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The ecological risk and fate of microplastics in the environmental matrices of marine ranching area in coastal water

Journal of Hazardous Materials 2024 3 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Zhihua Feng, Shike Gao Shike Gao Shike Gao Shike Gao Shike Gao Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Shuo Zhang, Zhihua Feng, Shike Gao Shike Gao Zhihua Feng, Shike Gao Shike Gao Shike Gao Shike Gao Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Jikun Lu, Zhihua Feng, Jikun Lu, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Jikun Lu, Jikun Lu, Guanghui Fu, Zhihua Feng, Jikun Lu, Zhihua Feng, Jikun Lu, Jikun Lu, Shike Gao Shike Gao Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Jikun Lu, Jikun Lu, Jikun Lu, Jikun Lu, Jikun Lu, Guanghui Fu, Shuo Zhang, Guanghui Fu, Guanghui Fu, Guanghui Fu, Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Guanghui Fu, Zhihua Feng, Guanghui Fu, Guanghui Fu, Shuo Zhang, Shuo Zhang, Guanghui Fu, Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Shike Gao Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Wenwen Yu, Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Guanghui Fu, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Wenwen Yu, Guanghui Fu, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Shike Gao Zhihua Feng, Zhihua Feng, Wenwen Yu, Zhihua Feng, Wenwen Yu, Shike Gao Shike Gao

Summary

Researchers surveyed microplastics across five environmental compartments — surface water, middle water, bottom water, sea bottom sediment, and intertidal sediment — in a marine ranching area of Haizhou Bay, China. Sediments carried significantly higher microplastic risk than the water column, and the study found that artificial reefs may drive upwelling that pushes bottom microplastics toward the surface. Aquaculture activities appear to be a key local source, pointing to the need for stricter regulation of plastic gear used in fish farming.

Study Type Environmental

The debate surrounding "source" and "sink" of microplastics (MPs) in coastal water has persisted for decades. While the transportation of MPs is influenced by surface runoff and currents, the precise transport patterns remain inadequately defined. In this study, the typical coastal habitat - marine ranching in Haizhou Bay (Jiangsu Province, China) were selected as a case study to assess the ecological risk of MPs. An enhanced framework was employed to assess the entire community characteristics of MPs in various environmental compartments, including surface water (SW), middle water (MW), bottom water (BW), sea bottom sediment (SS), and intertidal sediment (IS). The results of the assessment showed a low risk in the water column and a high risk in the sediment. PERMANOVA based on size and polymer of MPs revealed significant differences between IS and other compartments (SW, MW, BW, and SS) (P < 0.001). The co-occurrence network analysis for MP size indicated that most sites occupied central positions, while the analysis for MP polymer suggested that sites near the marine ranching area held more central positions, with sites in MW, BW, and SS being somewhat related to IS. Generalized additive model (GAM) demonstrated that MP concentration in the water correlated with Chla and nutrients, whereas MPs in sediment exhibited greater susceptibility to dissolved oxygen (DO) and salinity. We believe that except for the natural sedimentation and re-suspension of MPs in the vertical direction, MPs in bottom water may migrate to the surface water due to upwelling mediated by artificial reefs. Additionally, under the combined influence of surface runoff, currents, and tides, MPs may migrate horizontally, primarily occurring between middle and bottom water and sediments. The study recommends limiting and reducing wastewater and sewage discharge, as well as regulating fishing and aquaculture activities to control the sources and sinks of MPs in coastal water. Moreover, it advocates the implementation and strengthening of marine monitoring activities to gain a better understanding of the factors driving MP pollution in marine ranching area.

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