Comparative analysis of microplastics detection methods applied to marine sediments: A case study in the Bay of Marseille.

An intercomparison exercise on "microplastics in sediment" was carried out by five laboratories using samples collected in the Bay of Marseille in September 2021. The results from different extraction and identification methods varied depending on the type and size classes of MPs, and was better than 80 % for the size class >300 μm and for the fragments. The variability in recovery rates can be attributed to the choice of reagents and extraction protocols.

Temporal trajectories of artificial radiocaesium Cs in French rivers over the nuclear era reconstructed from sediment cores.

Cs is a long-lived man-made radionuclide introduced in the environment worldwide at the early beginning of the nuclear Era during atmospheric nuclear testing's followed by the civil use of nuclear energy. Atmospheric fallout deposition of this major artificial radionuclide was reconstructed at the scale of French large river basins since 1945, and trajectories in French nuclearized rivers were established using sediment coring. Our results show that Cs contents in sediments of the studied rivers display a large spatial and temporal variability in response to the various anthropogenic pressures exerted on their catchment.

Temporal trends of plastic additive contents in sediment cores of three French rivers (Loire, Meuse and Moselle) over the last decades.

Sediment cores from three major French watersheds (Loire, Meuse and Moselle) have been dated by Cs and Pb from 1910 (Loire), 1947 (Meuse) and 1930 (Moselle) until the present in order to reconstruct trajectories of plastic additive contaminants including nine phthalate esters (PAEs) and seven organophosphate esters (OPEs), measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS-MS). Historical levels of ∑PAEs were higher than those of ∑OPEs in the Loire and the Moselle sediments, while ∑PAEs and ∑OPEs contents were of the same order of magnitude in the Meuse sediments. Although increases in concentrations do not evolve linearly, our results clearly indicate an increase in OPEs and PAEs concentrations from the 1950-1970 period onwards, compared with the first half of the 20th century.

Temporal evolution of plastic additive contents over the last decades in two major European rivers (Rhone and Rhine) from sediment cores analyses.

Although global plastic distribution is at the heart of 21st century environmental concerns, little information is available concerning how organic plastic additives contaminate freshwater sediments, which are often subject to strong anthropogenic pressure. Here, sediment core samples were collected in the Rhone and the Rhine watersheds (France), dated using Cs and Pb methods and analysed for nine phthalates (PAEs) and seven organophosphate esters (OPEs). The distribution of these organic contaminants was used to establish a chronological archive of plastic additive pollution from 1860 (Rhine) and 1930 (Rhone) until today.

Spatial and temporal patterns of organophosphate Esters flame retardants and plasticizers in airborne particles over the Mediterranean sea.

We studied the co-occurrence of OPEs and other constituents in atmospheric particles at the two edges of the Mediterranean Sea, under the influence of the transport of polluted air from Europe and dust from the Sahara. The highest OPE concentrations were observed during the summer period in the East Mediterranean and in spring for the NW Mediterranean. The total average atmospheric concentration of ΣOPEs in the NW Mediterranean was 2103 ± 2020 pg m (n = 23) with EHDPP and TCPP to be the predominant OPEs, accounting on average for 46% and 37% of the total ƩOPEs concentrations, respectively.

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in the Marine Environment Using the Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) Technique.

Here, we evaluate for the first time the performances of the newly developed laser direct infrared (LDIR) technique and propose an optimization of the initial protocol for marine microplastics (MPs) analysis. Our results show that an 8 μm porosity polycarbonate filter placed on a Kevley slide enables preconcentration and efficient quantification of MPs, as well as polymer and size determination of reference plastic pellets of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), with recoveries ranging from 80-100% and negligible blank values for particle sizes ranging from 200 to 500 μm. A spiked experiment using seawater, sediment, mussels, and fish stomach samples showed that the method responded linearly with significant slopes ( ranging from 0.

The role of mesopelagic fishes as microplastics vectors across the deep-sea layers from the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic.

Microplastics (MPs; <5 mm) are a macro issue recognised worldwide as a threat to biodiversity and ecosystems. Widely distributed in marine ecosystems, MPs have already been found in the deep-sea environment. However, there is little information on ecological mechanisms driving MP uptake by deep-sea species.

Microplastics in Asian freshwater ecosystems: Current knowledge and perspectives.

Plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems, including microplastics (MPs) smaller than 5 mm, has become an emerging global concern. Asia is considered a "hot spot" for plastic pollution due to rapid economic and demographic growth, together with rapid urbanization. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on MP abundance, sources, fate, and transfer in Asian freshwater ecosystems based on publications from January 2014 to May 2021.

Organic additive release from plastic to seawater is lower under deep-sea conditions.

Plastic garbage patches at the ocean surface are symptomatic of a wider pollution affecting the whole marine environment. Sinking of plastic debris increasingly appears to be an important process in the global fate of plastic in the ocean. However, there is insufficient knowledge about the processes affecting plastic distributions and degradation and how this influences the release of additives under varying environmental conditions, especially in deep-sea environments.

Persistent Organic Pollutants Burden, Trophic Magnification and Risk in a Pelagic Food Web from Coastal NW Mediterranean Sea.

The storage capacity, trophic magnification and risk of sixty-two POPs have been evaluated in a well-characterized pelagic food web (including phytoplankton, zooplankton, six fish, and two cephalopods species) from an impacted area in NW Mediterranean Sea. Our results show the high capacity of the planktonic compartment for the storage of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), consistent with their estimated low trophic magnification factors (TMF) of 0.2-2.

Environmental occurrence of phthalate and organophosphate esters in sediments across the Gulf of Lion (NW Mediterranean Sea).

Seven phthalate (PAEs) and nine organophosphate esters (OPEs) were measured in surface sediments across the Gulf of Lion (NW Mediterranean Sea) at twelve stations characterized by different anthropogenic signatures. ∑PAEs and ∑OPEs concentrations ranged from 2 to 766 ng/g DW (av. 196 ng/g DW) and from 4 to 227 ng/g DW (av.

Phthalates and organophosphate esters in surface water, sediments and zooplankton of the NW Mediterranean Sea: Exploring links with microplastic abundance and accumulation in the marine food web.

In this study, surface seawater, sediment and zooplankton samples were collected from three different sampling stations in Marseille Bay (NW Mediterranean Sea) and were analyzed for both microplastics and organic plastic additives including seven phthalates (PAEs) and nine organophosphate esters (OPEs). PAE concentrations ranged from 100 to 527 ng L (mean 191 ± 123 ng L) in seawater, 12-610 ng g dw (mean 194 ± 193 ng g dw) in sediment and 0.9-47 μg g dw (mean 7.

Occurrence of organic plastic additives in surface waters of the Rhône River (France).

We present here a comprehensive study (1-year regular sampling) on the occurrence of major families of organic plastic additives in the Rhône River surface waters. Potential sources and contaminant export are also discussed. A total of 22 dissolved phase samples were analyzed for 22 organic additives mainly used in the plastic industry, including organophosphate esters (OPEs), phthalates (PAEs) and bisphenols (BPs).

Macro-litter in surface waters from the Rhone River: Plastic pollution and loading to the NW Mediterranean Sea.

We present here the first estimates of floating macro-litter in surface waters from the Rhone River, based on monthly visual observations during 1-year period (2016-2017). Plastic represented 77% of the identified items, confirming its predominance in riverine floating litter. Fragments (2.

Occurrence of perfluoroalkyl substances in the Bay of Marseille (NW Mediterranean Sea) and the Rhône River.

Four perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were analyzed in 62 duplicate surface water samples from the Rhône River and Marseille Bay (France; NW Mediterranean Sea). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was detected in all samples and exceeded the European Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) values in over 80% of the cases. The most contaminated samples were from the Rhône River (up to 200 ng L ∑ PFAS), as well as those collected near a wastewater treatment plant outlet in Marseille Bay (up to 9 ng L ∑ PFAS).

The Amazon River: A Major Source of Organic Plastic Additives to the Tropical North Atlantic?

The release of emerging organic contaminants is identified among the most critical hazards to the marine environment, and plastic additives have received growing attention due to their worldwide distribution and potential deleterious effects. Here, we report dissolved surface water concentrations of two important families of plastic additives (organophosphate esters (OPEs) and bisphenols) and other related organic compounds (perfluorinated chemicals) measured in the North Atlantic from Cape Verde to the West Indies. We found that OPEs were the most abundant contaminants, reaching remarkably high concentrations in open ocean waters (1200 km offshore of the American Coast, at the location of the Amazon river plume during the sampling period), with up to 1.

Liquid chromatographic isolation of individual carbohydrates from environmental matrices for stable carbon analysis and radiocarbon dating.

Carbohydrates are among the most abundant organic molecules in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems; however, very few studies have addressed their isotopic signature using compound-specific isotope analysis, which provides additional information on their origin (δC) and fate (ΔC). In this study, semi-preparative liquid chromatography with refractive index detection (HPLC-RI) was employed to produce pure carbohydrate targets for subsequent offline δC and ΔC isotopic analysis. δC analysis was performed by elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometer (EA-IRMS) whereas ΔC analysis was performed by an innovative measurement procedure based on the direct combustion of the isolated fractions using an elemental analyzer coupled to the gas source of a mini carbon dating system (AixMICADAS).

Phthalate Release from Plastic Fragments and Degradation in Seawater.

Plastic debris in the environment contains plasticizers, such as phthalates (PAEs), that can be released during plastic aging. Here, two common plastic materials, an insulation layer of electric cables (polyvinyl chloride, PVC-cables) and plastic garbage bag (polyethylene, PE-bags), were incubated in natural seawater under laboratory conditions, and the PAE migration to the seawater phase was studied with varying light and bacterial conditions over a 90-day time course. Free PAEs diluted in seawater were also studied for bacterial degradation.

Atmospheric particle-bound organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers in a North African Mediterranean coastal city (Bizerte, Tunisia).

Organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants and plasticizers have been detected at generally high frequencies (70-98%) for the first time in the atmosphere over the NW African coastal Mediterranean. Results from sixty air samples (total suspended particles, TSP) collected between March 2015 and January 2016 in an urban coastal site (Bizerte, Tunisia) revealed ∑OPE concentrations of ~100-1060 pg m (470 pg m, median) with TCPPs, EHDPP and TiBP exhibiting the higher median concentrations (~110, 100 and 85 pg m, respectively). Spring generally exhibited the lowest concentrations, probably linked to the influence of local meteorological conditions and air mass trajectories to a lesser extent.

Levels and risk assessment of hydrocarbons and organochlorines in aerosols from a North African coastal city (Bizerte, Tunisia).

The aim of this study was to assess, for the first time, the concentrations, sources, dry deposition and human health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in total suspended particle (TSP) samples collected in Bizerte city, Tunisia (North Africa), during one year (March 2015-January 2016). Concentrations of PAHs, AHs, PCBs and OCPs ranged 0.5-17.

Distribution of phthalates in Marseille Bay (NW Mediterranean Sea).

Phthalic Acid Esters (PAEs) are a group of emerging organic contaminants that have become a serious issue because of their ubiquitous presence and hazardous impact on the marine environment worldwide. Seawater samples were collected monthly from December 2013 to November 2014 in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Marseille Bay). The samples were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as well as the molecular distribution of dissolved PAEs by using solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses.

Occurrence, Loading, and Exposure of Atmospheric Particle-Bound POPs at the African and European Edges of the Western Mediterranean Sea.

A comparative study for 62 toxic chemicals based on the simultaneous monthly collection of aerosol samples during 2015-2016 in two coastal cities at both the African (Bizerte, Tunisia) and European (Marseille, France) edges of the Western Mediterranean basin is presented. Legacy polychlorinated biphenyls (∑PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (∑PCDD/Fs) show generally higher median levels at the African edge (2.1 and 0.

Occurrence, fate, behavior and ecotoxicological state of phthalates in different environmental matrices.

Because of their large and widespread application, phthalates or phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are ubiquitous in all the environmental compartements. They have been widely detected throughout the worldwide environment. Indoor air where people spend 65-90% of their time is also highly contaminated by various PAEs released from plastics, consumer products as well as ambient suspended particulate matter.

Reliable quantification of phthalates in environmental matrices (air, water, sludge, sediment and soil): a review.

Because of their widespread application, phthalates or phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are ubiquitous in the environment. Their presence has attracted considerable attention due to their potential impacts on ecosystem functioning and on public health, so their quantification has become a necessity. Various extraction procedures as well as gas/liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry detection techniques are found as suitable for reliable detection of such compounds.