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Sources, transport, and accumulation of different types of plastic litter in aquatic environments: A review study
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This review assessed plastic waste types across aquatic environments globally, finding that packaging dominated rivers while fishery items prevailed in oceans, and that polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common polymers in all settings. Density, surface area, and size were identified as the primary factors controlling plastic transport and accumulation, with sediments and beaches acting as major sinks.
Types of plastic waste in different aquatic environments were assessed to obtain a global framework of plastic waste transport and accumulation, relevant for plastic pollution mitigation strategies in aquatic environments. Packaging and consumer products were the most encountered product categories in rivers, while fishery items dominated in the oceanic environment. Plastics from electronics, building and construction, and transport were barely observed. For polymers, polyethylene and polypropylene contributed most to pollution in all environments. The highest diversity in polymer composition was found in oceanic and freshwater sediments. It is therefore argued that a large fraction of plastic waste accumulates here. This confirms that plastic waste transport and accumulation patterns were most affected by the density, surface area, and size of plastics. Only thick-walled, larger plastic debris from low-density polymers are transported through currents from rivers to ocean, while the larger fraction of plastic litter is likely retained in sediments or beaches.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.