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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. Environmental Sources Marine & Wildlife Policy & Risk Sign in to save

Potential microplastic release from the maritime industry: Abrasion of rope

The Science of The Total Environment 2021 107 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 50 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Florence N.F. Parker-Jurd, Florence N.F. Parker-Jurd, Luka Seamus Wright, Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Florence N.F. Parker-Jurd, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Imogen E. Napper, Florence N.F. Parker-Jurd, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Aaron Barrett, Luka Seamus Wright, Aaron Barrett, Imogen E. Napper, Aaron Barrett, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Aaron Barrett, Aaron Barrett, Aaron Barrett, Aaron Barrett, Aaron Barrett, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Florence N.F. Parker-Jurd, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Imogen E. Napper, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson

Summary

Researchers quantified microplastic production from maritime rope use, finding that older, more worn ropes shed significantly more microplastic fibers during hauling, identifying the maritime industry as an underestimated source of ocean plastic pollution.

Polymers
PP
Study Type Environmental

While land-based sources of plastic pollution have gained increasing attention in recent years, ocean-based sources have been less well studied. The aim of this study was to compare a variety of ropes (differing in age, wear surface and material) to quantify and characterise the production of microplastic during use. This was achieved by simulating, in laboratory and field experiments, rope hauling activity which is typically performed on board maritime vessels, such as fishing boats. Microplastic generation was quantified by collecting fragments that were released as a consequence of abrasion. Notably, we show that microplastic fragments generated from rope wear during use were characteristically irregular in shape, rather than fibrous such as those assigned to synthetic rope by previous studies. Therefore, we suggest that some of the plastic fragments found in the marine environment may have been falsely attributed to land-based sources but have in fact arisen form the abrasion of rope. Our research found that new and one-year old polypropylene rope released significantly fewer microplastic fragments (14 ± 3 and 22 ± 5) and less microplastic mass (11 ± 2 and 12 ± 3 μg) per metre hauled compared to ropes of two (720 ± 51, 247 ± 18 μg) or ten (767 ± 55, 1052 ± 75 μg) years of age. We show that a substantial amount of microplastic contamination is likely to directly enter the marine environment due to in situ rope abrasion and that rope age is an important factor influencing microplastic release. Our research suggests the need for standards on rope maintenance, replacement, and recycling along with innovation in synthetic rope design with the aim to reduce microplastic emission.

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