Assessing plastic size distribution and quantity on a remote island in the South Pacific

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:167

Article

Nichols, Emma C.¹  Lavers, Jennifer L.¹  Archer-Rand, Simeon²  Bond, Alexander L.^1,3 

[1] Inst Marine & Antarctic Studies, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tas 7004, Australia

[2] Ctr Environm Fisheries & Aquaculture Sci, Pakefield Rd, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, Suffolk, England

[3] Nat Hist Museum, Dept Life Sci, Bird Grp, Akeman St, Tring HP23 6AP, Herts, England

关键词: Anthropogenic debris;    Henderson Island;    Marine debris;    Microplastic;    Nanoparticle;    Plastic pollution;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112366

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Plastics are an environmental threat; however, their fate once in the pelagic environment is poorly known. We compare results from assessments of floating plastics in the South Pacific Ocean with accumulated beach plastics from Henderson Island. We also compare accumulated plastic mass on Henderson during 2015 and 2019 and investigate the presence of nanoplastics. There were differences between the size classes of beach and pelagic plastics, and an increase in microplastics (0.33-5 mm) on the beach between 2015 and 2019. Micro- and nanoplastics were found at all sites (mean +/- SE: 1960 +/- 356 pieces/kg dw). Across the whole beach this translates to >4 billion plastic particles in the upper 5 cm. This is concerning, particularly given Henderson is uninhabited and distant from urban centres (similar to 2350 km from Pape'ete, French Polynesia). The vast number of small particles on Henderson may make nearshore filter feeders susceptible to ingestion and subsequent detrimental impacts.

【 授权许可】

Free