Francisco Bay, California, USA. Also presented are characterizations of microplastic in final effluent from eight wastewater treatment plants, employing varying treatment technologies, that discharge to the Bay. With an average microplastic abundance of 700, 000 particles/km 2, Bay surface water appears to have higher microplastic levels than other urban waterbodies sampled in North America. Moreover, treated wastewater from facilities that discharge into the Bay contains considerable microplastic contamination. Facilities employing tertiary filtration did not show lower levels of contamination than those using secondary treatment. As textile-derived fibers were more abundant in wastewater, higher levels of fragments in surface water suggest additional pathways of microplastic pollution, such as stormwater runoff. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Mean San Francisco Bay microplastic abundance appears higher than other U.S. waters. Surface water contained more fragments, wastewater more anthropogenic fibers. Tertiary plants did not release lower levels of microplastic, especially fibers.