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Impact of intensive mariculture activities on microplastic pollution in a typical semi-enclosed bay: Zhanjiang Bay
Summary
Microplastic pollution in Zhanjiang Bay, a semi-enclosed bay in southern China with intensive mariculture, was monitored across seasons, finding that aquaculture activities were associated with elevated plastic concentrations and seasonal fluctuations linked to farming operations. The study identifies mariculture infrastructure and practices as significant contributors to localized coastal microplastic pollution.
Microplastic (MP) was investigated in Zhanjiang Bay, a semi-enclosed bay in south China and famous for considerable mariculture industry, to evaluate whether mariculture activities accelerated MP pollution. The MP abundances ranged from 0 to 2.65 n/m (number/m), showing seasonal variances with higher levels in May and September and lower levels in January. In the inner part of the bay, a significantly high MP abundance and predominance of foam were found during the oyster breeding period, and pollution sources were prone to be single and extensive. This suggested that MPs were strongly influenced by the intensive plastic products for oyster culturing, especially during breeding. Moreover, plastic cages used for culturing were the main source of MPs in the central part of the bay. By conducting statistical analysis for eight representative bays, the economic growth, social development, agriculture structure, and aquaculture development were supposed to influence the local MP pollution level.