Dirty Danube

14 March 2014 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 2.1 reports, stats and studies Tagged 2.2 Litter

“Based on the ambient population data and the local runoff, the researchers estimated that the Danube carries about 4.2 tons of plastic litter into the Black Sea on a daily basis. On an annual basis this means 1,533 tons of litter; more than the estimated mass of the infamous litter islands in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean.

So far the growing quantity of litter has been studied almost only in oceans and seas, however, plastic particles can cause similar harms in rivers as well. Fish may swallow the small plastic items which can make them die. Toxic materials can be absorbed by the plastic items, possibly entering humans who eat fish.”

New research – read more

Phthalates.

are used as a plasticiser used to make a material like PVC softer and more flexible.
But they are also used in a wide range of other products.
They are small molecules that can dissolve into liquids that come into contact with them.
they are endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Phthalate plasticizers are colorless liquids like vegetable oil with a faint odor, and they are insoluble in water. They are however, miscible in mineral oil, hexane, and most organic solvents. This makes them readily soluble in bodily fluids, such as plasma and saliva (1).

Two good examples of phthalate plasticizers are DEHP ( Di-Ethylhexyl Phthalate), and DINP (Di-Isononyl Phthalate).DEHP has been the most commonly used, and is still the plasticizer of choice for all PVC medical and surgical products.However due to evidence of the toxicity of DEHP in laboratory animal studies it was replaced in childrens products with DINP.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and potential EDCs are mostly man-made, found in various materials such as pesticides, metals, additives or contaminants in food, and personal care products. EDCs have been suspected to be associated with altered reproductive function in males and females; increased incidence of breast cancer, abnormal growth patterns and neurodevelopmental delays in children, as well as changes in immune function. World Health Organisation

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate is widely used as a plasticizer in flexible vinyl products. Plastics may contain from 1 to 40% di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate by weight and are used in consumer products such as

imitation leather,
rainwear,
footwear,
upholstery,
flooring,
wire and cabels,
tablecloths,
shower curtains,
food packaging materials,
children’toys.
tubing and containers for blood products and transfusions.

It is also found in

rubbing alcohol,
liquid detergents,
decorative inks,
munitions,
industrial and lubricating oils and defoaming agents during paper and paperboard manufacture (Environmental Protection Agency, 1998)
hydraulic fluid and as a dielectric fluid (a non-conductor of electric current) in electrical capacitors (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1989).

Phthalates & Cosmetics.

Non-classified phthalates, DMP and DEP are the most widely used in cosmetics in the EU. They have not been classified or restricted because they do not pose any risks for our health or the environment.

Classified low orthophthalates such as DBP and DIBP are no longer found in products manufactured and sold in the European Union due to provisions of the European Cosmetics legislation, which prohibits the use of substances classified for carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) hazards.

This EU legislation does not apply in other regions of the world, such as the US, where classified low orthophthalates are still permitted, although some companies have voluntarily stopped using them.

Historically, the phthalates used in cosmetic products have been dibutyl phthalate (DBP), used as a plasticizer in products such as nail polishes to reduce cracking by making them less brittle; dimethyl phthalate (DMP), used in hair sprays to help avoid stiffness by allowing them to form a flexible film on the hair; and diethyl phthalate (DEP), used as a solvent and fixative in fragrances. DEP can also function as an alcohol denaturant , rendering alcoholic products unfit for oral consumption. DEP is the only phthalate still periodically used in cosmetics

Phthalates Leaching From Plastic.

Because phthalate plasticizers are not chemically bound to PVC, they can easily leach and evaporate into food or the atmosphere. Phthalate exposure can be through direct use or by indirect means through leaching and general environmental contamination. Diet is believed to be the main source of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and other phthalates in the general population. Fatty foods such as milk, butter, and meats are a major source. Wikkipedia

“ A 2011 study demonstrated that just a three-day period of limiting intake of packaged foods decreased by half the concentrations of DEHP found in urine (Rudel, 2011)”

Some studies also claim that phthalates are readily absorbed through the skin (Janjua, 2008) and can also enter the body through inhalation or medical injection procedures (Schettler, 2005).

When plastic toys are chewed by a child the plasticiser may be dissolved by the saliva of the child and possibly ingested.

Phthalates have been found in indoor air and dust (Rudel, 2001) and in human urine and blood samples from children, adolescents and adults (Calafat, 2011; Frederiksen, 2011; Kato, 2003; Rudel, 2011).

They are also found in breast milk.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate released into air can be carried for long distances in the troposphere and it has been detected over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; wash-out by rain appears to be a significant removal process (Atlas & Giam, 1981; Giam

Are they dangerous?

In a National Institutes of Health (NIH) report published in 2000, di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), commonly found in PVC plastics, was found reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.

The breast cancer fund have no doubts that it causes cancer and the reports they quote all reinforce that view

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified DEHP as non-carcinogenic to humans.

How much is out there?

Production of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in the United States increased during the 1980s, from approximately 114 000 tonnes in 1982 to over 130 000 tonnes in 1986 (Environmental Protection Agency, 1998).

In 1994, production of di(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate in the United States was 117 500 tonnes; production in Japan in 1995 was 298 000 tonnes; production in Taiwan in 1995 was 207 000 tonnes, down from 241 000 tonnes in 1994 (Anon., 1996).

Most Common Phthalates In Use

Name	Abbreviation	Structural formula	Molecular weight (g/mol)	CAS No.
Dimethyl phthalate	DMP	C₆H₄(COOCH₃)₂	194.18	131-11-3
Diethyl phthalate	DEP	C₆H₄(COOC₂H₅)₂	222.24	84-66-2
Diallyl phthalate	DAP	C₆H₄(COOCH₂CH=CH₂)₂	246.26	131-17-9
Di-n-propyl phthalate	DPP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₂CH₃]₂	250.29	131-16-8
Di-n-butyl phthalate	DBP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₃CH₃]₂	278.34	84-74-2
Diisobutyl phthalate	DIBP	C₆H₄[COOCH₂CH(CH₃)₂]₂	278.34	84-69-5
Butyl cyclohexyl phthalate	BCP	CH₃(CH₂)₃OOCC₆H₄COOC₆H₁₁	304.38	84-64-0
Di-n-pentyl phthalate	DNPP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₄CH₃]₂	306.40	131-18-0
Dicyclohexyl phthalate	DCP	C₆H₄[COOC₆H₁₁]₂	330.42	84-61-7
Butyl benzyl phthalate	BBP	CH₃(CH₂)₃OOCC₆H₄COOCH₂C₆H₅	312.36	85-68-7
Di-n-hexyl phthalate	DNHP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₅CH₃]₂	334.45	84-75-3
Diisohexyl phthalate	DIHxP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₃CH(CH₃)₂]₂	334.45	146-50-9
Diisoheptyl phthalate	DIHpP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₄CH(CH₃)₂]₂	362.50	41451-28-9
Butyl decyl phthalate	BDP	CH₃(CH₂)₃OOCC₆H₄COO(CH₂)₉CH₃	362.50	89-19-0
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate	DEHP, DOP	C₆H₄[COOCH₂CH(C₂H₅)(CH₂)₃CH₃]₂	390.56	117-81-7
Di(n-octyl) phthalate	DNOP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₇CH₃]₂	390.56	117-84-0
Diisooctyl phthalate	DIOP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₅CH(CH₃)₂]₂	390.56	27554-26-3
n-Octyl n-decyl phthalate	ODP	CH₃(CH₂)₇OOCC₆H₄COO(CH₂)₉CH₃	418.61	119-07-3
Diisononyl phthalate	DINP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₆CH(CH₃)₂]₂	418.61	28553-12-0
Di(2-propylheptyl) phthalate	DPHP	C₆H₄[COOCH₂CH(CH₂CH₂CH₃)(CH₂)₄CH₃]₂	446.66	53306-54-0
Diisodecyl phthalate	DIDP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₇CH(CH₃)₂]₂	446.66	26761-40-0
Diundecyl phthalate	DUP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₁₀CH₃]₂	474.72	3648-20-2
Diisoundecyl phthalate	DIUP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₈CH(CH₃)₂]₂	474.72	85507-79-5
Ditridecyl phthalate	DTDP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₁₂CH₃]₂	530.82	119-06-2
Diisotridecyl phthalate	DIUP	C₆H₄[COO(CH₂)₁₀CH(CH₃)₂]₂	530.82	68515-47-9

Sources

Interesting links

Breast cancer fund

BBC Science

World Health Organisation

IARC monograph

Wikkipedia

More reports on phthalates here

What plastic should you feed your turtle

6 March 2014 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 2.1 reports, stats and studies Tagged 2.2 Animals

Plastic bags have been found in stomachs of the following marine species. several of which are classified as endangered

2013 Loggerhead turtle with links to earlier reports by Plotkin and Amos 1990; Bjorndal and Bolten. 1994)

2001 Marine Debris and Human Impacts on Sea Turtles

*Green turtle (Uchida. 1990; Balazs 1985; Meylan 1978)

*Hawksbill turtle (Teas and Witzell. 1994; Hartog 1980)

Leatherback turtle (Balazs. 1985; Sadove and Morreale. 1990) *

The leatherback sea turtle, sometimes called the lute turtle, is the largest of all living turtles and is the fourth largest modern reptile behind three crocodilians. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys. Wikipedia

Leatherback sea turtle, South America, French Guiana
Originally uploaded by ~Steph~

It is the most commonly seen turtles in UK waters. and is especially at risk from plastic bag ingestion. as these bags. especially white or clear shopping bags closely resemble jellyfish. their primary prey. when suspended in the water column.

Plastic bags along with sheeting and plastic pieces are the predominant synthetic items found in the stomachs of turtles. An autopsy of a dead leatherback turtle washed up in Scotland in December 1994 reported that it had died as a result of starvation. caused by primary obstruction of the digestive tract by ingested plastic and metal litter. There was also a plastic bag lodged 40cm down the oesophagus (Godley et al. 1998).

A leatherback. washed ashore in Galloway in December 1998. was found in very poor condition with plastic bags obstructing its alimentary tract. The blockage included 1 white plastic bag. 1 black plastic bin liner. 3 transparent plastic bags. 1 green plastic bag. and 1 transparent plastic bag for chicken meat packaged by a US company.

Another leatherback found dead on Harlech beach in Wales in September 1988 had a piece of plastic blocking the entrance to the small intestine. and an autopsy established this could have contributed to the animal’s death (Eckert and Luginbuhl. 1988).

A study of dead stranded sea turtles on the coast of Brazil from 1997 to 1998 found the main items ingested were plastic bags. Of the 30 green turtles examined. white/transparent plastic bags were recorded in 14 (47%) of the green turtles found. Ingestion of anthropogenic debris accounted for the death of 4 (13.2%) of the green turtles examined (Bugoni et al. 2001).

Taken from adopt a beach

Pictures

For lots of photos of turtles impacted by plastic bags, go to sea turtles and plastic

Heres a film of a baby turtle eating plastic

And here’s a film of a deformed turtle – 6 pack plastic holders are responsible here

Other Ways Plastic Might Affect Turtles

Small pieces of latex and plastic sheeting were offered to sea turtles on different occasions and the turtles’ feeding behavior was noted,……………..blood glucose declined for 9 days following ingestion,indicating a possible interference in energy metabolism or gut function.

Dramatic Illustration of the Dangers of Plastic from The Daily Mail (gcvconservation.wordpress.com)
The plastic found in a single turtle’s stomach (independent.co.uk)

More reports on other animal deaths can be found here

Why Wales banned the bag….

27 February 2014 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 2.1 reports, stats and studies Tagged 2.2 Litter 4 Comments

Beachwatch is a UK wide beach clean and survey organised by the Marine Conservation Society that has taken place every September since 1993,. During the Beachwatch 2007 event, 7,504 plastic bags were found on 354 beaches around the UK. On average 44 bags were found for every kilometre of coastline surveyed.

Plastic bags ranked number 15 in the top 20 most common litter items recorded, accounting for 2% of all beach li
tter.

In Wales the amount of plastic bags was higher than the UK average, with 887 bags found on 38 beaches amounting to 57 items/km.

Lots more about plastic marine trash in the UK right here

Endocrine System & Endocrine Disruptors

18 February 2014 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 1.4 Additives Fact Sheets, 2.1 reports, stats and studies Tagged 1.2 BPA, 1.2 Chemicals, 1.6 Definitions, 5 Content Veiw 1 Comment

A few quotes on the endocrine system…….

“Although we rarely think about them, the glands of the endocrine system and the hormones they release influence almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, and metabolism, as well as sexual function and reproductive processes.

In general, the endocrine system is in charge of body processes that happen slowly, such as cell growth. Faster processes like breathing and body movement are controlled by the nervous system. But even though the nervous system and endocrine system are separate systems, they often work together to help the body function properly.”Kids health

“Endocrine systems, are found in all mammals, birds, fish, and many other types of living organisms. They are made up of:

Glands located throughout the body.
Hormones that are made by the glands and released into the bloodstream or the fluid surrounding cells.
Receptors in various organs and tissues that recognize and respond to the hormones.
Hormones are released by glands and travel throughout the body, acting as chemical messengers.

Hormones interface with cells that contain matching receptors in or on their surfaces. The hormone binds with the receptor, much like a key would fit into a lock. The hormones, or keys, need to find compatible receptors, or locks, to work properly. Although hormones reach all parts of the body, only target cells with compatible receptors are equipped to respond. Once a receptor and a hormone bind, the receptor carries out the hormone’s instructions by either altering the cell’s existing proteins or turning on genes that will build a new protein. Both of these actions create reactions throughout the body. Researchers have identified more than 50 hormones in humans and other vertebrates.

The endocrine system regulates all biological processes in the body from conception through adulthood and into old age, including the development of the brain and nervous system, the growth and function of the reproductive system, as well as the metabolism and blood sugar levels. The female ovaries, male testes, and pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands are major constituents of the endocrine system.”The EPA website

“The Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) focuses on the estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormones. Estrogens are the group of hormones responsible for female sexual development. They are produced primarily by the ovaries and in small amounts by the adrenal glands. Androgens are responsible for male sex characteristics. Testosterone, the sex hormone produced by the testicles, is an androgen. The thyroid gland secretes two main hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine, into the bloodstream. These thyroid hormones stimulate all the cells in the body and control biological processes such as growth, reproduction, development, and metabolism. For additional information on the endocrine system and endocrine disruptors, visit the Endocrine Primer.” The EPA website

“Endocrine Disruptors

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and plasticizers such as bisphenol A. Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products– including plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides.” National institute of Environmental Health Sciences
“Disruption of the endocrine system can occur in various ways. Some chemicals mimic a natural hormone, fooling the body into over-responding to the stimulus (e.g., a growth hormone that results in increased muscle mass), or responding at inappropriate times (e.g., producing insulin when it is not needed). Other endocrine disrupting chemicals block the effects of a hormone from certain receptors (e.g. growth hormones required for normal development). Still others directly stimulate or inhibit the endocrine system and cause overproduction or underproduction of hormones (e.g. an over or underactive thyroid). Certain drugs are used to intentionally cause some of these effects, such as birth control pills. In many situations involving environmental chemicals, however, an endocrine effect is not desirable.

In recent years, some scientists have proposed that chemicals might inadvertently be disrupting the endocrine system of humans and wildlife. A variety of chemicals have been found to disrupt the endocrine systems of animals in laboratory studies, and there is strong evidence that chemical exposure has been associated with adverse developmental and reproductive effects on fish and wildlife in particular locations. The relationship of human diseases of the endocrine system and exposure to environmental contaminants, however, is poorly understood and scientifically controversial (Kavlock et al., 1996, EPA, 1997).

One example of the devastating consequences of the exposure of developing animals, including humans, to endocrine disruptors is the case of the potent drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen. Prior to its ban in the early 1970’s, doctors mistakenly prescribed DES to as many as five million pregnant women to block spontaneous abortion and promote fetal growth. It was discovered after the children went through puberty that DES affected the development of the reproductive system and caused vaginal cancer. Since then, Congress has improved the evaluation and regulation process of drugs and other chemicals. The recent requirement of the establishment of an endocrine disruptor screening program is a highly significant step.docrine disruptor screening program is a highly significant step.”The EPA website

Find out more about the endocrine disruptors in plastic here

Bees collect polyurethane and polyethylene plastics as novel nest materials

13 February 2014 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 2.1 reports, stats and studies Tagged 2.2 Animals

http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES13-00308.1
Abstract: Plastic waste pervades the global landscape. Although adverse impacts on both species and ecosystems have been documented, there are few observations of behavioral flexibility and adaptation in species,
especially insects, to increasingly plastic-rich environments. Here, two species of megachilid bee are described independently using different types of polyurethane and polyethylene plastics in place of natural materials to construct and close brood cells in nests containing successfully emerging brood.

The plastics collected by each bee species resembled the natural materials usually sought; Megachile rotundata, which uses cut plant leaves, was found constructing brood cells out of cut pieces of polyethylene-based plastic bags, and Megachile campanulae, which uses plant and tree resins, had brood cells constructed out of a polyurethane-based exterior building sealant. Although perhaps incidentally collected, the novel use of plastics in the nests of bees
could reflect ecologically adaptive traits necessary for survival in an increasingly human-dominated environment.

http://www.esajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1890/ES13-00308.1

Antimony

12 February 2014 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 1.4 Additives Fact Sheets Tagged 1.2 Chemicals, 1.6 Definitions, 5 Content Veiw

Is a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemical – ie one that lasts a long time, accumulates in the food chain and is, well, toxic. Read more here…

Humans absorb antimony from the air, drinking water and food – but also by skin contact with soil and contaminated substances.

Exposure to “relatively high concentrations of antimony (9 mg/m3 of air)” over long periods of time ( doesn’t say how long is long) can cause irritation of the eyes, skin and lungs.

Greater exposure may result in lung diseases, heart problems, diarrhea, severe vomiting and stomach ulcers.

It is not known whether antimony can cause cancer or reproductive failure.

Animals

“Relatively high” levels may kill rats, rabbits and guinea pigs and can cause damage to the lungs, heart, liver and kidney of a rat.

Low levels of antimony in the air, experienced for a long time, may result in eye irritation, hair loss and lung damage in animals. Even shorter exposures of a couple of months may result in fertility problems.

Dogs may experience heart problems if exposed to low levels of antimony.

Environment

Antimony is most often found in soil.

It can travel long distances through water.

Products

Antimony is used in

Polyester – a synthetic fabric -you always knew those slacks were wrong!
PET bottles – used in the beverage industry

Its is shown to leach from both those products.

With thanks to

Lentech and EPA

Plastic in Fish

8 February 2014 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 2.1 reports, stats and studies Tagged 1.2 BPA, 1.2 plastic addatives, 2.2 Animals

Blackfin tuna (Manooch and Mason. 1983)

Chelsea M. Rochman, Rebecca L. Lewison, Marcus Eriksen, Harry Allen,

Anna-Marie Cook, Swee J. Teh,

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in fish tissue may be an indicator of plastic contamination in marine habitats, Science of The Total Environment, Volumes 476–477, 1 April

2014, Pages 622-633, ISSN 0048-9697,

(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969714000679)

Abstract: The accumulation of plastic debris in pelagic habitats of the subtropical gyres is a global phenomenon of growing concern, particularly with regard to wildlife. When animals ingest plastic debris that is associated with chemical contaminants, they are at risk of bioaccumulating hazardous pollutants. We examined the relationship

between the bioaccumulation of hazardous chemicals in myctophid fish associated with plastic debris and plastic contamination in remote and previously unmonitored pelagic habitats in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Using a published model, we defined three sampling zones where accumulated densities of plastic debris were predicted to differ.

Contrary to model predictions, we found variable levels of plastic debris density across all stations within the sampling zones.

Mesopelagic lanternfishes, sampled from each station and analyzed for bisphenol A (BPA), alkylphenols, alkylphenol ethoxylates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), exhibited variability in contaminant levels, but this variability was not related to plastic debris density for most of the targeted compounds with the exception of PBDEs. We found that myctophid sampled at stations with greater plastic densities did have significantly larger concentrations of BDE#s 183 –209 in their tissues suggesting that higher brominated congeners of PBDEs, added to plastics as flame-retardants, are indicative of plastic contamination in the marine environment. Our results provide data on a previously unsampled pelagic gyre and highlight the challenges associated with characterizing plastic debris accumulation and associated risks to wildlife.

Keywords: Plastic debris; Myctophid; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers

(PBDEs); South Atlantic Gyre

More reports on other animal deaths can be found here

Chemicals & Additives In Plastic

18 January 2014 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 1.2 Plastic The Product, 2 BAD PLASTIC Tagged 1.2 Chemicals, 1.2 making plastic, 5 Content Veiw

The first stage in plastic production, the polymerisation of raw material.

Then substances such as fillers and chemicals (sometimes called monomeric ingredients), are added to give color, texture and a whole range of other qualities. Reinforcing fibers for example make the base polymer stronger while man-made organic chemicals, such as phthalates are added to make plastic flexible, resilient and easier to handle.

These give the plastic an additional range of qualities. There are thousands of addatives used in making plastic.

Plastic additives

Include
Reinforcing fibers to make the base polymer stronger. For example baron, carbon, fibrous minerals, glass, Kevlar all Increases tensile strength. Others increase flexibility, heat-deflection temperature (HDT) or help resists shrinkage and warpage.
Extender fillers such as calcium carbonate and silica, clay reduces material cost.
Conductive fillers means electromagnetic shielding property can be built into plastics, which are normally poor electrical conductors include aluminum powders, carbon fiber, graphite Improves electrical and thermal conductivity.
Coupling agents such as Silanes, titanates improve the bonding of the plastic matrix and the reinforcing fibres.
Plasticizers – man-made organic chemicals, such as phthalates added to make plastic flexible, resilient and easier to handle. Some are considered unsafe – read more here.
Stabilizers (halogen stabilizers, antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, and biological preservatives) to stop it breaking down over time>Protects from thermal and UV degradation (with carbon blacks).
Processing aids (ie lubricants to reduce the viscosity of the molten plastic and others)
Flame retardants Chlorine, bromine, phosphorous, metallic salts Reduces the occurrence and spread of combustion.
Peroxides
Anti-static agents can be used to attract moisture, reducing the build-up of static charge.
Colorants (pigments and dyes) Metal oxides, chromates, carbon blacks.
Blowing agents Gas, azo compounds, hydrazine derivatives Generates a cellular form to obtain a low-density

Concerns

As you can see that is a lot of additives. So many that we do not know what they all are. Also manufacturers are not obliged to reveal what they use in their plastic mixes. So while the polymers used in base plastics are mostly considered to be harmless, the potential toxicity of the additives is often unknown.

It is claimed that many of the additives used have not been passed as fit for human consumption and that more research needs to be done on the safe handling and ultimate disposal of these plastics.

Rather worryingly, some of the chemicals used in plastic seem to be mobile and can leach from the plastic product into the contents. For example from the plastic packaging wrapped round your cheese or the epoxy resin lining of your can of beans into your food. The jury is still out on wether this is dangerous or not but add that to a brown toast cancer scare and cheesy beans don’t look so tasty!

Halogenated plastics like PVC will, when burnt, release dioxin one of the most powerful carcinogens known.

More animals are being found with plastic in their stomachs having mistaken for food and microplastics are being ingested by bottom feeders and plankton. Some reports claim that chemicals from plastic are being absorbed by animals with ill effects.You can read more on microplastic here and read reports on animals eating plastic.

Plastic particles attract persistent organic Pollutants (POPs). POPs are a small set of toxic chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods and accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals. Bottom feeders eat the plastic pellets and so the POPs enter the food chain.

Plastic Food
What Are Chemicals?

Burning plastic in the home

Some feel my worrying about plastic in the home is taking it too far? Disposables? Yes, they can see I ...
Read More

Plastic Chemicals & Food

Plastic packed food is unappealing in many ways. For me the most immediate problem is the flavor, or lack of ...
Read More

Endocrine disruption, fish & polyethylene

Early warning signs of endocrine disruption in adult fish from the ingestion of polyethylene with and without sorbed chemical pollutants from the marine ...
Read More

Perfluorochemicals and plastic

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are a family of man-made chemicals. They have been around since the 1950s. They include perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS; ...
Read More

Phthalates.

are used as a plasticiser used to make a material like PVC softer and more flexible. But they are also ...
Read More

Endocrine System & Endocrine Disruptors

A few quotes on the endocrine system....... "Although we rarely think about them, the glands of the endocrine system and ...
Read More

Antimony

Is a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemical - ie one that lasts a long time, accumulates in the food chain ...
Read More

Persistant Organic Pollutants

I was under the impression that pops was some kind of horrid Yorkshire dish involving hot milk and bits of ...
Read More

Chemicals & Additives In Plastic

The first stage in plastic production, the polymerisation of raw material. Then substances such as fillers and chemicals (sometimes called ...
Read More

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of manmade chemicals. They are oily liquids or solids, clear to yellow in color, ...
Read More

PTFE Non stick plastic

When I was young and innocent, I knew nothing of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Well, it's not the kind of thing a ...
Read More

PVC

A white brittle plastic until you add plasticisers the most common being phthalates then it becomes soft and flexible. PVC is ...
Read More

What’s in a PET bottle?

I am lucky enough to live in a country that supplies clean drinkable tap water so obviously I don’t need ...
Read More

Tin Cans, Plastic Liners & Health

So you think, no that you've given up plastic but at least you can buy stuff in tins. At least ...
Read More

BPA

Bisphenol A or BPA is it is known to its chums is used in some thermal paper products such as till receipts. the ...
Read More

Dioxins & Burning plastic

So, is it safe to burn plastic? Well most plastics don't burn easily - it melts and bubbles. It will burn eventually ...
Read More

Naptha & Oil Derived Plastic

21 December 2013 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 1.2 Plastic The Product Tagged 1.2 making plastic, 1.6 Definitions 1 Comment

Crude oil is a mixture of different hydrocarbons each with a different boiling point. These substances are separated from each other in a distillation tower.
This results in the separation of heavy crude oil into lighter groups called fractions. Each fraction is a mixture of hydrocarbon chains (chemical compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen), which differ in terms of the size and structure of their molecules.

How Stuff Works puts it like this
Hydrocarbons are molecules that contain hydrogen and carbon and come in various lengths and structures, from straight chains to branching chains to rings.
There are two things that make hydrocarbons exciting to chemists:
Hydrocarbons contain a lot of energy. Many of the things derived from crude oil like gasoline, diesel fuel, paraffin wax and so on take advantage of this energy.
Hydrocarbons can take on many different forms. The smallest hydrocarbon is methane (CH4), which is a gas that is a lighter than air. Longer chains with 5 or more carbons are liquids. Very long chains are solids like wax or tar. By chemically cross-linking hydrocarbon chains you can get everything from synthetic rubber to nylon to the plastic in tupperware. Hydrocarbon chains are very versatile!
Find out more about hydrocarbons here.

oil refinery

Petroleum Oil Refinery Process Diagram

From crude oil you can distill a whole load of products including;
gasoline
lubricating oils
kerosene
jet fuel
diesel fuel
heating oil
Naptha a feedstock for plastic

How much in a barrel?
Oil is sold between countries in quantities called barrels.
One barrel of oil is 42 US gallons 159 litres or 35 gallons or 280 pints
The weight of a barrel depends on where the oil comes from. However, there are about 8 barrels in a tonne
A barrel of crude oil can make about

7.27 gallons (27.5 liters): Other products (feedstocks for petrochemical plants, asphalt, bitumen, tar, etc.)
1.72 gallons (6.5 liters): Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG)
3.82 gallons (14.5 liters): Jet Fuel
1.76 gallons (6.6 liters): Heavy Fuel Oil (Residual)
1.75 gallons (6.6 liters): Other Distillates (Heating Oil)
9.21 gallons (35 liters): Diesel
19.15 gallons (72.5 liters): Gasoline
Approximate figures because every barrel of crude is different.
A flight from San Francisco to Tokyo may take about 9,000 US gallons of jet fuel which requires about 2,250 barrels of crude oil to extract. From Econtrader

Naptha

Definitions of naptha vary but
the fraction that boils between 27 °C and 93 °C (5 – 7 C atoms) is often called light naphtha.
the fraction that boils between 93 °C and 177 °C (6 – 10 C atoms) is heavy naphtha.
Crude oils from different sources contain different percentages of naphtha.
Naptha cannot be refined into gasoline or motor oil.
Naptha is the plastic feedstock of choice for many but in the US, most plastic is made from natural gas.

Google says you can get anything from 27 to 54L of naptha from 1 barrel of crude.

Naptha to Plastic

Cracking & Polymerisation
Hydrocarbon chains can be further refined by cracking and polymerising.
Very basically cracking breaks the existing chains and polymerisation is remixing them into something new. You can read more about it here.

Ethane and Propane are derived from Naptha
Using high-temperature furnaces
Ethane is cracked into ethylene
Propane is cracked into propylene,
Using a catalyst, a reactor and some heat these are now remade into plastic polymers
Ethylene becomes polyethylene also called polythene, the world’s most widely used plastic,
Propylene joins together to create polymers called polypropylene.
Most of the plastics we use are derived from polyethylene and polypropylene
Polypropylene and polyethylene were discovered in 1951 by two chemists working for Phillips Petroleum Company.

There are enough petrochemicals in one barrel of oil to make one of the following
- 39 polyester shirts
- 750 pocket combs
- 540 toothbrushes
- 65 plastic dustpans
- 23 hula hoops
- 65 plastic drinking cups
- 195 one-cup measuring cups
- 11 plastic telephone housings
- 135 four-inch rubber balls
Addatives

Processing can include the addition of plasticizers, dyes and flame-retardant chemicals – see additives….

Product

The polymers are now melted, cooled then cut into small pellets called nurdles.
These pellets are now shipped to manufacturers who make plastic products by using processes such as extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, etc.

Qualities & Biodegradability

These plastics are chemically inert and will not react chemically with other substances which makes them very useful. It also means that they do not break down chemically so do not biodegrade. This has a huge environmental impact as plastic trash lasts forever. See plastic lifespan.

These plastics can be recycled
Useful links
- additives….
- plastic lifespan
- definitions

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

18 December 2013 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 1.4 Additives Fact Sheets Tagged 1.2 Chemicals, 1.6 Definitions, 2.1 Persistent organic pollutant, 5 Content Veiw

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of manmade chemicals. They are oily liquids or solids, clear to yellow in color, with no smell or taste. PCBs are very stable mixtures that are resistant to extreme temperature and pressure. PCBs were used widely in electrical equipment like capacitors and transformers.

The commercial production of PCBs started in 1929.

Since the 1970s and 80s use has been banned or severely restricted in many countries because of the possible risks to human health and the environment.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) compounds were used as additives in paint, carbonless copy paper, and plastics.

They were used as a plasticiser to make plastics more flexible.

Commercial production of PCBs ended in 1977 because of health effects associated with exposure. In 1979, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) banned the use of PCBs; however, PCBs are still present in many pre-1979 products.

Of the 209 different types of PCBs, 13 exhibit a dioxin-like toxicity. Their persistence in the environment corresponds to the degree of chlorination, and half-lives can vary from 10 days to one-and-a-half years.

From the 1920s until they were banned in 1979, the U.S. produced an estimated 1.5 billion pounds of these industrial chemicals. They were used in a variety of manufacturing processes, particularly for electrical parts, across the country. Wastes containing PCBs were often improperly stored or disposed of or even directly discharged into soils, rivers, wetlands, and the ocean.

Exposure to PCBs is through food

Food: PCBs in food are probably the single most significant source of exposure for people.
Surface Soils:
Drinking Water and Groundwater: PCBs are not very water-soluble so it is quite rare for them to be found in groundwater.
Indoor Air: Older fluorescent lights found in schools, offices, and homes may still contain transformers or ballasts that contain PCBs.

Case Studies ( almost complete) from the world bank website

PCBs are toxic to fish, killing them at higher doses and causing spawning failures at lower doses. Research also links PCBs to reproductive failure and suppression of the immune system in various wild animals, such as seals and mink.

Large numbers of people have been exposed to PCBs through food contamination. Consumption of PCB-contaminated rice oil in Japan in 1968 and in Taiwan in 1979 caused pigmentation of nails and mucous membranes and swelling of the eyelids, along with fatigue, nausea, and vomiting.

Due to the persistence of PCBs in their mothers’ bodies, children born up to seven years after the Taiwan incident showed developmental delays and behavioral problems. Similarly, children of mothers who ate large amounts of contaminated fish from Lake Michigan showed poorer short-term memory function. PCBs also suppress the human immune system and are listed as probable human carcinogens.”

Dioxins are classed as a persistant organic pollutants, (POPs), also known as PBTs (Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic) or TOMPs (Toxic Organic Micro Pollutants.)

Find out more about dioxins here.

POPs are a small set of toxic chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods and accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals. You can find out more about POPS here

Harmful Chemicals in the Fish We Eat Also Come from Plastics (news.softpedia.com)
How Plastic In The Ocean Is Contaminating Your Seafood (ecobooks4kids.wordpress.com)

Global Garbage News

16 December 2013 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 2.1 reports, stats and studies

Latest reports, research papers and news stories about plastic can be found here, (other reports and statistics about other plastic related issues can be found here)

Thanks to Fabiano of www.globalgarbage.org for keeping us well informed.

, News, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 102, Issue 1, 15 January 2016, Pages 4-8, ISSN 0025-326X,http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.015.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15006360)

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15006360.pdf

Tim Jesper Suhrhoff, Barbara M. Scholz-Böttcher, Qualitative impact of salinity, UV radiation and turbulence on leaching of organic plastic additives from four common plastics — A lab experiment, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 102, Issue 1, 15 January 2016, Pages 84-94, ISSN 0025-326X,http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.11.054.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15302010)
Abstract: Four common consumer plastic samples (polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylchloride) were studied to investigate the impact of physical parameters such as turbulence, salinity and UV irradiance on leaching behavior of selected plastic components. Polymers were exposed to two different salinities (i.e. 0 and 35 g/kg), UV radiation and turbulence. Additives (e.g. bisphenol A, phthalates, citrates, and Irgafos® 168 phosphate) and oligomers were detected in initial plastics and aqueous extracts. Identification and quantification was performed by GC–FID/MS. Bisphenol A and citrate based additives are leached easier compared to phthalates. The print highly contributed to the chemical burden of the analyzed polyethylene bag. The study underlines a positive relationship between turbulence and magnitude of leaching. Salinity had a minor impact that differs for each analyte. Global annual release of additives from assessed plastics into marine environments is estimated to be between 35 and 917 tons, of which most are derived from plasticized polyvinylchloride.
Keywords: Consumer plastic; Leaching; Saltwater; Turbulence; UV; Additives

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15302010.pdf

Outi Setälä, Joanna Norkko, Maiju Lehtiniemi, Feeding type affects microplastic ingestion in a coastal invertebrate community, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 102, Issue 1, 15 January 2016, Pages 95-101, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.11.053.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15302009)
Abstract: Marine litter is one of the problems marine ecosystems face at present, coastal habitats and food webs being the most vulnerable as they are closest to the sources of litter. A range of animals (bivalves, free swimming crustaceans and benthic, deposit-feeding animals), of a coastal community of the northern Baltic Sea were exposed to relatively low concentrations of 10 μm microbeads. The experiment was carried out as a small scale mesocosm study to mimic natural habitat. The beads were ingested by all animals in all experimental concentrations (5, 50 and 250 beads mL− 1). Bivalves (Mytilus trossulus, Macoma balthica) contained significantly higher amounts of beads compared with the other groups. Free-swimming crustaceans ingested more beads compared with the benthic animals that were feeding only on the sediment surface. Ingestion of the beads was concluded to be the result of particle concentration, feeding mode and the encounter rate in a patchy environment.
Keywords: Microlitter; Bivalve; Crustacean; Ingestion; Coastal; Marine food web

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15302009.pdf

Fabiana Tavares Moreira, Alessandro Lívio Prantoni, Bruno Martini, Michelle Alves de Abreu, Sérgio Biato Stoiev, Alexander Turra, Small-scale temporal and spatial variability in the abundance of plastic pellets on sandy beaches: Methodological considerations for estimating the input of microplastics, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 102, Issue 1, 15 January 2016, Pages 114-121, ISSN 0025-326X,http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.11.051.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15301983)
Abstract: Microplastics such as pellets have been reported for many years on sandy beaches around the globe. Nevertheless, high variability is observed in their estimates and distribution patterns across the beach environment are still to be unravelled. Here, we investigate the small-scale temporal and spatial variability in the abundance of pellets in the intertidal zone of a sandy beach and evaluate factors that can increase the variability in data sets. The abundance of pellets was estimated during twelve consecutive tidal cycles, identifying the position of the high tide between cycles and sampling drift-lines across the intertidal zone. We demonstrate that beach dynamic processes such as the overlap of strandlines and artefacts of the methods can increase the small-scale variability. The results obtained are discussed in terms of the methodological considerations needed to understand the distribution of pellets in the beach environment, with special implications for studies focused on patterns of input.
Keywords: Solid wastes; Input; Tidal cycle; Transect; Strandline

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15301983.pdf

Christoph D. Rummel, Martin G.J. Löder, Nicolai F. Fricke, Thomas Lang, Eva-Maria Griebeler, Michael Janke, Gunnar Gerdts, Plastic ingestion by pelagic and demersal fish from the North Sea and Baltic Sea, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 102, Issue 1, 15 January 2016, Pages 134-141, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.11.043.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15301922)
Abstract: Plastic ingestion by marine biota has been reported for a variety of different taxa. In this study, we investigated 290 gastrointestinal tracts of demersal (cod, dab and flounder) and pelagic fish species (herring and mackerel) from the North and Baltic Sea for the occurrence of plastic ingestion. In 5.5% of all investigated fishes, plastic particles were detected, with 74% of all particles being in the microplastic (< 5 mm) size range. The polymer types of all found particles were analysed by means of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Almost 40% of the particles consisted of polyethylene (PE). In 3.4% of the demersal and 10.7% of the pelagic individuals, plastic ingestion was recorded, showing a significantly higher ingestion frequency in the pelagic feeders. The condition factor K was calculated to test differences in the fitness status between individuals with and without ingested plastic, but no direct effect was detected.
Keywords: Marine debris; Plastic; Fish; Ingestion; North Sea; Baltic Sea

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15301922.pdf

http://www.enveurope.com/content/28/1/2

Karen Duis and Anja Coors
Microplastics in the aquatic and terrestrial environment: sources (with a specific focus on personal care products), fate and effects
Environmental Sciences Europe 2016, 28:2
doi:10.1186/s12302-015-0069-y

Abstract
Due to the widespread use and durability of synthetic polymers, plastic debris occurs in the environment worldwide. In the present work, information on sources and fate of microplastic particles in the aquatic and terrestrial environment, and on their uptake and effects, mainly in aquatic organisms, is reviewed. Microplastics in the environment originate from a variety of sources. Quantitative information on the relevance of these sources is generally lacking, but first estimates indicate that abrasion and fragmentation of larger plastic items and materials containing synthetic polymers are likely to be most relevant. Microplastics are ingested and, mostly, excreted rapidly by numerous aquatic organisms. So far, there is no clear evidence of bioaccumulation or biomagnification. In laboratory studies, the ingestion of large amounts of microplastics mainly led to a lower food uptake and, consequently, reduced energy reserves and effects on other physiological functions. Based on the evaluated data, the lowest microplastic concentrations affecting marine organisms exposed via water are much higher than levels measured in marine water. In lugworms exposed via sediment, effects were observed at microplastic levels that were higher than those in subtidal sediments but in the same range as maximum levels in beach sediments. Hydrophobic contaminants are enriched on microplastics, but the available experimental results and modelling approaches indicate that the transfer of sorbed pollutants by microplastics is not likely to contribute significantly to bioaccumulation of these pollutants. Prior to being able to comprehensively assess possible environmental risks caused by microplastics a number of knowledge gaps need to be filled. However, in view of the persistence of microplastics in the environment, the high concentrations measured at some environmental sites and the prospective of strongly increasing concentrations, the release of plastics into the environment should be reduced in a broad and global effort regardless of a proof of an environmental risk.

Keywords: Plastic debris; Environmental concern; Persistence; Personal care products; Cosmetic products; Microplastic

http://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0069-y.pdf

http://www.enveurope.com/content/epub/s12302-015-0069-y.epub

http://www.enveurope.com/content/28/1/2/additional

Additional file 1: Table S1. Overview of ranges and mean or median values (underlined) of concentrations of microplastics (or, where specified, small plastic particles) in the marine environment based on Hidalgo-Ruz et al. [11] and selected recent publication. Table S2. Overview of ranges and mean or median values (underlined) of concentrations of microplastics (or, where specified, small plastic particles) in the freshwater environment. Table S3. Overview of effect concentrations derived in ecotoxicity tests with aquatic organisms exposed to microplastics.

Format: DOCX Size: 92KB Download file

http://www.enveurope.com/content/supplementary/s12302-015-0069-y-s1.docx

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006

Erik van Sebille, Chris Wilcox, Laurent Lebreton, Nikolai Maximenko, Britta Denise Hardesty, Jan A van Franeker, Marcus Eriksen, David Siegel, Francois Galgani and Kara Lavender Law
A global inventory of small floating plastic debris
Environ. Res. Lett. 10 (2015) 124006
doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006

Abstract
Microplastic debris floating at the ocean surface can harm marine life. Understanding the severity of this harm requires knowledge of plastic abundance and distributions. Dozens of expeditions measuring microplastics have been carried out since the 1970s, but they have primarily focused on the North Atlantic and North Pacific accumulation zones, with much sparser coverage elsewhere. Here, we use the largest dataset of microplastic measurements assembled to date to assess the confidence we can have in global estimates of microplastic abundance and mass. We use a rigorous statistical framework to standardize a global dataset of plastic marine debris measured using surface-trawling plankton nets and coupled this with three different ocean circulation models to spatially interpolate the observations. Our estimates show that the accumulated number of microplastic particles in 2014 ranges from 15 to 51 trillion particles, weighing between 93 and 236 thousand metric tons, which is only approximately 1% of global plastic waste estimated to enter the ocean in the year 2010. These estimates are larger than previous global estimates, but vary widely because the scarcity of data in most of the world ocean, differences in model formulations, and fundamental knowledge gaps in the sources, transformations and fates of microplastics in the ocean.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006/pdf

Supplementary data. (1.4 MB, pdf)

http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/10/12/124006/media/erl124006_supdata.pdf

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/351/6269/aad2622

Colin N. Waters, Jan Zalasiewicz, Colin Summerhayes, Anthony D. Barnosky, Clément Poirier, Agnieszka Gałuszka, Alejandro Cearreta, Matt Edgeworth, Erle C. Ellis, Michael Ellis1, Catherine Jeandel, Reinhold Leinfelder, J. R. McNeill, Daniel deB. Richter, Will Steffen, James Syvitski, Davor Vidas, Michael Wagreich, Mark Williams, An Zhisheng, Jacques Grinevald, Eric Odada, Naomi Oreskes, Alexander P. Wolfe
The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene
Science 08 Jan 2016:
Vol. 351, Issue 6269, pp.
DOI: 10.1126/science.aad2622

Abstract
Human activity is leaving a pervasive and persistent signature on Earth. Vigorous debate continues about whether this warrants recognition as a new geologic time unit known as the Anthropocene. We review anthropogenic markers of functional changes in the Earth system through the stratigraphic record. The appearance of manufactured materials in sediments, including aluminum, plastics, and concrete, coincides with global spikes in fallout radionuclides and particulates from fossil fuel combustion. Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles have been substantially modified over the past century. Rates of sea-level rise and the extent of human perturbation of the climate system exceed Late Holocene changes. Biotic changes include species invasions worldwide and accelerating rates of extinction. These combined signals render the Anthropocene stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene and earlier epochs.

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/aad2622.pdf

, Earth’s oceans show decline in microscopic plant life, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 100, Issue 1, 15 November 2015, Pages 1-4, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.048.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15005718)

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15005718.pdf

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/Micro2016_2ndCircular.pdf

Lanzarote, January 14th 2016

SECOND CIRCULAR: CALL FOR ABSTARCTS AND SIDE EVENTS

We are pleased to invite the scientific community and stakeholders to MICRO 2016, an international conference that will be hosted in Lanzarote, Spain, 25 – 27 May 2016:

Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems: From the Coastline to the Open Sea

MICRO 2016 provides an opportunity to share available knowledge, fill in gaps, identify new questions and research needs, and develop commitments to operationalize solutions.

http://www.weforum.org/reports/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics

The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics

Today nearly everyone, everywhere, every day comes into contact with plastics. Plastics have become the ubiquitous workhorse material of the modern economy. And yet, while delivering many benefits, the current plastics economy has drawbacks that are becoming more apparent by the day.

Significant economic value is lost after each use, and given the projected growth in consumption, by 2050 oceans are expected to contain more plastics than fish (by weight), and the entire plastics industry will consume 20% of total oil production and 15% of the annual carbon budget. How can we turn the challenges of our current plastics economy into a global opportunity for innovation and value capture, resulting in stronger economies and better environmental outcomes?

Published
Tuesday 19 January 2016

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_New_Plastics_Economy.pdf

http://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2016/sessions/rethinking-plastics

2016-01-22 09:15

Issue Briefing: Rethinking Plastics

Learn first-hand how systemic change can create a New Plastics Economy, turning the $80-$120 billion worth of plastic packaging that is burnt, buried or dumped into the environment each year into an opportunity.

Speakers: Ellen MacArthur, Dominic Kailash Nath Waughray, Oliver Cann, Jean-Louis Chaussade

Topics: Global Economy

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/new-plastics-economy-report-offers-blueprint-to-design-a-circular-future-for-plastics

NEW PLASTICS ECONOMY REPORT OFFERS BLUEPRINT TO DESIGN A CIRCULAR FUTURE FOR PLASTICS

JANUARY 19, 2016

Applying circular economy principles to global plastic packaging flows could transform the plastics economy and drastically reduce negative externalities such as leakage into oceans, according to the latest report by the World Economic Forum and Ellen MacArthur Foundation, with analytical support from McKinsey & Company.

The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics provides for the first time a vision of a global economy in which plastics never become waste, and outlines concrete steps towards achieving the systemic shift needed. The report, financially supported by the MAVA Foundation, was produced as part of Project MainStream, a global, multi-industry initiative that aims to accelerate business-driven innovations to help scale the circular economy.

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/EllenMacArthurFoundation_TheNewPlasticsEconomy_19012016.pdf

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics-infographics

THE NEW PLASTICS ECONOMY: RETHINKING THE FUTURE OF PLASTICS – DOWNLOAD THE INFOGRAPHICS

JANUARY 19, 2016

View and download key infographics from The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics report by the World Economic Forum, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and McKinsey & Company. Simply click on an image to download it.

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/EllenMacArthurFoundation_NewPlasticsEconomy_1_02.jpg

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/EllenMacArthurFoundation_NewPlasticsEconomy_1_06.jpg

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/EllenMacArthurFoundation_NewPlasticsEconomy_1_08.jpg

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/EllenMacArthurFoundation_NewPlasticsEconomy_1_10.jpg

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/EllenMacArthurFoundation_NewPlasticsEconomy_1_14.jpg

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/EllenMacArthurFoundation_NewPlasticsEconomy_1_16.jpg

http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/EllenMacArthurFoundation_NewPlasticsEconomy_1_36.jpg

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/about-us/2016-2020-strategic-plan

2016-2020 Strategic Plan

Marine debris is a pervasive problem that threatens our oceans and coastal environments. Since the inception of the NOAA Marine Debris Program in 2006, we have strived to combat this issue by finding solutions through research, removal and prevention efforts. We have had many accomplishments during this time, including funding important and innovative research projects, removing a significant amount of coastal debris, and reaching thousands of students, teachers, and communities to bring the issue of marine debris to the forefront.

There is still a long way to go to solve this problem and we need to be strategic about our future priorities, so we have refined our vision and developed a strategic plan to lead us into the future and help us succeed in continuing to combat marine debris in the coming years. The NOAA Marine Debris Program will continue to take action to help protect our important natural resources.

Take a look at our 2016-2020 Strategic Plan to see some of our goals for the future.

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/Strategic%20Plan%202016.pdf

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/our-work/fiscal-year-2015-accomplishments-report

Fiscal Year 2015 Accomplishments Report

It was a busy year for the NOAA Marine Debris Program. Throughout 2015, we continued our important work funding removal projects around the country as well as our efforts to remove debris connected to the tsunami in Japan and Hurricane Sandy. The Program also worked to prevent future debris by engaging in education and outreach focusing on behavior change, including funding the development of new curriculum, supporting outreach to teens and teacher workshops, and working with recreational fishermen. This year, we were particularly proud of our “Trash Talk” videos, a six-part educational series created with NOAA Ocean Today, which were designed to raise awareness on the issue of marine debris in a fun, visual, interesting way.

In 2015, we strove to continue to be at the forefront of the marine debris issue. We collaborated with various partners to develop regional marine debris plans and to create marine debris exhibits at visitor centers around the nation. We supported research to better understand the impacts and distribution of marine debris, including investigating the concentration of microplastics in the Gulf of Alaska and the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, we participated in the global marine debris discussion by participating in the G7 Summit and acting as Chair of the UN’s Environment Programme’s Global Partnership on Marine Litter. Looking to the future, we developed a new NOAA Marine Debris Program Strategic Plan, which outlines the Program’s goals and strategies for the coming years.

We’re proud of our efforts over the past year and are excited to present the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s 2015 Accomplishments Report, which highlights some of our major achievements over fiscal year 2015.

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/FY15%20Accomplishments%20Report.pdf

https://eia-international.org/time-to-turn-the-tide-of-plastic-waste-choking-our-oceans

Time to turn the tide of plastic waste choking our oceans

5th October, 2015

As a mandatory 5p charge for plastic bags comes into effect in England today, EIA releases a new report calling on governments, industry, retailers and consumers alike to help end the appalling damage plastic waste inflicts on marine environments.

Lost at Sea – The urgent need to tackle marine litter urges a focus on cutting single-use plastics, removing plastics from down-the-drain products and embracing circular economy principles to dramatically reduce and better recycle plastic products and packaging.

http://eia-global.org/images/uploads/EIA_Lost_at_Sea_-_FINAL.pdf

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/19/collecting-plastic-waste-near-coasts-is-most-effective-clean-up-method

Collecting plastic waste near coasts ‘is most effective clean-up method’

Analysis finds that placing plastic collectors near coasts would remove 31% of microplastics, versus 1% if they were all in the ‘Great Pacific Garbage patch’

Rebecca Smithers
Tuesday 19 January 2016 00.01 GMT

Dredging plastic waste from coastal locations rather than deep in the oceans is the the most efficient way to clean it up and avoid damaging global ecosystems, according to new analysis.

Floating plastic waste ranging from bags, bottles and caps, fibres and ‘microbeads’ wash out into the oceans from rivers and sewers, while larger plastics are broken down into smaller fragments that can last for hundreds to thousands of years. Fragments of all sizes are swallowed by marine life and enter the food chain, disrupting fragile ecosystems.

Researchers from Imperial College looked at the so-called Great Pacific garbage patch – an area of open ocean in the North Pacific – which has an unusually large area of microplastics. The patch is enclosed by ocean currents that concentrate the plastics into an area estimated to be larger than twice the size of the United Kingdom.

http://www.oceanconservancy.org/who-we-are/newsroom/2016/entangled-eaten.html

Entangled, Eaten, Contaminated: Ocean Conservancy and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Publish First Comprehensive Impact Assessment of Trash on Marine Wildlife

Study highlights critical need to ramp up local to global action to stem the tide of plastics into our ocean

Media Contact:

Julia Roberson
jroberson@oceanconservancy.org
202.351.0476

(Washington, D.C. – January 12, 2016) – A first-of-its-kind analysis of the impact of 20 ocean trash items on seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles conducted using expert elicitation was published today in Marine Policy by Ocean Conservancy and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). Until now, the impact of marine debris items, such as plastic bags and fishing gear, to populations of these animals has been far less clear.

An analysis based on a survey of 274 experts representing 19 fields of study assigned scores for entanglement, ingestions and contamination on a shortlist of items culled from 30 years of data from Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. The study found that a wide variety of items pose threats to marine wildlife through entanglement, ingestion, or contamination, suggesting that a comprehensive approach to preventing plastics from entering the ocean is vitally needed. Among the items, abandoned and lost fishing gear like nets, fishing line and buoys were found to pose the greatest overall threat to marine wildlife, primarily because of entanglement. Plastic bags emerged as the second most harmful item as they are often confused for food by marine mammals. Smaller items like balloons were also found to be harmful.

http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2016/01/12/entangled-eaten-contaminated/

Entangled, Eaten, Contaminated

Posted On January 12, 2016 by George Leonard

A comprehensive assessment of trash on marine wildlife

There is a vast sea of trash in our oceans. For the first time, we now have a comprehensive picture of the toll it is taking on seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals.

A new study in Marine Policy by scientists at Ocean Conservancy and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) mapped impacts ranging from entanglement, ingestion and chemical contamination of the 20 most commonly found ocean debris like fishing gear, balloons, plastic bottles and bags and a range of other plastic garbage found regularly in the ocean. Our research was based on elicitation, a widely-used technique to rigorously quantify the professional judgement of a community of experts, representing 19 fields of study.

http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2016/01/12/how-dangerous-is-ocean-plastic/

How Dangerous is Ocean Plastic? Insights From Global Experts on the Greatest Threat to Marine Wildlife

Posted On January 12, 2016 by Nick Mallos

By George H. Leonard, PhD and Nicholas J. Mallos MEM

Over the course of the 30-year history of the International Coastal Cleanup, volunteers have removed over 200 million items from beaches and waterways around the world. The top-ten list of items removed includes items like plastics bottles, plastic bottle caps, aluminum cans, cigarette butts, derelict fishing gear and a range of disposable plastic goods and food packaging. The scientific literature is replete with anecdotal information of marine wildlife impacted by these marine debris items. Indeed, over 690 species (from the smallest of plankton to the largest of whales) have been documented to be negatively impacted by marine debris.

But until now, the consequence of different marine debris items to populations of these animals – and the mechanism by which they do so – has been far less clear. Experimentally testing the impact of plastic items to whole populations of marine wildlife is technically challenging (if not impossible) and for species that are of threatened or endangered status, legally prohibited as well as morally questionable. But we have just published a paper in Marine Policy along with our colleagues Drs. Chris Wilcox and Denise Hardesty at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia that uses elicitation techniques to overcome these challenges. Our analysis provides key insights into the relative threat of different debris items to a healthy ocean that should provide additional impetus to decision makers to tackle this growing problem.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/07/human-impact-has-pushed-earth-into-the-anthropocene-scientists-say

Human impact has pushed Earth into the Anthropocene, scientists say

New study provides one of the strongest cases yet that the planet has entered a new geological epoch

Adam Vaughan
@adamvaughan_uk
Thursday 7 January 2016 19.00 GMT

There is now compelling evidence to show that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into a new geological epoch, according to a group of scientists.

The question of whether humans’ combined environmental impact has tipped the planet into an “Anthropocene” – ending the current Holocene which began around 12,000 years ago – will be put to the geological body that formally approves such time divisions later this year.

The new study provides one of the strongest cases yet that from the amount of concrete mankind uses in building to the amount of plastic rubbish dumped in the oceans, Earth has entered a new geological epoch.

“We could be looking here at a stepchange from one world to another that justifies being called an epoch,” said Dr Colin Waters, principal geologist at the British Geological Survey and an author on the study published in Science on Thursday.

“What this paper does is to say the changes are as big as those that happened at the end of the last ice age . This is a big deal.”

http://www.portofamsterdam.com/Eng/Free-disposal-of-clean-plastic-waste-in-Rotterdam-and-Amsterdam-ports.html

Free disposal of clean plastic waste in Rotterdam and Amsterdam ports

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Sea-going vessels in the ports of Rotterdam Rijnmond and the North Sea Canal Area can dispose of plastic shipping waste free of charge on an unlimited basis starting 1 January 2016. This has been agreed between the port authorities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam and the waste collection companies. The waste must be segregated and clean at the time of disposal.

The new campaign is part of the Green Deal for the Ship Waste Chain that Minister Schultz van Haegen of Infrastructure and Environment signed with the industry on 10 September 2014. Signatories to the Green Deal include Port of Amsterdam, Zeeland Seaports, Groningen Seaports, Port of Den Helder, NVVS (ship suppliers), the Royal Association of Netherlands Ship Owners (KVNR), ship waste collection companies, ILT and The North Sea Foundation.

Nam Ngoc Phuong, Aurore Zalouk-Vergnoux, Laurence Poirier, Abderrahmane Kamari, Amélie Châtel, Catherine Mouneyrac, Fabienne Lagarde, Is there any consistency between the microplastics found in the field and those used in laboratory experiments?, Environmental Pollution, Volume 211, April 2016, Pages 111-123, ISSN 0269-7491, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.12.035.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749115302499)
Abstract: The ubiquitous presence and persistency of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments are of particular concern since they represent an increasing threat to marine organisms and ecosystems. Great differences of concentrations and/or quantities in field samples have been observed depending on geographical location around the world. The main types reported have been polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. The presence of MPs in marine wildlife has been shown in many studies focusing on ingestion and accumulation in different tissues, whereas studies of the biological effects of MPs in the field are scarce. If the nature and abundance/concentrations of MPs have not been systematically determined in field samples, this is due to the fact that the identification of MPs from environmental samples requires mastery and execution of several steps and techniques. For this reason and due to differences in sampling techniques and sample preparation, it remains difficult to compare the published studies.

Most laboratory experiments have been performed with MP concentrations of a higher order of magnitude than those found in the field. Consequently, the ingestion and associated effects observed in exposed organisms have corresponded to great contaminant stress, which does not mimic the natural environment. Medium contaminations are produced with only one type of polymer of a precise sizes and homogenous shape whereas the MPs present in the field are known to be a mix of many types, sizes and shapes of plastic. Moreover, MPs originating in marine environments can be colonized by organisms and constitute the sorption support for many organic compounds present in environment that are not easily reproducible in laboratory. Determination of the mechanical and chemical effects of MPs on organisms is still a challenging area of research. Among the potential chemical effects it is necessary to differentiate those related to polymer properties from those due to the sorption/desorption of organic compounds.
Keywords: Microplastics; Field samples; Laboratory exposures; Ingestion; Biological effects

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0269749115302499.pdf

J.P.G.L. Frias, J. Gago, V. Otero, P. Sobral, Microplastics in coastal sediments from Southern Portuguese shelf waters, Marine Environmental Research, Volume 114, March 2016, Pages 24-30, ISSN 0141-1136, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.12.006.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141113615300866)
Abstract: Microplastics are well-documented pollutants in the marine environment that result from fragmentation of larger plastic items. Due to their long chemical chains, they can remain in the environment for long periods of time. It is estimated that the vast majority (80%) of marine litter derives from land sources and that 70% will sink and remain at the bottom of the ocean. Microplastics that result from fragmentation of larger pieces of plastic are common to be found in beaches and in the water surface. The most common microplastics are pellets, fragments and fibres.

This work provides original data of the presence of microplastics in coastal sediments from Southern Portuguese shelf waters, reporting on microplastic concentration and polymer types.

Microplastic particles were found in nearly 56% of sediment samples, accounting a total of 31 particles in 27 samples. The vast majority were microfibers (25), identified as rayon fibres, and fragments (6) identified as polypropylene, through infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR). The concentration and polymer type data is consistent with other relevant studies and reports worldwide.
Keywords: Marine litter; Microplastics; FTIR; MSFD; Algarve; Portugal

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0141113615300866.pdf

Hindrik Bouwman, Steven W. Evans, Nik Cole, Nee Sun Choong Kwet Yive, Henrik Kylin, The flip-or-flop boutique: Marine debris on the shores of St Brandon’s rock, an isolated tropical atoll in the Indian Ocean, Marine Environmental Research, Volume 114, March 2016, Pages 58-64, ISSN 0141-1136, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.12.013.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141113615300921)
Abstract: Isolated coral atolls are not immune from marine debris accumulation. We identified Southeast Asia, the Indian sub-continent, and the countries on the Arabian Sea as most probable source areas of 50 000 items on the shores of St. Brandon’s Rock (SBR), Indian Ocean. 79% of the debris was plastics. Flip-flops, energy drink bottles, and compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) were notable item types. The density of debris (0.74 m−1 shore length) is comparable to similar islands but less than mainland sites. Intact CFLs suggests product-facilitated long-range transport of mercury. We suspect that aggregated marine debris, scavenged by the islands from currents and gyres, could re-concentrate pollutants. SBR islets accumulated debris types in different proportions suggesting that many factors act variably on different debris types. Regular cleaning of selected islets will take care of most of the accumulated debris and may improve the ecology and tourism potential. However, arrangements and logistics require more study.
Keywords: Plastic; Polyurethane foam; Mercury; Management; Wreck; Compact fluorescent light

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0141113615300921.pdf

M. Moriarty, D. Pedreschi, D. Stokes, L. Dransfeld, D.G. Reid, Spatial and temporal analysis of litter in the Celtic Sea from Groundfish Survey data: Lessons for monitoring, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 13 January 2016, ISSN 0025-326X,http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.019.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15302241)
Abstract: The Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires EU Member States to sample and monitor marine litter. Criteria for sampling and detecting spatial and/or temporal variation in the amount of litter present have been developed and initiated throughout Europe. These include implementing standardised sampling and recording methods to enable cross-comparison and consistency between neighbours. Parameters of interest include; litter occurrence, composition, distribution and source. This paper highlights the litter-related initiatives occurring in Irish waters; presents an offshore benthic litter sampling series; provides a power analysis to determine trend detection thresholds; identifies areas and sources of litter; and proposes improvements to meet reporting obligations. Litter was found to be distributed throughout Irish waters with highest occurrences in the Celtic Sea. Over 50% of litter encountered was attributed to fishing activities: however only a small proportion of the variability in litter occurrence could be explained by spatial patterns in fishing effort. Issues in implementing standardised protocol were observed and addressed.
Keywords: Litter; Fishing; Celtic Sea; MSFD; Geostatistical analysis; Power analysis

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15302241_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf

Note to users:
Corrected proofs are Articles in Press that contain the authors’ corrections. Final citation details, e.g., volume and/or issue number, publication year and page numbers, still need to be added and the text might change before final publication.

Although corrected proofs do not have all bibliographic details available yet, they can already be cited using the year of online publication and the DOI , as follows: author(s), article title, Publication (year), DOI. Please consult the journal’s reference style for the exact appearance of these elements, abbreviation of journal names and use of punctuation.

When the final article is assigned to volumes/issues of the Publication, the Article in Press version will be removed and the final version will appear in the associated published volumes/issues of the Publication. The date the article was first made available online will be carried over.

Alice Nauendorf, Stefan Krause, Nikolaus K. Bigalke, Elena V. Gorb, Stanislav N. Gorb, Matthias Haeckel, Martin Wahl, Tina Treude, Microbial colonization and degradation of polyethylene and biodegradable plastic bags in temperate fine-grained organic-rich marine sediments, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 12 January 2016, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.024.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15302277)
Abstract: To date, the longevity of plastic litter at the sea floor is poorly constrained. The present study compares colonization and biodegradation of plastic bags by aerobic and anaerobic benthic microbes in temperate fine-grained organic-rich marine sediments. Samples of polyethylene and biodegradable plastic carrier bags were incubated in natural oxic and anoxic sediments from Eckernförde Bay (Western Baltic Sea) for 98 days. Analyses included (1) microbial colonization rates on the bags, (2) examination of the surface structure, wettability, and chemistry, and (3) mass loss of the samples during incubation. On average, biodegradable plastic bags were colonized five times higher by aerobic and eight times higher by anaerobic microbes than polyethylene bags. Both types of bags showed no sign of biodegradation during this study. Therefore, marine sediment in temperate coastal zones may represent a long-term sink for plastic litter and also supposedly compostable material.
Keywords: Biodegradation; Biofilm; Microorganisms; Carrier bag; Compostable; Eckernförde Bay

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15302277_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf

S. Liubartseva, G. Coppini, R. Lecci, S. Creti, Regional approach to modeling the transport of floating plastic debris in the Adriatic Sea, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 8 January 2016, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.031.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15302356)
Abstract: Sea surface concentrations of plastics and their fluxes onto coastlines are simulated over 2009–2015. Calculations incorporate combinations of terrestrial and maritime litter inputs, the Lagrangian model MEDSLIK-II forced by AFS ocean current simulations, and ECMWF wind analyses. With a relatively short particle half-life of 43.7 days, the Adriatic Sea is defined as a highly dissipative basin where the shoreline is, by construction, the main sink of floating debris. Our model results show that the coastline of the Po Delta receives a plastic flux of approximately 70 kg(km day)-1. The most polluted sea surface area (> 10 g km-2 floating debris) is represented by an elongated band shifted to the Italian coastline and narrowed from northwest to southeast. Evident seasonality is found in the calculated plastic concentration fields and the coastline fluxes. Complex source–receptor relationships among the basin’s subregions are quantified in impact matrices.
Keywords: Plastic debris inputs; Lagrangian model; Markov chain; Plastic fluxes onto coastline; Impact matrices

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15302356_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf

Steve A. Carr, Jin Liu, Arnold G. Tesoro, Transport and Fate of Microplastic Particles in Wastewater Treatment Plants, Water Research, Available online 7 January 2016, ISSN 0043-1354, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.01.002.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135416300021)
Abstract: Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are frequently suspected as significant point sources or conduits of microplastics to the environment. To directly investigate these suspicions, effluent discharges from seven tertiary plants and one secondary plant in Southern California were studied. The study also looked at influent loads, particle size/type, conveyance, and removal at these wastewater treatment facilities. Over 0.189 million liters of effluent at each of the seven tertiary plants were filtered using an assembled stack of sieves with mesh sizes between 400 and 45 μm. Additionally, the surface of 28.4 million liters of final effluent at three tertiary plants was skimmed using a 125 μm filtering assembly. The results suggest that tertiary effluent is not a significant source of microplastics and that these plastic pollutants are effectively removed during the skimming and settling treatment processes. However, at a downstream secondary plant, an average of one micro-particle in every 1.14 thousand liters of final effluent was counted. The majority of microplastics identified in this study had a profile (color, shape, and size) similar to the blue polyethylene particles present in toothpaste formulations. Existing treatment processes were determined to be very effective for removal of microplastic contaminants entering typical municipal WWTPs.
Keywords: Microplastic pollutants; wastewater treatment; large-volume sampling; effluent discharge; cosmetic polyethylene; surface filtering

Note to users:
Accepted manuscripts are Articles in Press that have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication by the Editorial Board of this publication. They have not yet been copy edited and/or formatted in the publication house style, and may not yet have the full ScienceDirect functionality, e.g., supplementary files may still need to be added, links to references may not resolve yet etc. The text could still change before final publication.

Although accepted manuscripts do not have all bibliographic details available yet, they can already be cited using the year of online publication and the DOI, as follows: author(s), article title, Publication (year), DOI. Please consult the journal’s reference style for the exact appearance of these elements, abbreviation of journal names and use of punctuation.

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0043135416300021_In_Press_Accepted_Manuscript.pdf

Lídia Nicolau, Ana Marçalo, Marisa Ferreira, Sara Sá, José Vingada, Catarina Eira, Ingestion of marine litter by loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, in Portuguese continental waters, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 4 January 2016, ISSN 0025-326X,http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.021.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15302228)
Abstract: The accumulation of litter in marine and coastal environments is a major threat to marine life. Data on marine litter in the gastrointestinal tract of stranded loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, found along the Portuguese continental coast was presented. Out of the 95 analysed loggerheads, litter was present in 56 individuals (59.0%) and most had less than 10 litter items (76.8%) and less than 5 g (dm) (96.8%). Plastic was the main litter category (frequency of occurrence = 56.8%), while sheet (45.3%) was the most relevant plastic sub-category. There was no influence of loggerhead stranding season, cause of stranding or size on the amount of litter ingested (mean number and dry mass of litter items per turtle). The high ingested litter occurrence frequency in this study supports the use of the loggerhead turtle as a suitable tool to monitor marine litter trends, as required by the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Keywords: Marine turtles; Plastic; Gut content analysis; Pollution; Marine Strategy Framework Directive

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15302228_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf

Daniele de A. Miranda, Gustavo Freire de Carvalho-Souza, Are we eating plastic-ingesting fish?, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 4 January 2016, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.035.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15302393)
Abstract: Yes, we are eating plastic-ingesting fish. A baseline assessment of plastic pellet ingestion by two species of important edible fish caught along the eastern coast of Brazil is described. The rate of plastic ingestion by king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) was quite high (62.5%), followed by the Brazilian sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon lalandii, 33%). From 2 to 6 plastic resin pellets were encountered in the stomachs of each fish, with sizes of from 1 to 5 mm, and with colors ranging from clear to white and yellowish. Ecological and health-related implications are discussed and the potential for transferring these materials through the food-chain are addressed. Further research will be needed of other species harvested for human consumption.
Keywords: Marine debris; Pellets; Predator fishes; Artisanal fisheries

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15302393_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf

Dennis Brennecke, Bernardo Duarte, Filipa Paiva, Isabel Caçador, João Canning-Clode, Microplastics as vector for heavy metal contamination from the marine environment, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Available online 4 January 2016, ISSN 0272-7714,http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2015.12.003.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027277141530158X)
Abstract: The permanent presence of microplastics in the marine environment is considered a global threat to several marine animals. Heavy metals and microplastics are typically included in two different classes of pollutants but the interaction between these two stressors is poorly understood.

During 14 days of experimental manipulation, we examined the adsorption of two heavy metals, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), leached from an antifouling paint to virgin polystyrene (PS) beads and aged polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fragments in seawater. We demonstrated that heavy metals were released from the antifouling paint to the water and both microplastic types adsorbed the two heavy metals. This adsorption kinetics was described using partition coefficients and mathematical models. Partition coefficients between pellets and water ranged between 650 and 850 for Cu on PS and PVC, respectively. The adsorption of Cu was significantly greater in PVC fragments than in PS, probably due to higher surface area and polarity of PVC. Concentrations of Cu and Zn increased significantly on PVC and PS over the course of the experiment with the exception of Zn on PS. As a result, we show a significant interaction between these types of microplastics and heavy metals, which can have implications for marine life and the environment. These results strongly support recent findings where plastics can play a key role as vectors for heavy metal ions in the marine system. Finally, our findings highlight the importance of monitoring marine litter and heavy metals, mainly associated with antifouling paints, particularly in the framework of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
Keywords: Heavy metals; Microplastics; Adsorption; Antifouling substances; Polystyrene; Polyvinyl chloride

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S027277141530158X_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf

Bum Gun Kwon, Koshiro Koizumi, Seon-Yong Chung, Yoichi Kodera, Jong-Oh Kim, Katsuhiko Saido, Global styrene oligomers monitoring as new chemical contamination from polystyrene plastic marine pollution, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Volume 300, 30 December 2015, Pages 359-367, ISSN 0304-3894, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.07.039.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389415005762)
Abstract: Polystyrene (PS) plastic marine pollution is an environmental concern. However, a reliable and objective assessment of the scope of this problem, which can lead to persistent organic contaminants, has yet to be performed. Here, we show that anthropogenic styrene oligomers (SOs), a possible indicator of PS pollution in the ocean, are found globally at concentrations that are higher than those expected based on the stability of PS. SOs appear to persist to varying degrees in the seawater and sand samples collected from beaches around the world. The most persistent forms are styrene monomer, styrene dimer, and styrene trimer. Sand samples from beaches, which are commonly recreation sites, are particularly polluted with these high SOs concentrations. This finding is of interest from both scientific and public perspectives because SOs may pose potential long-term risks to the environment in combination with other endocrine disrupting chemicals. From SOs monitoring results, this study proposes a flow diagram for SOs leaching from PS cycle. Using this flow diagram, we conclude that SOs are global contaminants in sandy beaches around the world due to their broad spatial distribution.
Keywords: Styrene oligomers; Polystyrene; Plastic pollution; Leaching; Persistent

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0304389415005762.pdf

Thomas C. Erren, J. Valérie Groß, Frank Steffany, V. Benno Meyer-Rochow, “Plastic ocean”: What about cancer?, Environmental Pollution, Volume 207, December 2015, Pages 436-437, ISSN 0269-7491, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.05.025.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749115002596)
Keywords: Plastic; Synthetic polymer; Styrene; Vinyl chloride; Bisphenol A; IARC; Toxicology; Cancer; Public health; Fetal exposure; Neonatal exposure

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0269749115002596.pdf

, Grace silica gels provide an alternative to microplastic exfoliating agents for personal care industry, Focus on Surfactants, Volume 2015, Issue 12, December 2015, Page 4, ISSN 1351-4210, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fos.2015.11.016.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1351421015003376)

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S1351421015003376.pdf

http://grace.com/en-us/Pages/Products.aspx#syntheticsilicas

https://grace.com/personal-care/en-US/exfoliants

https://grace.com/personal-care/en-US/Documents/Grace%20Exfoliating%20Silicas_TI_5_2015.pdf

Cristina Munari, Corinne Corbau, Umberto Simeoni, Michele Mistri, Marine litter on Mediterranean shores: Analysis of composition, spatial distribution and sources in north-western Adriatic beaches, Waste Management, Available online 22 December 2015, ISSN 0956-053X,http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.12.010.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X15302440)
Abstract: Marine litter is one descriptor in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). This study provides the first account of an MSFD indicator (Trends in the amount of litter deposited on coastlines) for the north-western Adriatic. Five beaches were sampled in 2015. Plastic dominated in terms of abundance, followed by paper and other groups. The average density was 0.2 litter items m−2, but at one beach it raised to 0.57 items m−2. The major categories were cigarette butts, unrecognizable plastic pieces, bottle caps, and others. The majority of marine litter came from land-based sources: shoreline and recreational activities, smoke-related activities and dumping. Sea-based sources contributed for less. The abundance and distribution of litter seemed to be particularly influenced by beach users, reflecting inadequate disposal practices. The solution to these problems involves implementation and enforcement of local educational and management policies.
Keywords: Marine litter; Marine Strategy Framework Directive; In situ deposition; Adriatic Sea

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0956053X15302440_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1890/150017/full

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1890/150017/abstract

Amaral-Zettler, L. A., Zettler, E. R., Slikas, B., Boyd, G. D., Melvin, D. W., Morrall, C. E., Proskurowski, G. and Mincer, T. J. (2015), The biogeography of the Plastisphere: implications for policy. Frontiers in Ecology and the E, 13: 541–546. doi: 10.1890/150017

Abstract
Microplastics (particles less than 5 mm) numerically dominate marine debris and occur from coastal waters to mid-ocean gyres, where surface circulation concentrates them. Given the prevalence of plastic marine debris (PMD) and the rise in plastic production, the impacts of plastic on marine ecosystems will likely increase. Microscopic life (the “Plastisphere”) thrives on these tiny floating “islands” of debris and can be transported long distances. Using next-generation DNA sequencing, we characterized bacterial communities from water and plastic samples from the North Pacific and North Atlantic subtropical gyres to determine whether the composition of different Plastisphere communities reflects their biogeographic origins. We found that these communities differed between ocean basins – and to a lesser extent between polymer types – and displayed latitudinal gradients in species richness. Our research reveals some of the impacts of microplastics on marine biodiversity, demonstrates that the effects and fate of PMD may vary considerably in different parts of the global ocean, and suggests that PMD mitigation will require regional management efforts.

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/150017.pdf

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/150017_Supplemental_information.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b04663

Dorte Herzke, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Therese Haugdahl Nøst, Arntraut Götsch, Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard, Magdalene Langset, Kirstin Fangel, and Albert A. Koelmans
Negligible Impact of Ingested Microplastics on Tissue Concentrations of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Northern Fulmars off Coastal Norway
Environ. Sci. Technol., Article ASAP
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04663
Publication Date (Web): December 22, 2015

Abstract
The northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) is defined as an indicator species of plastic pollution by the Oslo-Paris Convention for the North-East Atlantic, but few data exist for fulmars from Norway. Moreover, the relationship between uptake of plastic and pollutants in seabirds is poorly understood. We analyzed samples of fulmars from Norwegian waters and compared the POP concentrations in their liver and muscle tissue with the corresponding concentrations in the loads of ingested plastic in their stomachs, grouped as “no”, “medium” (0.01–0.21 g; 1–14 pieces of plastic), or “high” (0.11–0.59 g; 15–106 pieces of plastic). POP concentrations in the plastic did not differ significantly between the high and medium plastic ingestion group for sumPCBs, sumDDTs, and sumPBDEs. By combining correlations among POP concentrations, differences in tissue concentrations of POPs between plastic ingestion subgroups, fugacity calculations, and bioaccumulation modeling, we showed that plastic is more likely to act as a passive sampler than as a vector of POPs, thus reflecting the POP profiles of simultaneously ingested prey.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/acs.est.5b04663

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.est.5b04663

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b04663

Supporting Information
Negligible Impact of Ingested Microplastics on Tissue Concentrations of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Northern Fulmars off Coastal Norway

The Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04663.

Text, figures, and tables addressing (i) the model parameters, least-squares used in the modeling approach, (ii) illustrating the further validation of the model, (iii) giving loss rate constants (kloss) estimated for PCBs, based on bioaccumulation data without plastic ingested, and (iv) presenting the Muscle–Plastic Fugacity ratios for selected individual birds. (PDF)

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b04663/suppl_file/es5b04663_si_001.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b02781

Heng-Xiang Li, Gordon J. Getzinger, P. Lee Ferguson, Beatriz Orihuela, Mei Zhu, and Daniel Rittschof
Effects of Toxic Leachate from Commercial Plastics on Larval Survival and Settlement of the Barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite
Environ. Sci. Technol., Article ASAP
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b02781
Publication Date (Web): December 14, 2015

Abstract
Plastic pollution represents a major and growing global problem. It is well-known that plastics are a source of chemical contaminants to the aquatic environment and provide novel habitats for marine organisms. The present study quantified the impacts of plastic leachates from the seven categories of recyclable plastics on larval survival and settlement of barnacle Amphibalanus (=Balanus) amphitrite. Leachates from plastics significantly increased barnacle nauplii mortality at the highest tested concentrations (0.10 and 0.50 m2/L). Hydrophobicity (measured as surface energy) was positively correlated with mortality indicating that plastic surface chemistry may be an important factor in the effects of plastics on sessile organisms. Plastic leachates significantly inhibited barnacle cyprids settlement on glass at all tested concentrations. Settlement on plastic surfaces was significantly inhibited after 24 and 48 h, but settlement was not significantly inhibited compared to the controls for some plastics after 72–96 h. In 24 h exposure to seawater, we found larval toxicity and inhibition of settlement with all seven categories of recyclable commercial plastics. Chemical analysis revealed a complex mixture of substances released in plastic leachates. Leaching of toxic compounds from all plastics should be considered when assessing the risks of plastic pollution.

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/5b02781_Article_ASAP.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b02781

Supporting Information
Effects of Toxic Leachate from Commercial Plastics on Larval Survival and Settlement of the Barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite

The Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b02781.

Information on the sources of new plastic products (Table S1). The water quality measured before and after leaching (Table S2). Gradient elution conditions for HPLC-HR/AM MS (Table S3). The nauplii mortality and cyprid settlement in different leachates from glass coverslip, polystyrene Petri dish, and wax (Figure S1) (PDF)

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b02781/suppl_file/es5b02781_si_001.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b02431

Lars Gutow, Antonia Eckerlebe, Luis Giménez, and Reinhard Saborowski
Experimental Evaluation of Seaweeds as a Vector for Microplastics into Marine Food Webs
Environ. Sci. Technol., Article ASAP
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b02431
Publication Date (Web): December 11, 2015

Abstract
The ingestion of microplastics has been shown for a great variety of marine organisms. However, benthic marine mesoherbivores such as the common periwinkle Littorina littorea have been largely disregarded in studies about the effects of microplastics on the marine biota, probably because the pathway for microplastics to this functional group of organisms was not obvious. In laboratory experiments we showed that the seaweed Fucus vesiculosus retains suspended microplastics on its surface. The numbers of microplastics that adhered to the algae correlated with the concentrations of suspended particles in the water. In choice feeding assays L. littorea did not distinguish between algae with adherent microplastics and clean algae without microplastics, indicating that the snails do not recognize solid nonfood particles in the submillimeter size range as deleterious. In periwinkles that were feeding on contaminated algae, microplastics were found in the stomach and in the gut. However, no microplastics were found in the midgut gland, which is the principle digestive organ of gastropods. Microplastics in the fecal pellets of the periwinkles indicate that the particles do not accumulate rapidly inside the animals but are mostly released with the feces. Our results provide the first evidence that seaweeds may represent an efficient pathway for microplastics from the water to marine benthic herbivores.

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/5b02431_Article_ASAP.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b02431

Supporting Information
Experimental Evaluation of Seaweeds as a Vector for Microplastics into Marine Food Webs

The Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b02431.

Figures showing the distribution of standardized errors across microplastic concentration levels and different types of microplastics and contamination and decontamination treatments. (PDF)

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b02431/suppl_file/es5b02431_si_001.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b04026

Andrew J. R. Watts, Mauricio A. Urbina, Shauna Corr, Ceri Lewis, and Tamara S. Galloway
Ingestion of Plastic Microfibers by the Crab Carcinus maenas and Its Effect on Food Consumption and Energy Balance
Environ. Sci. Technol., 2015, 49 (24), pp 14597–14604
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04026

Abstract
Microscopic plastic fragments (<5 mm) are a worldwide conservation issue, polluting both coastal and marine environments. Fibers are the most prominent plastic type reported in the guts of marine organisms, but their effects once ingested are unknown. This study investigated the fate of polypropylene rope microfibers (1–5 mm in length) ingested by the crab Carcinus maenas and the consequences for the crab’s energy budget. In chronic 4 week feeding studies, crabs that ingested food containing microfibers (0.3–1.0% plastic by weight) showed reduced food consumption (from 0.33 to 0.03 g d–1) and a significant reduction in energy available for growth (scope for growth) from 0.59 to −0.31 kJ crab d–1 in crabs fed with 1% plastic. The polypropylene microfibers were physically altered by their passage through the foregut and were excreted with a smaller overall size and length and amalgamated into distinctive balls. These results support of the emerging paradigm that a key biological impact of microplastic ingestion is a reduction in energy budgets for the affected marine biota. We also provide novel evidence of the biotransformations that can affect the plastics themselves following ingestion and excretion.

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/5b04026.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b04026

Supporting Information
Ingestion of Plastic Microfibers by the Crab Carcinus maenas and Its Effect on Food Consumption and Energy Balance

The Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04026.

Figures SI.1 and SI.2 and Tables SI.1 and SI.2 (PDF)

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b04026/suppl_file/es5b04026_si_001.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b04099

Matthew Cole and Tamara S. Galloway
Ingestion of Nanoplastics and Microplastics by Pacific Oyster Larvae
Environ. Sci. Technol., 2015, 49 (24), pp 14625–14632
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04099

Abstract
Plastic debris is a prolific contaminant effecting freshwater and marine ecosystems across the globe. Of growing environmental concern are “microplastics”and “nanoplastics” encompassing tiny particles of plastic derived from manufacturing and macroplastic fragmentation. Pelagic zooplankton are susceptible to consuming microplastics, however the threat posed to larvae of commercially important bivalves is currently unknown. We exposed Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) larvae (3–24 d.p.f.) to polystyrene particles spanning 70 nm-20 μm in size, including plastics with differing surface properties, and tested the impact of microplastics on larval feeding and growth. The frequency and magnitude of plastic ingestion over 24 h varied by larval age and size of polystyrene particle (ANOVA, P < 0.01), and surface properties of the plastic, with aminated particles ingested and retained more frequently (ANOVA, P < 0.01). A strong, significant correlation between propensity for plastic consumption and plastic load per organism was identified (Spearmans, r = 0.95, P < 0.01). Exposure to 1 and 10 μm PS for up to 8 days had no significant effect on C. gigas feeding or growth at <100 microplastics mL–1. In conclusion, whil micro- and nanoplastics were readily ingested by oyster larvae, exposure to plastic concentrations exceeding those observed in the marine environment resulted in no measurable effects on the development or feeding capacity of the larvae over the duration of the study.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/acs.est.5b04099

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.est.5b04099

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b04099

Supporting Information
Ingestion of Nanoplastics and Microplastics by Pacific Oyster Larvae

The Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04099.

Additional information as noted in the text (PDF)

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b04099/suppl_file/es5b04099_si_001.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b03163

Dongqi Yang, Huahong Shi, Lan Li, Jiana Li, Khalida Jabeen, and Prabhu Kolandhasamy
Microplastic Pollution in Table Salts from China
Environ. Sci. Technol., 2015, 49 (22), pp 13622–13627
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b03163

Abstract
Microplastics have been found in seas all over the world. We hypothesize that sea salts might contain microplastics, because they are directly supplied by seawater. To test our hypothesis, we collected 15 brands of sea salts, lake salts, and rock/well salts from supermarkets throughout China. The microplastics content was 550–681 particles/kg in sea salts, 43–364 particles/kg in lake salts, and 7–204 particles/kg in rock/well salts. In sea salts, fragments and fibers were the prevalent types of particles compared with pellets and sheets. Microplastics measuring less than 200 μm represented the majority of the particles, accounting for 55% of the total microplastics, and the most common microplastics were polyethylene terephthalate, followed by polyethylene and cellophane in sea salts. The abundance of microplastics in sea salts was significantly higher than that in lake salts and rock/well salts. This result indicates that sea products, such as sea salts, are contaminated by microplastics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on microplastic pollution in abiotic sea products.

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/5b03163.pdf

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b03163

Supporting Information
Microplastic Pollution in Table Salts from China

The Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b03163.

Figure S1, sources of table salts tested in this study; Figure S2, spectra of the 15 packages of table salts; Table S1, eight nonplastic particles identified with micro-FT-IR (PDF)

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.est.5b03163/suppl_file/es5b03163_si_001.pdf

***

To be removed from the Mailing List, send an email to MailingList@globalgarbage.org with the subject REMOVE.

To send information to be divulged on the Mailing List, send an email to MailingList@globalgarbage.org with the subject NEWS.

To add some colleague to the Mailing List, send an email to MailingList@globalgarbage.org with the subject ADD.

To change the email address registered in the Mailing List, send an email to MailingList@globalgarbage.org with the subject CHANGE.

https://www.facebook.com/GlobalGarbage

https://twitter.com/GlobalGarbage

Sara Sá, Jorge Bastos-Santos, Hélder Araújo, Marisa Ferreira, Virginia Duro, Flávia Alves, Bruno Panta-Ferreira, Lídia Nicolau, Catarina Eira, José Vingada, Spatial distribution of floating marine debris in offshore continental Portuguese waters, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 15 January 2016, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.01.011.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X1630011X)
Abstract: This study presents data on abundance and density of macro-floating marine debris (FMD), including their composition, spatial distribution and potential sources off continental Portugal. FMD were assessed by shipboard visual surveys covering ± 252,833 km2 until the 220 nm limit. The FMD average density was 2.98 items/km2 and abundance amounted to 752,740 items. Unidentified plastics constitute the major bulk of FMD (density = 0.46 items/km2; abundance = 117,390 items), followed by styrofoam, derelict or lost materials from fisheries, paper/cardboard and wood material. The North sector of the area presents higher FMD diversity and abundances, probably as a result of the high number of navigation corridors and fisheries operating in that sector. Most FMD originate from local sources, namely discharges from vessels and derelict material from fisheries. Considering the identifiable items, cables and fishing lines were the only fishing related items among the top ten FMD items in Portuguese offshore waters.
Keywords: Floating marine debris; Density estimate; Distance sampling; Plastics; Portugal

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X1630011X_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf

Cánovas-Molina Almudena, Monica Montefalcone, Giorgio Bavestrello, Angelo Cau, Carlo Nike Bianchi, Carla Morri, Simonepietro Canese, Marzia Bo, A new ecological index for the status of mesophotic megabenthic assemblages in the mediterranean based on ROV photography and video footage, Continental Shelf Research, Available online 15 January 2016, ISSN 0278-4343, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2016.01.008.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278434316300085)
Abstract: A new index of ecological status, named Mesophotic Assemblages Ecological Status (MAES) index, was elaborated on the basis of ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) photography and video footage in order to assess the status of mesophotic megabenthic assemblages from hard bottom. The index was tested on seven sites located between 50 and 150 m depth in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas (western Mediterranean Sea). The MAES index considers three main parameters: i) the community structure (number of megabenthic taxa, percent biotic cover in the basal layer, density of erect species); ii) the condition of the dominant erect species (average height, percent of colonies with epibiosis/necrosis); iii) the visible human impact (density of marine litter, including lost fishing gears). Two versions of the index have been elaborated, the complete version (MAES) and the quick version (q-MAES), which showed comparable results, therefore suggesting the possibility of fastening assessment times. The sensitivity of the MAES index was correlated with the putative human pressure acting upon the site (semi-quantitatively assessed considering fishing effort and coastal urbanisation). A standard working protocol related to the evaluation of the MAES index is here proposed with the intent to create an effective monitoring tool for the assessment of the ecological status of mesophotic assemblages on a large scale, as required by the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. MAES index will enhance the comprehension of the dynamics of mesophotic Mediterranean megabenthic assemblages with respect to human pressures and will also provide marine scientists and managers with a valuable tool specifically designed for the conservation of such vulnerable marine ecosystems.
Keywords: Mesophotic assemblages; Ecological status; Mediterranean Sea; MAES index; ROV

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0278434316300085_In_Press_Accepted_Manuscript.pdf

Tomoya Kataoka, Hirofumi Hinata, Shigeru Kato, Backwash process of marine macroplastics from a beach by nearshore currents around a submerged breakwater, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 101, Issue 2, 30 December 2015, Pages 539-548, ISSN 0025-326X,http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.060.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15301387)
Abstract: A key factor for determining the residence time of macroplastics on a beach is the process by which the plastics are backwashed offshore (backwash process). Here, we deduced the backwash process of plastic fishing floats on Wadahama Beach based on the analysis of two-year mark-recapture experiments as well as nearshore current structures revealed by sequential images taken by za webcam installed at the edge of a cliff behind the beach. The analysis results revealed the occurrence of a combination of offshore currents and convergence of alongshore currents in the surf zone in storm events around a submerged breakwater off the northern part of the beach, where 48% of the backwashed floats were last found. We conclude that the majority of the floats on the beach were transported alongshore and tended to concentrate in the convergence zone, from where they were backwashed offshore by the nearshore currents generated in the events.
Keywords: Marine macroplastics; Residence time; Submerged breakwater; Nearshore current; Mark-recapture experiment

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15301387.pdf

Catharina Pieper, Maria A. Ventura, Ana Martins, Regina T. Cunha, Beach debris in the Azores (NE Atlantic): Faial Island as a first case study, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 101, Issue 2, 30 December 2015, Pages 575-582, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.056.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15301272)
Abstract: Marine debris is widely recognised as a global environmental problem. This study assesses density, type, and temporal trends of marine debris in two sandy beaches of Faial Island (Azores, NE-Atlantic). During seven months (six days per month) the beaches were surveyed by performing 10 random transects at each site. Recorded items within the range 2–30 cm were organised into seven categories. Densities of total debris varied from 0 to 1.940 items m− 2, with plastics dominating both areas. Both beaches, presented the highest debris abundance in February, most probably related to prevailing winds and swell. Location and/or time of year also seemed to influence the type of debris present. These findings provide new insights into debris accumulation rates in the Azores, where no previous studies were made. It also confirms the global trend of increased plastics accumulation on shorelines, highlighting the need for further research in remote islands.
Keywords: Marine pollution; Solid waste; Plastics; Remote islands; Azores Archipelago

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15301272.pdf

Atsuhiko Isobe, Keiichi Uchida, Tadashi Tokai, Shinsuke Iwasaki, East Asian seas: A hot spot of pelagic microplastics, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 101, Issue 2, 30 December 2015, Pages 618-623, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.042.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15301168)
Abstract: To investigate concentrations of pelagic micro- (< 5 mm in size) and mesoplastics (> 5 mm) in the East Asian seas around Japan, field surveys using two vessels were conducted concurrently in summer 2014. The total particle count (pieces km− 2) was computed based on observed concentrations (pieces m− 3) of small plastic fragments (both micro- and mesoplastics) collected using neuston nets. The total particle count of microplastics within the study area was 1,720,000 pieces km− 2, 16 times greater than in the North Pacific and 27 times greater than in the world oceans. The proportion of mesoplastics increased upstream of the northeastward ocean currents, such that the small plastic fragments collected in the present surveys were considered to have originated in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea southwest of the study area.
Keywords: Microplastics; Mesoplastics; Field survey; Total particle count

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15301168/pdfft?md5=75e455f3bf340467949184559a7456b8&pid=1-s2.0-S0025326X15301168-main.pdf

Robson Henrique de Carvalho, Pedro Dutra Lacerda, Sarah da Silva Mendes, Bruno Corrêa Barbosa, Mariana Paschoalini, Fabio Prezoto, Bernadete Maria de Sousa, Marine debris ingestion by sea turtles (Testudines) on the Brazilian coast: an underestimated threat?, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 101, Issue 2, 30 December 2015, Pages 746-749, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.002.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X1530076X)
Abstract: Assessment of marine debris ingestion by sea turtles is important, especially to ensure their survival. From January to December 2011, 23 specimens of five species of sea turtles were found dead or dying after being rehabilitated, along the coast of the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To detect the presence of marine debris in the digestive tract of these turtles, we conducted a postmortem examination from the esophagus until the distal portion of the large intestine for each specimen. Of the total number of turtles, 39% had ingested marine debris such as soft plastic, hard plastic, metal, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle caps, human hair, tampons, and latex condoms. Five of the seven sea turtles species are found along the Brazilian coast, where they feed and breed. A large number of animals are exposed to various kinds of threats, including debris ingestion.
Keywords: Plastic; Pollution; Waste; Rio de Janeiro; Chelonia mydas; Caretta caretta

http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X1530076X.pdf

http://micro2016.sciencesconf.org/page/registration

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION AND CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

Abstract Submission Deadline: 31 March 2016

Prior to submitting abstracts and registering for the conference, attendees must create an account. To do this, go to “Create an Account” in the “My Space” menu.

Once your account is created, the menu links for “registration” and “submission” will become available. Then, follow the instructions on the corresponding pages to register for the conference and submit your presentation abstract online.

Attendees are invited to submit an abstract for an oral or poster presentation on the following MICRO 2016 topics:

* From macro- to microplastics: Weathering and fragmentation processes

* From source to sink: Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in fresh water bodies, coastal zones and the open ocean

* Impacts of microplastics on marine life

* Microplastics as vectors of biological and chemical contaminants

* Socioeconomic impacts of microplastics

* Citizen science, outreach, education and communication

* Solutions and next steps

Abstracts should be submitted in English and should be no more than 300 words long with 1 figure.

Please state your preference for an oral or poster presentation. The scientific committee reserves the right to ask that an oral presentation be changed to a poster or vice versa, to help ensure balanced thematic sessions.

After submitting your abstract, you will receive a confirmation e-mail.

All abstracts, both oral and poster, will be published in the book of abstracts.

If you would like to propose a side event, please directly contact the organizers: micro2016<AT>sciencesconf.org

Instructions for oral presentations:
Supporting material for all oral presentations must be given to the technical staff by 5 pm the day before the presentation, please use pdf format. Each oral presentation is limited to 15 minutes.

Instructions for posters:
A permanent poster exhibition will be displayed at the Cabildo de Lanzarote. Poster boards will be available for displaying your poster. The size of the poster should not exceed 80 cm wide/110 cm high, so as to be compatible with the panels of the poster stands. If you have a particular request, please contact the organizers.

No Conference Registration Fee.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Johnny Gasperi <gasperi@u-pec.fr>
Date: 2016-01-05 11:06 GMT+01:00
Subject: Post-doc fellowship at the UPEC university (France)
To: “fabianobarretto@googlemail.com” <fabianobarretto@googlemail.com>
Cc: “XTERIEUR bruno.tassin” <bruno.tassin@enpc.fr>

Dear Fabiano,

First, I wish you my best wishes for 2016!

Can you please share this update using your mail list (MailingList@globalgarbage.org)
Many thanks,
Best regards,
Johnny

“Dear all,

Bruno Tassin and I are working on microplastics in Paris (France). Maybe some of you already know our works on the Seine River and the recent papers published (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Johnny_Gasperi).

My university (Université Paris-Est – UPEC) offers an internal post-doc fellowship, which could start in September 2016 for one year. We would like to support any application dealing with microplastics to join our research group.

Eligibility
EU Member States or French candidate can apply. Any post-doc level researcher is eligible but he/she do not have resided or carried out his/her main activity in France for more than 12 months in the last three years. As this fellowship is coupled to the PRESTIGE post-doc program (which is a co-financing program), more details can be found on the eligibility criteria (http://www.campusfrance.org/en/prestige).

Application
A first application to the university is required. The deadline is February, 1st 2016. A pre-selection of candidate by the university will be made in March 2016. The pre-selected candidate will then apply to the PRESTIGE post-doc program. In case of acceptance, this could provide extra funds for research and living allowance. In case of not acceptance by the PRESTIGE program, the university would employ the candidate according to conventional living allowance.

Don’t hesitate to contact us for further information.

Best regards,

Johnny Gasperi (gasperi@u-pec.fr) and Bruno Tassin (tassin@enpc.fr)”

Johnny Gasperi
Maitre de conférence – HDR – LEESU
Faculté de Sciences et Technologie
Université Paris Est – Créteil
61 Avenue du Général De Gaulle
94010 Créteil cedex, France.
Tel : 01.45.17.16.21
Fax : 01.45.17.16.27
E-mail : gasperi@u-pec.fr

Share this:

Phthalates & Cosmetics.

Phthalates Leaching From Plastic.

Are they dangerous?

How much is out there?

Most Common Phthalates In Use

Share this:

Pictures

Other Ways Plastic Might Affect Turtles

Turtle In The News

More

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

More

Share this:

Plastic additives

Concerns

More

Share this:

Naptha

Naptha to Plastic

Share this:

Related articles

Share this:

Share this: