Segmentation of beach plastic fragments' contours based on self-organizing map and multi-shape descriptors: A rapid indication of fragmentation and wearing types.

Environmental plastic fragments have been verified as byproducts of large plastic and its secondary pollutants including micro and nanoplastics. There are few quantitative studies available, but their contours have values for the weathering mechanisms. We used geometric descriptors, fractal dimensions, and Fourier descriptors to characterize field and artificial polyethylene and polypropylene samples as a means of investigating the contour characteristics.

Microplastics in different tissues of historical and live samples of endangered mega-fish (Acipenser sinensis) and their potential relevance to exposure pathways.

The Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) is an endangered freshwater mega-fish (IUCN-red listed) that survives in the Yangtze River Basin, but the population of which has declined significantly in response to environmental pressures generated by human activities. In order to evaluate the interaction between Chinese sturgeon and microplastics (MPs) for the first time, we examined the gut and gills of historical samples (n = 27), in conjunction with the blood and mucus of live samples (n = 10), to explore the potential pathways involved in MP uptake. We detected MPs in 62.

Impact of typhoon events on microplastic distribution in offshore sediments in Leizhou Peninsula of the South China Sea.

Microplastic is an emerging pollutant and a technical fossil in Anthropocene sediments. Typhoon frequency and intensity have increased due to climate change, which has a major effect on the distribution patterns of microplastics. It is still unknown, though, how the topography of the peninsula affects the reconstruction of the distribution of microplastic in typhoons.

Interactions between microplastics and insects in terrestrial ecosystems-A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial ecosystems has been confirmed worldwide. Due to their widespread distribution and diversity in habitats, insects will readily interact with MPs via various pathways. Although the topic of MP-insect interactions is still in the early stages of research, it is becoming increasingly important.

Assessing pathways of heavy metal accumulation in aquaculture shrimp and their introductions into the pond environment based on a dynamic model and mass balance principle.

The impact of heavy metals (HMs) on the quality of aquaculture products has attracted worldwide attention. Since Litopenaeus vannamei is a popular aquaculture product among consumers worldwide, it is of great importance to guarantee its dietary safety. An in-situ monitoring program lasting for three months in a typical Litopenaeus vannamei farm found that Pb (100 %) and Cr (86 %) in the adult shrimp were higher than the safety guidelines.

Accumulation and re-distribution of microplastics via aquatic plants and macroalgae - A review of field studies.

The aquatic plants and macroalgae are primary producers with major roles regarding the maintenance of ecosystems but their interaction with microplastics (MPs) has received less attention than animals. We summarize the methodologies used, the MPs abundances and their characteristics across the literature on MPs pollution in aquatic plants and macroalgae. The sampling and quantification of MPs still lacks consistency between studies, which increased the uncertainty in cross-comparisons.

Microplastic pollution in wild populations of decapod crustaceans: A review.

Along with the increasing amount of plastic production and waste disposal, the presence of microplastics has been confirmed in all compartments of ecosystems. The microplastics in biota is of particular concern due to the potential eco-risks associated with long term exposure and the potential for transportation along food webs. Decapoda represents a diverse taxonomic group within the subphylum Crustacea, and some of which are highly valued in fishery and biological production.

Fish Ingest Microplastics Unintentionally.

Microplastics (size of plastic debris <5 mm) occur in various environments worldwide these days and cause detrimental effects on biota. However, the behavioral responses of fish to microplastics in feeding processes are not well understood. In the present study, juveniles from four fish species and two common shapes of microplastics were used to explore fish feeding responses.

Temporal and spatial variations of microplastics in roadside dust from rural and urban Victoria, Australia: Implications for diffuse pollution.

Microplastic pollution is an important issue for environmental management as their ubiquity in marine and freshwaters has been confirmed. Pollution sources are key to understanding how microplastics travel from land to open oceans. Given that information regarding microplastic transport from diffuse sources is limiting, we conducted a study on roadside dust from rural and urban Victoria, Australia, over two seasons.

Identification of microplastics in surface water and Australian freshwater shrimp Paratya australiensis in Victoria, Australia.

Compared to marine microplastics research, few studies have bio-monitored microplastics in inland waters. It is also important to understand the microplastics' uptake and their potential risks to freshwater species. The Australian glass shrimp Paratya australiensis (Family: Atyidae) is commonly found in fresh waterbodies in eastern Australia, and are sensitive to anthropogenic stressors but have a wide tolerance range to the natural environmental conditions.

Superimposed microplastic pollution in a coastal metropolis.

The mitigation of microplastic pollution in the environment calls for a better understanding of the sources and transportation, especially from land sources to the open ocean. We conducted a large-scale investigation of microplastic pollution across the Greater Melbourne Area and the Western Port area, Australia, spanning gradients of land-use from un-developed catchments in conservation areas to more heavily-developed areas. Microplastics were detected in 94% of water samples and 96% of sediment samples, with abundances ranging from 0.

Microplastics biomonitoring in Australian urban wetlands using a common noxious fish (Gambusia holbrooki).

Biomonitoring microplastics in freshwater ecosystems has been insufficient in comparison with its practice in marine environments. It is an important first step to understand microplastic uptake in organisms when assessing risk in natural freshwater habitats. We conducted microplastic biomonitoring within the Greater Melbourne Area; where the microplastic baseline pollution in freshwater organisms was largely unknown.

Comparison of microplastic pollution in different water bodies from urban creeks to coastal waters.

Although freshwater and estuary systems are recognized as origins and transport pathways of plastics to the oceans, there is a lack of comparison of microplastics in different water bodies or river networks. In the present study, the spatial distribution of microplastics was compared across different water bodies, including city creeks (Shanghai), rivers (Suzhou River and Huangpu River), an estuary (Yangtze Estuary) and coastal waters (East China Sea) in the Yangtze Delta area. Significant spatial differences of microplastic abundances were revealed across the sampling areas.