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Abundance, characteristics and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in ship ballast water in ports around Liaodong Peninsula, China
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This study assessed microplastic abundance, characteristics, and ecological risk in shrimp aquaculture environments, finding that farming activities introduce and accumulate microplastics in pond sediments and water that pose risk to cultured organisms.
The development of the shipping industry has led to a large volume of ballast water discharge annually. This accelerates pollutants' transfer and dispersion, such as microplastics. Currently, empirical data on microplastics in ballast water are rarely available. This study innovatively investigated the abundance, morphological characteristics (particle size, shape, and color), and polymer composition of microplastics in ballast water from ports surrounding the Liaodong Peninsula. The results revealed that the average abundance of microplastics in 13 ships' ballast water was 6071.30 ± 1313.85 items/m. Notably, the small microplastics (0.06-2.50 mm) were most abundant, accounting for 94.52 % of the total microplastics. Transparent, fiber, and polyethylene glycol terephthalate were the most prevalent color, shape, and polymer composition of microplastics detected in the ballast water. The risk assessment indicated that these microplastics present ecological risks to organisms. These findings suggest that ship ballast water is the potential "hotspot" for marine microplastics transport.
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A 9-month study of a shrimp mariculture farm in southeastern China found microplastic concentrations of 250–5,150 items/m³ in culture pond water, with seasonal variation and granules and fibers as dominant types — identifying aquaculture pond management practices as a driver of local MP levels.
The occurrence of pollutants in organisms and water of inland mariculture systems: Shrimp aquaculture is a procession of Microplastics accumulation
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This study examined microplastic contamination in water and shrimp at different stages of both pond-based and industrial inland aquaculture systems, finding that shrimp accumulated microplastics throughout the production cycle. The results establish shrimp aquaculture as a notable pathway for microplastic transfer into the food supply.
Characteristics and ecological risks of microplastic contamination from aquaculture ponds located on South Yellow Sea Mudflat
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Researchers characterized microplastic contamination across aquaculture ponds on the South Yellow Sea mudflat, finding concentrations of 32 items/L in water and 253 items/kg in sediment, with higher levels in crab and shrimp ponds compared to fish ponds. Ecological risk assessment revealed pollution load indices exceeding 1 and a polymer risk index corresponding to risk level III, driven primarily by the high hazard score of polyvinyl chloride.
Distribution Patterns and Human Exposure Risks of Microplastics in Dominant Wild Edible Shrimp: A Case Study of Haizhou Bay Marine Ranch
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in dominant wild shrimp species in Haizhou Bay, China, characterizing the types, sizes, and concentrations of MPs found in their bodies and assessing the human dietary exposure risks from consuming these economically important seafood species.
Accumulation of microplastics in typical commercial aquatic species: A case study at a productive aquaculture site in China
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Researchers assessed microplastic accumulation in commercial fish, bivalves, and shrimp at an intensive aquaculture site in Xiangshan Bay, China. They found microplastics in all species sampled, mostly cellulose and polypropylene fibers, with aquaculture activities contributing to sediment contamination. However, the overall accumulation levels in the seafood were relatively low, suggesting that microplastics may not substantially increase health risks from consuming these species at this site.
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