Microplastics in Seawater, Sediment, and Organisms from Hangzhou Bay. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Qu, Jianli; Wu, Pengfei; Pan, Guojun; Li, Jiangpeng; Jin, Hangbiao
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 181(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: Microplastics -- Seawater -- Sediment -- Marine organism -- Hangzhou Bay; 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.2022.113940
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Microplastics (MPs) are widely present in global oceans, and can pose a threat to marine organisms. This study examined the abundance and characteristics of MPs in seawater, sediment, and organism samples collected from Hangzhou Bay. Abundance of MPs in seawater ( n = 26) and sediment ( n = 26) were 0.77–9.6 items/m 3 and 44–208 items/kg dw, respectively. Size of MPs in sediment (mean 2.5 mm, range 0.21–5.3 mm) was significantly ( p < 0.05) larger than that in seawater (1.1 mm, 0.13–4.9 mm). Fiber was consistently the predominant shape of MPs in seawater and sediment. The major polymer composition of MPs was polyethylene (PE; mean 47 %) in seawater, but textile cellulose (60 %) was the main polymer type of MPs in sediment. Average abundance of MPs in marine organisms ( n = 388) ranged from 0.064 (zooplankton) to 2.9 ( Harpodon nehereus ) items/ind, with the mean size of 0.19–1.4 mm. MP abundance in marine organisms was not significantly correlated with their trophic level. Fiber was always the predominant shape of MPs in different marine organisms, contributing mean 67 (fish)–93 % (zooplankton) of total MPs. MPs in crustacean (mean 58 %), shellfish (64 %), and cephalopod (29 %) were dominated by textile cellulose. Whereas, PE (mean 44 %) and polypropylene (43 %) were the major polymer compositions of MPs in fish and zooplankton, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive study investigating the occurrence of MPs in environmental matrixes from Hangzhou Bay, which contributes to the better understanding of environmental behaviors of MPs in estuarine sea environment. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: Size of MPs in sediment was significantly larger than that in seawater. Fiber and fragment were the predominant shape of MPs in seawater and sediment. Fiber was consistently the predominant shape of MPs in different marine organisms. PE and PP were the major compositions of MPs in fish and zooplankton, respectively.