Publications by authors named "A Isobe"
In this study, environmental microplastic samples (>30 μm) were collected from surface seawater and the water column, characterized, and used to assess ecological risks. The influence of mesh selectivity on ecological risks was also evaluated through subsampling. Results show that surface microplastic concentrations (>30 μm) range from 92 to 3306 pieces/m along Japan's southwest coast, with significant increases at Stas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe investigated the carbonyl index (CI) of small microplastics (SMPs; 50-350 μm) and large microplastics (LMPs; >350 μm) in the surface waters of the Tokai region and Tokyo Bay in Japan. The degradation was evaluated by determining the CI from the infrared spectrum of microplastics (MPs) adopting the specified area under the band technique. Average CIs of SMPs and LMPs in polyethylene were 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResearch on microplastics must be harmonized. Therefore, we thoroughly evaluated in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, addressing challenges and priorities in protocol harmonization and microplastics research promotion. Of the 615 papers searched by the Web of Science, 164 were used for this systematic review.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study estimated the fragmentation rate of microplastics (MiPs) in the Sea of Japan by analyzing MiP size over time following their generation from macroplastics (MaPs). A 5-year particle-tracking model was used to simulate the MaP and MiP motions driven by ocean currents, Stokes drift, the windage of MaPs, beaching, re-drifting, the conversion process from MaPs to MiPs, and the removal of MiPs from the upper ocean. MiP sizes decreased downstream in the Tsushima Current flowing northeastward.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Coral polyps consist of three parts: surface mucus, tissue, and skeleton, which can accumulate microplastics (MPs) to different extents, but research on this is limited.
- In a study of four coral species from Si Chang Island, P. cf. damicornis showed the highest MP accumulation, especially in its skeleton, with fragments being the most common type.
- The most frequent colors found were black, white, and blue, with nylon and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) being the major polymer types identified; this study highlights the importance of understanding MP accumulation patterns in corals globally.