№5|2017

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

bbk 000000

UDC 504.4.054

Kofman V. Ya.

Microplastics – a new threat for the aquatic environment? (review)

Summary

Plastic debris components with a size from microns to meters are found in the pelagic and benthic zones of all the seas and oceans. Fine plastic fractions get to the municipal wastewater treatment facilities and water treatment plants with water and wastewater after pretreatment. By microplastics particles with a size less than 5 mm are implied. By origin they are classified as primary and secondary. Microplastic materials that are a part of industrial products are classified as primary; the secondary microplastics are formed as a result of bigger microplastics fragmentation. In municipal wastewater secondary microplastics prevail in the form of fibers; their concentration can reach 100 particles/l. Incomplete removal of microplastics at the treatment facilities is considered an accepted fact. Effluent discharge results in the rivers becoming the main source of these pollutants entering seas and oceans. The growth trend of sea water pollution with microplastics is considered absolute. Besides, the tendency of their reduction in size is noted. Microplastics are characterized by bioaccessibility for the wide range of marine biota. In animal organisms microplastics can cause physical damages or become sources of toxic impact as a result of monomers and different additives used in the production of plastics migrating from their structure. High sorption activity of microplastics in the sea water is also noted; it results in the concentration of resistant organic substances in them sixfold exceeding the concentration in sea water. High probability of bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of a whole number of toxic substances adsorbed by microplastics exists.

Key words

, , , ,

The further text is accessible on a paid subscription.
For authorisation enter the login/password.
Or subscribe

REFERENCES

  1. Wright S. L., Thompson R. C., Galloway T. S. The physical impacts of microplastics on marine organisms: A review. Environmental Pollution, 2013, v. 178, pp. 483–492.
  2. Moret-Ferguson S., Law K. L., Proskurowski G., et al. The size, mass, and composition of plastic debris in the wes­tern North Atlantic Ocean. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2010, v. 60, pp. 1873–1878.
  3. Lechner A., Keckeis H., Lumesberger-Loisl F., et al. The Danube so colourful: a potpourri of plastic litter outnumbers fish larvae in Europe’s second largest rivier. Environmental Pollution, 2014, v. 188, pp. 177–181.
  4. Eriksen M., Mason S., Wilson S., et al. Microplastic pollution in the surface waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2013, v. 77, pp. 177–182.
  5. Corcoran P. L., Norris T., Ceccanese T., et al. Hidden plastics of lake Ontario, Canada and their potential preservation in the sediment record. Environmental Pollution, 2015, v. 204, pp. 17–25.
  6. Free C. M., Jensen O. P., Mason S. A., et al. High-level of microplastics pollution in a large, remote, mountain lake. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2014, v. 85, pp. 156–163.
  7. Browne M. A., Crump P., Niven S. J., et al. Accumulation of microplastics on shorelines worldwide: source and sinks. Environmental Science and Technology, 2011, v. 45, no. 21, рр. 9175–9179.
  8. Estahbanati S., Fahrenfeld N. L. Influence of wastewater treatment plant discharges on microplastic concentrations in surface water. Chemosphere, 2016, v. 162, pp. 277–284.
  9. Bakir A., Rowland S. J., Thompson R. C. Transport of persistent organic pollutants by microplastics in estuarine conditions. Estuarine Coast and Shelf Science Bulletin, 2014, v. 140, pp. 14–21.
  10. Claessens M., De Meester S., Van Landuyt L., et al. Occurence and distribution of microplastics in marine sediments along the Belgian coast. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2011, v. 62, no. 8, pp. 2199–2204.
  11. Andrady A. L. Microplastic in the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2011, v. 62, no. 8, pp. 1596–1605.
  12. Rios L. M., Moore C. Persistent organic pollutants carried by synthetic polymers in the ocean environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2007, v. 54, no. 8, pp. 1230–1237.
  13. Ashton K., Holmes L., Turner A. Association of metals with plastic production pellets in the marine environment. Marine Pollutine Bulletin, 2010, v. 60, no. 11, рр. 2050–2055.
  14. Bhattacharaya P., Lin L., Turner J. P., et al. Physical adsorption of charged plastic nanoparticles affects algal photosynthesis. Journal of Physical Chemistry, 2010, v. 114, no. 39, pp. 16556–16561.
  15. Ward J. E., Kach D. J. Marine aggregate facilitate ingestion of nanoparticles by suspension-feeding bivalves. Marine Environment Research, 2009, v. 68, no. 3, рр. 137–142.
  16. Hidalgo-Ruz V., Gutow L., Thompson R., Thiel M. Microplastics in the marine environment: A review of the methods used for identification and quantification. Environmental Science and Technology, 2012, v. 46, pp. 3060–3075.

Журнал ВСТ включен в новый перечень ВАК

Шлафман В. В. Проектирование под заданную ценность, или достижимая эффективность технических решений – что это?

Banner Kofman 1