Using systems mapping to understand the constraints and enablers of solutions to plastic pollution.

Plastic pollution is now considered globally ubiquitous, irreversible, and a planetary boundary threat. Solutions are urgently needed but their development and application are hampered by the complexity and scale of the issue. System dynamics is a technique used to understand complex behaviours of systems through model building and is useful for conceptualising the relationships between various interacting, dynamic factors, and identifying potential intervention points within the system where specific policies or innovations might have the greatest impact or meet with the greatest resistance.

Identifying potential high-risk zones for land-derived plastic litter to marine megafauna and key habitats within the North Atlantic.

The pervasive use of plastic in modern society has led to plastic litter becoming ubiquitous within the ocean. Land-based sources of plastic litter are thought to account for the majority of plastic pollution in the marine environment, with plastic bags, bottles, wrappers, food containers and cutlery among the most common items found. In the marine environment, plastic is a transboundary pollutant, with the potential to cause damage far beyond the political borders from where it originated, making the management of this global pollutant particularly complex.

Prevalence of microplastics in Peruvian mangrove sediments and edible mangrove species.

Mangrove ecosystems have been hypothesised as a potential sink of microplastic debris, which could pose a threat to mangrove biota and ecological function. In this field-study we establish the prevalence of microplastics in sediments and commercially-exploited Anadara tuberculosa (black ark) and Ucides occidentalis (mangrove crab) from five different zones in the mangrove ecosystem of Tumbes, Peru. Microplastic were evident in all samples, with an average of 726 ± 396 microplastics/kg for the sediment, although no differences between the different zones of the mangrove ecosystem were observed.

Microplastic shape influences fate in vegetated wetlands.

Coastal areas are prone to plastic accumulation due to their proximity to land based sources. Coastal vegetated habitats (e.g.

Selection for antimicrobial resistance in the plastisphere.

Microplastics and antimicrobials are widespread contaminants that threaten global systems and frequently co-exist in the presence of human or animal pathogens. Whilst the impact of each of these contaminants has been studied in isolation, the influence of this co-occurrence in driving antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in microplastic-adhered microbial communities, known as 'the Plastisphere', is not well understood. This review proposes the mechanisms by which interactions between antimicrobials and microplastics may drive selection for AMR in the Plastisphere.

Culturing the Plastisphere: comparing methods to isolate culturable bacteria colonising microplastics.

Microplastics quickly become colonised by diverse microbial communities, known as the Plastisphere. There is growing concern that microplastics may support the enrichment and spread of pathogenic or antimicrobial resistant microorganisms, although research to support the unique role of microplastics in comparison to control particles remains inconclusive. Limitations to this research include the microbiological methods available for isolating adhered microbes.

In situ correlation between microplastic and suspended particulate matter concentrations in river-estuary systems support proxies for satellite-derived estimates of microplastic flux.

Rivers are key pathways for transporting microplastics from land to the oceans, yet microplastic flux estimates remain uncertain. Remote sensing allows repeated broad-scale measurements and can be used to extrapolate limited in situ observations. This study investigated the relationship between suspended particulate matter (SPM), a satellite-observable water quality parameter, and microplastic concentration in a partially mixed estuary (Tamar, UK).

Mussel power: Scoping a nature-based solution to microplastic debris.

Microplastics are a prolific environmental contaminant. Curbing microplastic pollution requires an array of globally relevant interventions, including source-reduction and curative measures. A novel, nature-based solution to microplastics is proposed, in which mussels are deployed in aquatic ecosystems to act as microplastic biofilters, removing waterborne microplastics and repackaging them into biodeposits that are subsequently captured and removed.

Detection and characterisation of microplastics and microfibres in fishmeal and soybean meal.

Aquaculture is an increasingly important source of nutrition for global food security, which is reliant on animal- and plant-based feeds. Anthropogenic particles, including microplastics and semi-synthetic cellulosic fibres, are prolific marine pollutants that are readily consumed by marine organisms, including small pelagic fish commonly used in fishmeal. Conversely, there is no indication plants can accumulate anthropogenic microparticles.

Microplastic ingestion in zooplankton from the Fram Strait in the Arctic.

Some of the highest microplastic concentrations in marine environments have been reported from the Fram Strait in the Arctic. This region supports a diverse ecosystem dependent on high concentrations of zooplankton at the base of the food web. Zooplankton samples were collected during research cruises using Bongo and MOCNESS nets in the boreal summers of 2018 and 2019.

Can a key boreal Calanus copepod species now complete its life-cycle in the Arctic? Evidence and implications for Arctic food-webs.

The changing Arctic environment is affecting zooplankton that support its abundant wildlife. We examined how these changes are influencing a key zooplankton species, Calanus finmarchicus, principally found in the North Atlantic but expatriated to the Arctic. Close to the ice-edge in the Fram Strait, we identified areas that, since the 1980s, are increasingly favourable to C.

Benthic fauna contribute to microplastic sequestration in coastal sediments.

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the marine environment, however, the mechanisms governing their uptake by, and burial within, seabed habitats are poorly understood. In this study, microplastic burial and its impact on fauna-mediated sedimentary processes was quantified at three coastal sites, and the potential contribution of burrowing faunal communities to this process assessed via functional trait diversity analysis of field data. In addition, laboratory exposures were used to assess whether sediment-processing undertaken by the brittlestar Amphiura filiformis, a key species in the sampled area, could explain the burial of microplastic fibres.

Environmental concentrations of antifouling paint particles are toxic to sediment-dwelling invertebrates.

Antifouling paint particles (APPs) and associated metals have been identified in sediments around boatyards and marinas globally, but the effects of APPs on benthic organisms are largely unknown. Sub-lethal endpoints were measured following laboratory exposures of the harbour ragworm (Hediste diversicolor) and the common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) to environmentally relevant concentrations of biocidal ('modern' and 'historic') and biocide-free ('silicone') APPs added to clean estuarine sediment. Further, the 5-day median lethal concentrations (LC) and effects concentrations (EC) for modern biocidal APPs were calculated.

Microplastics, microfibres and nanoplastics cause variable sub-lethal responses in mussels (Mytilus spp.).

We compare the toxicity of microplastics, microfibres and nanoplastics on mussels. Mussels (Mytilus spp.) were exposed to 500 ng mL-1 of 20 μm polystyrene microplastics, 10 × 30 μm polyamide microfibres or 50 nm polystyrene nanoplastics for 24 h or 7 days.

Are we underestimating microplastic abundance in the marine environment? A comparison of microplastic capture with nets of different mesh-size.

Microplastic debris is ubiquitous and yet sampling, classifying and enumerating this prolific pollutant in marine waters has proven challenging. Typically, waterborne microplastic sampling is undertaken using nets with a 333 μm mesh, which cannot account for smaller debris. In this study, we provide an estimate of the extent to which microplastic concentrations are underestimated with traditional sampling.

De Novo Transcriptome Assembly and Gene Expression Profiling of the Copepod Feeding on the PUA-Producing Diatom .

Diatoms are the dominant component of the marine phytoplankton. Several diatoms produce secondary metabolites, namely oxylipins, with teratogenic effects on their main predators, crustacean copepods. Our study reports the de novo assembled transcriptome of the calanoid copepod feeding on the oxylipin-producing diatom .

Microplastics and seafood: lower trophic organisms at highest risk of contamination.

Microplastic debris is a prevalent global pollutant that poses a risk to marine organisms and ecological processes. It is also suspected to pose a risk to marine food security; however, these risks are currently poorly understood. In this review, we seek to understand the current knowledge pertaining to the contamination of commercially important fished and farmed marine organisms with microplastics, with the aim of answering the question "Does microplastic pollution pose a risk to marine food security?".

Microplastics alter feeding selectivity and faecal density in the copepod, Calanus helgolandicus.

Microplastics (1 μm-5 mm) are a ubiquitous marine contaminant of global concern, ingested by a wide range of marine taxa. Copepods are a key component of marine food webs, providing a source of food for higher trophic levels, and playing an important role in marine nutrient cycling. Microplastic ingestion has been documented in copepods, but knowledge gaps remain over how this affects feeding preference and faecal density.

Diet-related selectivity of macroplastic ingestion in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the eastern Mediterranean.

Understanding the drivers of key interactions between marine vertebrates and plastic pollution is now considered a research priority. Sea turtles are primarily visual predators, with the ability to discriminate according to colour and shape; therefore these factors play a role in feeding choices. Classification methodologies of ingested plastic currently do not record these variables, however here, refined protocols allow us to test the hypothesis that plastic is selectively ingested when it resembles the food items of green turtles (Chelonia mydas).

Global ecological, social and economic impacts of marine plastic.

This research takes a holistic approach to considering the consequences of marine plastic pollution. A semi-systematic literature review of 1191 data points provides the basis to determine the global ecological, social and economic impacts. An ecosystem impact analysis demonstrates that there is global evidence of impact with medium to high frequency on all subjects, with a medium to high degree of irreversibility.

Effects of Nylon Microplastic on Feeding, Lipid Accumulation, and Moulting in a Coldwater Copepod.

Microplastic debris is a pervasive environmental contaminant that has the potential to impact the health of biota, although its modes of action remain somewhat unclear. The current study tested the hypothesis that exposure to fibrous and particulate microplastics would alter feeding, impacting on lipid accumulation, and normal development (e.g.

Antifouling paint particles in intertidal estuarine sediments from southwest England and their ingestion by the harbour ragworm, Hediste diversicolor.

Antifouling paint particles (APPs) of between 500 μm and >2 mm in diameter have been identified in silty, intertidal estuarine sediments through a combination of microscopy and x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. APPs were heterogeneously distributed, with maximal concentrations of 430 particles L (0.2 g L) near to a facility where boats are regularly maintained and 400 particles L (4.

Microplastics in marine mammals stranded around the British coast: ubiquitous but transitory?

Plastic pollution represents a pervasive and increasing threat to marine ecosystems worldwide and there is a need to better understand the extent to which microplastics (<5 mm) are ingested by high trophic-level taxa, such as marine mammals. Here, we perform a comprehensive assessment by examining whole digestive tracts of 50 individuals from 10 species whilst operating strict contamination controls. Microplastics were ubiquitous with particles detected in every animal examined.