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Microplastics in the surface waters of the northern South China Sea: Interannual variation and potential ecological risks
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Researchers monitored microplastic pollution in the northern South China Sea surface waters from 2019 to 2023. They found that average microplastic abundance increased from 2019 to 2021 before declining, with polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate being the most common polymers, though overall ecological risk remained at low levels.
Microplastic pollution in marine environments has become a global concern due to its potential ecological risks. However, long-term data on microplastic distribution are scare, hindering the assessment of the ecological threats. This study monitored microplastics pollution in the surface water of the northern South China Sea from 2019 to 2023. The average abundance of microplastics exhibited an increasing trend from 2019 to 2021 and a subsequent decrease from 2021 to 2023 in both the Pearl River Estuary and Zhanjiang offshore waters. Conversely, a steady annual decrease was observed in the surface waters of Beibu Gulf from 2020 to 2023. The spatial variability of microplastic hotspot across different years and regions. Microplastics predominantly ranged from 1 to 2 mm in size, with fragments and fibers being the most common shapes and transparent and white colors being the most prevalent. The primary chemical components of microplastics were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). No significant inter-annual differences were observed in the physicochemical characteristics of microplastics. The pollution load index (PLI) indicated medium to low levels of microplastic pollution, with the potential ecological risk index (PERI) suggesting a low level of ecological risk, implying a minimal threat to the marine ecosystem. This study first revealed the annual variations in microplastic pollution and their potential ecological risks in the northern South China Sea, providing crucial data support for the future management and control of marine microplastic pollution.
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Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the central South China Sea and found concentrations ranging from 386 to over 4,200 particles per cubic meter of surface water, with much higher levels near the coast. The study revealed that conventional abundance-based risk assessments underestimate the true ecological danger because they overlook the specific toxicity of different plastic polymers. Polystyrene and PVC, though found in lower quantities, posed the highest ecological risk scores due to their greater toxicity.
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Abundance, characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics from South Yellow Sea Mudflat
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in the mudflats of the South Yellow Sea and found plastic particles in both the water and sediment at all sampling locations. Areas near estuaries and ports had higher levels of microplastics in the water, while purely coastal mudflats accumulated more in their sediments. Although overall pollution levels were rated as low, the types of plastic polymers present indicated the potential for significant ecological risk.
Microplastic pollution in surface seawater of Sanggou Bay, China: Occurrence, source and inventory
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Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in the surface seawater of Sanggou Bay, China, finding average abundances of 20.06 items per litre dominated by polyethylene fragments smaller than 0.5 mm, and estimating that approximately 62.76% of the microplastic inventory originated from local aquaculture and fishing activities.
Fate, source, and ecological risk of microplastic in the surface sediment of the Beibu Gulf, the Northern South China sea
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in surface sediments across the Beibu Gulf in the northern South China Sea. They found microplastic levels ranging from about 13 to 252 particles per kilogram of sediment, with the highest concentrations near estuaries influenced by coastal currents, and fibers from household and textile products being the dominant form. The study's risk assessment indicated that some areas face extremely high ecological risk from microplastic pollution, underscoring the need for measures to reduce human-caused contamination.
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