Global Garbage Newsletter for December 16, 2015 Please note: the links to the download of the articles (PDF) will be activated only until the 15th of January. Outi Setälä, Joanna Norkko, Maiju Lehtiniemi, Feeding type affects microplastic ingestion in a coastal invertebrate community, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 14 December 2015, 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 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. http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15302009_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.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, Available online 13 December 2015, 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_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf Fabiana Tavares Moreira, Alessandro LÃvio 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, Available online 8 December 2015, 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_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf Claudette Spiteri, Cécile Roddier-Quefelec, Jean-Pierre Giraud, Tatiana Hema, Assessing the progress in depolluting the Mediterranean Sea, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 2 December 2015, ISSN 0025-326X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.08.009. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15005135) Abstract: The depollution of the Mediterranean Sea by 2020 is the overarching goal of Horizon 2020 Initiative (H2020). The first phase (2007–2013) tackled the main land-based pollution sources; municipal waste, urban wastewater and industrial emissions. As part of the H2020 roadmap implementation, the ENPI-SEIS project focused on the first H2020 review mechanism that included a) establishing a process for regular environmental reporting in the European Neighbourhood Policy South countries, and b) generating the knowledge necessary to assess the progress in depolluting the Mediterranean Sea. This paper reviews the process in line with the “Shared Environmental Information System” principles and its three pillars (content, cooperation, infrastructure). The main outcomes of the thematic assessment, based on a set of regional H2020 indicators, are also presented. This assessment highlights the major drivers and their implications on marine protection. It also identifies areas that require further attention in the next phase of H2020 (2014–2020). Keywords: Land-based pollution sources; Mediterranean Sea; Municipal waste; Wastewater; Industrial emissions; Indicators http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15005135_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.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, Available online 29 November 2015, 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 ( Keywords: Marine debris; Plastic; Fish; Ingestion; North Sea; Baltic Sea http://www.globalgarbage.org.br/mailinglist/S0025326X15301922_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.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, Available online 11 November 2015, 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_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdf Atsuhiko Isobe, Keiichi Uchida, Tadashi Tokai, Shinsuke Iwasaki, East Asian seas: A hot spot of pelagic microplastics, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Available online 29 October 2015, 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 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 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, Available online 27 October 2015, 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_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.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, Available online 9 October 2015, 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_In_Press_Corrected_Proof.pdfhttp://www.nature.com/srep/2015/151208/srep17988/full/srep17988.html Thomas Mani, Armin Hauk, Ulrich Walter & Patricia Burkhardt-Holm Microplastics profile along the Rhine River Scientific Reports 5, Article number: 17988 (2015) doi:10.1038/srep17988 Abstract Microplastics result from fragmentation of plastic debris or are released to the environment as pre-production pellets or components of consumer and industrial products. In the oceans, they contribute to the ‘great garbage patches’. They are ingested by many organisms, from protozoa to baleen whales, and pose a threat to the aquatic fauna. Although as much as 80% of marine debris originates from land, little attention was given to the role of rivers as debris pathways to the sea. Worldwide, not a single great river has yet been studied for the surface microplastics load over its length. We report the abundance and composition of microplastics at the surface of the Rhine, one of the largest European rivers. Measurements were made at 11 locations over a stretch of 820 km. Microplastics were found in all samples, with 892,777 particles km −2 on average. In the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, a peak concentration of 3.9 million particles km −2 was measured. Microplastics concentrations were diverse along and across the river, reflecting various sources and sinks such as waste water treatment plants, tributaries and weirs. Measures should be implemented to avoid and reduce the pollution with anthropogenic litter in aquatic ecosystems. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep17988.pdfhttp://www.nature.com/article-assets/npg/srep/2015/151208/srep17988/extref/srep17988-s1.pdfhttps://www.unibas.ch/en/News-Events/News/Uni-Research/Microplastics-Rhine-One-of-the-Most-Polluted-Rivers-Worldwide.html 08 December 2015 Microplastics: Rhine One of the Most Polluted Rivers Worldwide Between Basel and Rotterdam, the Rhine has one of the highest microplastics pollution so far measured in rivers, with the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area showing peak numbers of up to four times the average. Among investigated rivers, the Rhine is thus among those most heavily polluted with microplastics. This is reported by researchers from the University of Basel, who evaluated, for the first time, the plastic concentration at the surface of one of the big European rivers. Their results have been published in the journal Scientific Reports. http://www.ilvo.vlaanderen.be/micro/EN/Home/News/tabid/6621/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2038/Socio-economic-impact-of-microplastics-in-the-2-Seas-Channel-and-France-Manche-Region.aspx 8 January 2015 Socio-economic impact of microplastics in the 2 Seas, Channel and France Manche Region The accumulation of microplastics (MPs), plastic particles with a diameter smaller than 5 mm, in marine environments has raised health and safety concerns. Because of their small size, MPs are potentially bioavailable to a wide range of marine organisms. Microplastics can be ingested by low trophic suspension, filter and deposit feeders, detritivores and planktivores (Browne, 2008; Graham and Thompson, 2009; Murray and Cowie, 2011; Setälä et al., 2014; Thompson et al., 2004). Because of this, MPs can be transferred through the food web via planktonic organisms from one trophic level to the next (Setälä et al., 2014). Lusher et al. (2013), for example, found microplastics in 36.5% of fish belonging to 10 species sampled from the English Channel, irrespective of habitat (pelagic vs. demersal). Microplastics can affect the feeding, movement, growth and breeding success of marine organisms. Recently, Wright et al. (2013) reviewed the consequences for the health and susceptibility of marine invertebrates to the physical impacts of microplastic uptake, including the concentrations found in the environment. These small particles do not only have an impact because of their physical effects and if translocated into tissues, particle toxicity, but also contain chemical substances that could be taken up by marine organisms affecting their health and functioning. There is increasing evidence that MPs may be transferred through the food chain from prey to predator and may eventually lead to bioaccumulation of MPs or associated toxic substances. However, there is currently only limited evidence of transfer of chemicals from ingested plastics into tissues (Tanaka et al., 2013). Effects on the marine food-chain can by extension pose potential risks to human health through the consumption of seafood, and may lead to socio-economic costs. ‘MICRO: Is it a threat for the 2 Seas Area?’ is a project in which five scientific institutes study the occurrence and impact of microplastics in the Interreg 2 Seas area and the Franche Manche Channel region( Figure 1.1). It is a cooperation between the Belgian Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries research (EV-ILVO), the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture science (Cefas) in England, the Dutch Stichting Deltares and two French partners: l’Institut Français de Recherche pour l’ Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). Read more in 'Socio-economic impact of microplastics in the 2 Seas, Channel and France Manche Region' (pdf) http://www.ilvo.vlaanderen.be/Portals/74/Documents/Socioeconomic_impact_microplastics_2Seas_and_FranceMancheRegion.pdfhttp://www.mckinsey.com/insights/sustainability/saving_the_ocean_from_plastic_waste Report Saving the ocean from plastic waste An estimated eight million metric tons of plastic waste leaks into the ocean every year. Action in just five countries could stem that tide. November 2015 The amount of unmanaged plastic waste entering the ocean has reached crisis levels. On current trends, the global quantity of plastic in the ocean could nearly double to 250 million metric tons by 20251 —or one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish. Yet a collective response by ocean states, especially by the handful of Asian countries with particularly high volumes of unmanaged plastic waste, could almost halve this total, mitigating the mounting environmental and economic damage (exhibit). http://www.oceanconservancy.org/who-we-are/newsroom/2015/ocean-conservancy-releases.html Ocean Conservancy Releases Global Report Outlining Solutions to Critical Problem of Plastic Waste in Oceans New report outlines a path forward to reducing ocean plastic waste by 45 percent by 2025 Contact Julia Roberson jroberson@oceanconservancy.org 1.202.351.0476 (NEW YORK, September 30, 2015) – Ocean Conservancy today announced the global launch of Stemming the Tide: Land-based strategies for a plastic-free ocean – a first-of-its-kind, solutions-oriented report in partnership with the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment that outlines specific land-based solutions for plastic waste in the ocean, starting with the elimination of plastic waste leakage in five priority countries (China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand). “Today’s report, for the first time, outlines a specific path forward for the reduction, and ultimate elimination, of plastic waste in the oceans,” said Andreas Merkl, CEO of Ocean Conservancy. “The report’s findings confirm what many have long thought – that ocean plastic solutions actually begin on land. It will take a coordinated effort of industry, NGOs and government to solve this growing economic and environmental problem.” Eight million metric tonnes of plastic leak into the world’s ocean every year and the amounts continue to grow. Without concerted global action, there could be one ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish by 2025, leading to massive environmental, economic and health issues. With at least 80 percent of ocean plastic originating from land-based sources, the report’s findings propose a four-point solution to cutting leakage by 45 percent in the next 10 years, dramatically reducing ocean plastic waste by 2025 with the ultimate goal of eradicating the issue by 2035. The report estimates that total costs for implementing these solutions could be contained at $5 billion a year, with significant returns to the global economy. http://www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/marine-debris/stop-plastic-trash-2015.htmlhttp://www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/marine-debris/mckinsey-report-files/full-report-stemming-the.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/extent_of_plastics_in_the_mediterranean_sea_a_growing_problem_435na5_en.pdf 12 November 2015 Issue 435 Extent of plastics in the Mediterranean Sea: a growing problem The extent of marine litter in the Mediterranean Basin has been revealed by a new study. Researchers reviewed previous studies to show that the northwest Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot for plastic debris. They found that marine litter harmed 134 species in the Mediterranean Sea and call for more to be done to manage the growing problem of debris, especially plastics, littering the Sea. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/research_alert_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/microalgae_sticks_to_microplastics_and_transports_them_to_the_seabed_432na6_en.pdf 22 October 2015 Issue 432 Microalgae sticks to microplastics and transports them to the seabed Fragments of microplastics are readily incorporated into groups of microscopic algae, altering the rate at which the plastics move through seawater, a recent study has found. In laboratory tests, polystyrene microbeads, which usually sink to the bottom of seawater at a rate of 4 mm a day, sank at a rate of several hundreds of metres a day when part of microalgae aggregates. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/research_alert_en.htmhttp://waste-free-oceans.prezly.com/waste-free-oceans-newsletter-volume-9 Waste Free Oceans Newsletter Volume 9 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 — Click here to read up on WFO's latest projects, activities and events! http://wastefreeoceans.eu/sites/default/files/WFO%20December%20Newsletter%20Volume%20%209.pdf *** To be removed from the Mailing List, send an email to MailingList@globalgarbage.org">MailingList@globalgarbage.org">MailingList@globalgarbage.org">MailingList@globalgarbage.org">MailingList@globalgarbage.org">MailingList@globalgarbage.org">MailingList@globalgarbage.org">MailingList@globalgarbage.org with the subject REMOVE. 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