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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Marine & Wildlife Remediation Sign in to save

Plastics Affect the Ocean's Uptake of Atmospheric CO₂ across the Marine Boundary Layer

2024 Score: 35 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Amedeo Boldrini, Amedeo Boldrini, Eleni Tzempelikou, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Eleni Tzempelikou, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Eleni Tzempelikou, Manolis Tsapakis, Eleni Tzempelikou, Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle Eleni Tzempelikou, Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle Eleni Tzempelikou, Steven Loiselle Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Steven Loiselle Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Eleni Tzempelikou, Steven Loiselle Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Luisa Galgani, Ioanna Kalantzi, Amedeo Boldrini, Manolis Tsapakis, Ioanna Kalantzi, Ioanna Kalantzi, Ioanna Kalantzi, Ioanna Kalantzi, Ioanna Kalantzi, Ioanna Kalantzi, Paraskevi Pitta, Luisa Galgani, Anastasia Tsiola, Anastasia Tsiola, Anastasia Tsiola, Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Anastasia Tsiola, Anastasia Tsiola, Alessio Polvani, Paraskevi Pitta, Anastasia Tsiola, Anastasia Tsiola, Eleni Tzempelikou, Anastasia Tsiola, Steven Loiselle Luisa Galgani, Eleni Tzempelikou, Anastasia Tsiola, Steven Loiselle Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Luisa Galgani, Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Manolis Tsapakis, Manolis Tsapakis, Manolis Tsapakis, Manolis Tsapakis, Manolis Tsapakis, Manolis Tsapakis, Manolis Tsapakis, Ioanna Kalantzi, Anastasia Tsiola, Ioanna Kalantzi, Paraskevi Pitta, Paraskevi Pitta, Luisa Galgani, Ioanna Kalantzi, Chiara Esposito, Chiara Esposito, Chiara Esposito, Chiara Esposito, Chiara Esposito, Chiara Esposito, Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Steven Loiselle Chiara Esposito, Paraskevi Pitta, Chiara Esposito, Manolis Tsapakis, Chiara Esposito, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Iordanis Magiopoulos, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Anastasia Tsotskou, Iordanis Magiopoulos, Steven Loiselle Iordanis Magiopoulos, Anastasia Tsotskou, Iordanis Magiopoulos, Iordanis Magiopoulos, Iordanis Magiopoulos, Iordanis Magiopoulos, Iordanis Magiopoulos, Roberto Benavides, Roberto Benavides, Eleni Tzempelikou, Eleni Tzempelikou, Roberto Benavides, Roberto Benavides, Roberto Benavides, Roberto Benavides, Roberto Benavides, Tobias Steinhoff, Tobias Steinhoff, Tobias Steinhoff, Tobias Steinhoff, Tobias Steinhoff, Tobias Steinhoff, Tobias Steinhoff, Steven Loiselle Tobias Steinhoff, Amedeo Boldrini, Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle Alessio Polvani, Luisa Galgani, Iordanis Magiopoulos, Steven Loiselle Steven Loiselle

Summary

Researchers used six large-scale mesocosms to test whether microplastics in seawater affect the sea-surface microlayer and thereby influence air-sea CO2 exchange, by measuring microbial organic matter dynamics in the presence and absence of 30-micrometre polystyrene beads over a 12-day experiment. They found that microplastics altered microbial biomass production and organic compound accumulation in the sea-surface microlayer, with potential implications for the ocean's capacity to absorb atmospheric CO2.

Polymers
PS
Study Type Environmental

Microplastics can support biomass production by acting as substrates for microbial activity. This may imply potentially relevant effects for the sea-surface microlayer, the interface mediating air-sea gas exchange and where biological organic compounds can accumulate.We tested this hypothesis by using six large scale mesocosms to simulate a future “high plastic ocean”. During the course of a 12-days experiment, we explored microbial organic matter dynamics in the sea-surface microlayer in the presence and absence of microplastics in the underlying water. We used as a reference a known number of polystyrene beads of 30 µm diameter and compared the three treatment mesocosms to an equal number of plastic-free control mesocosms.The presence of microplastics represented a spur for microbial activity, and in the treated mesocosms biomass production was enhanced, leading to an increased concentration of organic compounds accumulating in the sea-surface microlayer. This initial boost in biological productivity led to a ∼3 % reduction of dissolved CO₂ in the underlying water, which we could imagine potentially reversed once the degradation phase took off. Based on our results and on other recent studies, we will discuss potential interference of plastic with the composition of the sea-surface microlayer, with direct and indirect impacts on the uptake of CO₂ and the marine carbon cycle. 

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