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Current Status and Issues of Microplastic Pollution Research
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This Japanese review summarized microplastic research in river and ocean environments, including national estimates of plastic discharged from Japan's rivers to the sea and microplastic distribution in Tokyo Bay. The paper also reviewed current analytical methods and their limitations for measuring small microplastic particles.
本稿では, マイクロプラスチック (MP) がもたらす環境影響を概観した上で, 水環境での動態および海域での生態系への影響, ならびにMPの分析手法, 特に, 粒径が小さいMPの分析手法に関する最新の知見を紹介した。陸域・河川におけるMPの状況について, 日本全国の河川でのMPの濃度, 日本の陸域から海洋に排出されるプラスチックの総量を推定した。海域におけるMPの状況について, 東京湾におけるMPの動態, 海洋生物におけるMPの取込・摂食の実態を示した。MPの分析方法について, サンプリング, 前処理, 機器測定の手法及びその課題について整理し, 技術的展望を示した。MPの環境中での動態ならびに生態系への影響を明らかにすることは, 社会システム全体でのプラスチックの適切な利用・管理のための有効かつ効率的な対策を検討する上で不可欠である。本稿で紹介した情報がその一助となることを期待する。
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.