Fingerprinting Plastic-Associated Inorganic and Organic Matter on Plastic Aged in the Marine Environment for a Decade.

The long-term aging of plastic leads to weathering and biofouling that can influence the behavior and fate of plastic in the marine environment. This is the first study to fingerprint the contaminant profiles and bacterial communities present in plastic-associated inorganic and organic matter (PIOM) isolated from 10 year-aged plastic. Plastic sleeves were sampled from an oyster aquaculture farm and the PIOM was isolated from the intertidal, subtidal, and sediment-buried segments to investigate the levels of metal(loid)s, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and explore the microbial community composition. Results indicated that the PIOM present on long-term aged high-density polyethylene plastic harbored high concentrations of metal(loid)s, PAHs, and PFAS. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the bacterial composition in the PIOM differed by habitat type, which consisted of potentially pathogenic taxa including Vibrio, Shewanella, and Psychrobacter. This study provides new insights into PIOM as a potential sink for hazardous environmental contaminants and its role in enhancing the vector potential of plastic. Therefore, we recommend the inclusion of PIOM analysis in current biomonitoring regimes and that plastics be used with caution in aquaculture settings to safeguard valuable food resources, particularly in areas of point-source contamination.

Organ-specific distribution and size-dependent toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata).

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are emerging contaminants found in air, water, and food. Ageing and weathering processes convert aquatic plastics into MNPs which, due to their small size, can be assimilated by organisms. The accumulation of MNPs in aquatic life (e.g., fish, oysters, and crabs) will, in turn, pose risks to the health of ecosystems and human. This study focuses on the uptake, biodistribution, and size-dependent toxicity of polystyrene nano-plastics (PS-NPs) in a commercially important food web, the Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata). Fish were fed artemia containing PS-NPs of various sizes (ranging from 50 nm to 1 µm) for durations of 5 and 7 days. The findings revealed that smaller NPs (50 nm) accumulated in the brain and muscle tissues at higher concentrations, whereas larger NPs (1 µm) were primarily found in the gills and intestines. In addition, an inverse correlation was observed between the size of NPs and the rate of trophic transfer, with smaller PS-NPs resulting in a higher transfer rate from artemia to fish. Polystyrene NPs caused both activation of the enzyme superoxide dismutase and damage to the DNA of fish tissues. These effects were size dependent. Metabolomic analysis revealed that indirect exposure to different-sized PS-NPs resulted in altered metabolic profiles within fish intestines, potentially impacting lipid and energy metabolism. These results offer novel perspectives on the size-specific toxic impacts of NPs on fish and the transfer of plastics through the food chain.

Consuming microplastics? Investigation of commercial salts as a source of microplastics (MPs) in diet.

The omnipresence of microplastics (MPs) in marine and terrestrial environments as a pollutant of concern is well established and widely discussed in the literature. However, studies on MP contamination in commercial food sources like salts from the terrestrial environment are scarce. Thus, this is the first study to investigate various varieties of Australian commercial salts (both terrestrial and marine salts) as a source of MPs in the human diet, and the first to detect MPs in black salt. Using Nile red dye, the MPs were detected and counted under light microscopy, further characterised using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Of all the 90 suspected particles, 78.8% were identified as MPs with a size ranging between 23.2 µm and 3.9 mm. The fibres and fragments constituted 75.78% and 24.22% respectively. Among the tested samples, Himalayan pink salt (coarse) from terrestrial sources was found to have the highest MP load, i.e. 174.04 ± 25.05 (SD) particle/kg, followed by black salt at 157.41 ± 23.13 particle/kg. The average concentration of detected MPs in Australian commercial salts is 85.19 ± 63.04 (SD) per kg. Polyamide (33.8%) and polyurethane (30.98%) were the dominant MP types. Considering the maximum recommended (World Health Organization) salt uptake by adults daily at 5 g, we interpret that an average person living in Australia may be ingesting approximately 155.47 MPs/year from salt uptake. Overall, MP contamination was higher in terrestrial salts (such as black and Himalayan salt) than the marine salt. In conclusion, we highlight those commercial salts used in our daily lives serve as sources of MPs in the diet, with unknown effects on human health.

How small is the big problem? Small microplastics <300 µm abundant in marine surface waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Particle size plays an important role in determining the behaviour, fate and effects of microplastics (MPs), yet little is known about MPs <300 µm in aquatic environments. Therefore, we performed the first assessment of MPs in marine surface waters around the Whitsunday Islands region of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia, to test for the presence of small MPs (50-300 µm) in-situ. Using a modified manta net, we demonstrate that MPs were present in all marine surface water samples, with a mean sea surface concentration of 0.23 ± 0.03 particles m-3. Microplastics were mainly blue, clear and black fibres and fragments, consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene and polypropylene plastic polymers. Tourism and marine recreation were considered the major contributing sources of MPs to surface waters around the Whitsunday Islands. Between 10 and 124 times the number of MPs exist in the 50 µm-300 µm size class, compared with the 1 mm-5 mm size range. This finding indicates that the global abundance of small MPs in marine surface waters is grossly underestimated and warrants further investigation. Research into the occurrence, characteristics and environmental fate of MPs <300 µm is needed to improve our understanding of the cumulative threats facing valuable ecosystems due to this smaller, potentially more hazardous size class.

Estimation of the mass of microplastics ingested - A pivotal first step towards human health risk assessment.

The ubiquitous presence of microplastics in the food web has been established. However, the mass of microplastics exposure to humans is not defined, impeding the human health risk assessment. Our objectives were to extract the data from the available evidence on the number and mass of microplastics from various sources, to determine the uncertainties in the existing data, to set future research directions, and derive a global average rate of microplastic ingestion to assist in the development of human health risk assessments and effective management and policy options. To enable the comparison of microplastics exposure across a range of sources, data extraction and standardization was coupled with the adoption of conservative assumptions. Following the analysis of data from fifty-nine publications, an average mass for individual microplastics in the 0-1 mm size range was calculated. Subsequently, we estimated that globally on average, humans may ingest 0.1-5 g of microplastics weekly through various exposure pathways. This was the first attempt to transform microplastic counts into a mass value relevant to human toxicology. The determination of an ingestion rate is fundamental to assess the human health risks of microplastic ingestion. These findings will contribute to future human health risk assessment frameworks.

Speciation and source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in sediments of the largest salt water lake of Australia.

Great ecological and human health risks may arise from the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in aquatic environments and particularly in sediments, where they often partition. In spite of the apparent risk, knowledge about PAHs and their polar derivatives in sediments is limited. We, therefore, carried out an assessment of the concentrations of parent PAHs and their derivatives (polar PAHs) in sediments of Lake Macquarie: the largest saltwater lake in the southern hemisphere. A total of 31 sediment samples along the pollution prone western shoreline of the estuary were analysed. Multiple source apportionment methods were used to investigate PAH sources contributing to parent and polar PAH concentrations in the estuarine sediments. Concentration levels were highest for high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs compared to low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs. The highest PAH concentrations were recorded for oxygenated PAHs (oxy-PAHs) compared to parent and other polar PAHs. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon diagnostic ratios and compositional analysis showed that PAHs in Lake Macquarie were predominantly pyrogenic exhibiting strong positive correlation (R2 = 0.972) with total PAH concentrations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified three groupings of PAHs with oxy-PAHs and NPAHs dominating (40.2%). Carbazole, a heterocyclic PAH, was also a prominent contributor to sediment PAH concentrations. Atmospheric deposition, coal combustion and vehicular emissions were implicated as the major contributors to sediment pollution.

Baseline analysis of metal(loid)s on microplastics collected from the Australian shoreline using citizen science.

Microplastics are an emerging contaminant in aquatic environments. Information on the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in Australia is limited and their interactions with chemical contaminants have not been addressed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to generate baseline information on the physical and chemical characteristics of microplastics on Australian shorelines to facilitate further detailed risk assessment. Field collected microplastics were categorised by colour, shape and polymer type. Plastic particles were primarily clear, blue, white and green and consisted mainly of fragments (57.80%) and pellets (30.68%). Polymer characterisation revealed that shoreline microplastics were polyethylene (53.17%), polypropylene (35.17%), polystyrene (6.61%) and polyethylene terephthalate (1.85%). Analysis of metal(loid)s found that concentrations of Mn, Cr, Cu, As, Zn and Pb were significantly higher on microplastics associated with industrial locations compared with other land uses, indicating that aged microplastics have the potential to adsorb toxic metals and that metals levels may be location-dependent.

Improved methodology to determine the fate and transport of microplastics in a secondary wastewater treatment plant.

Wastewater treatment plants are a significant pathway of microplastics (MPs) to aquatic environments. To develop suitable management options and reduce microplastic emissions in treated effluent and sludge, we must first develop a reliable method to understand their transport and fate throughout the treatment process. An improved methodology was applied to determine the size, shape, polymer type and partitioning behaviour of MPs using a combination of oxidation treatment, fluorescent staining and Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to detect small MPs ≤20 µm in wastewater. The mean number of MPs (<5 mm) detected using this methodology was 11.80 ± 1.10 MP/L in raw sewage, 5.23 ± 0.25 MP/L in degritted wastewater, 7.91 ± 0.44 MP/L in waste activated sludge and 2.76 ± 0.11 MP/L in the final treated effluent. An increase in MPs following primary screening suggests that WAS is a sink for several stealth microplastics, including glitter, which is returned to the effluent during the treatment process. The estimated MP removal efficiency for the studied WWTP is relatively poor compared with global data for secondary WWTPs, which is likely due to the release of partially treated effluent into the Pacific Ocean via a second discharge point. The information generated through this study can be useful to; firstly, inform on-site wastewater management practices, and secondly, reduce MP concentrations in final treated effluents discharged to the marine environment.

Trophic transfer of microplastics and mixed contaminants in the marine food web and implications for human health.

Plastic litter has become one of the most serious threats to the marine environment. Over 690 marine species have been impacted by plastic debris with small plastic particles being observed in the digestive tract of organisms from different trophic levels. The physical and chemical properties of microplastics facilitate the sorption of contaminants to the particle surface, serving as a vector of contaminants to organisms following ingestion. Bioaccumulation factors for higher trophic organisms and impacts on wider marine food webs remain unknown. The main objectives of this review were to discuss the factors influencing microplastic ingestion; describe the biological impacts of associated chemical contaminants; highlight evidence for the trophic transfer of microplastics and contaminants within marine food webs and outline the future research priorities to address potential human health concerns. Controlled laboratory studies looking at the effects of microplastics and contaminants on model organisms employ nominal concentrations and consequently have little relevance to the real environment. Few studies have attempted to track the fate of microplastics and mixed contaminants through a complex marine food web using environmentally relevant concentrations to identify the real level of risk. To our knowledge, there has been no attempt to understand the transfer of microplastics and associated contaminants from seafood to humans and the implications for human health. Research is needed to determine bioaccumulation factors for popular seafood items in order to identify the potential impacts on human health.