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Microplastic pollution and ecological risk assessment in an estuarine environment: The Dongshan Bay of China

Chemosphere 2020 348 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Weiwen Li, Zhong Pan, Xiuwu Sun, Zhong Pan, Xiuwu Sun, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Xiuwu Sun, Qianlong Liu, Hui Lin Qianlong Liu, Xiuwu Sun, Qianlong Liu, Zhong Pan, Zhong Pan, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Qianlong Liu, Hui Lin Xiuwu Sun, Ronggen Jiang, Xiuwu Sun, Hui Lin Qianlong Liu, Hui Lin Hui Lin Qianlong Liu, Ronggen Jiang, Qianlong Liu, Weiwen Li, Weiwen Li, Weiwen Li, Weiwen Li, Zhong Pan, Xiuwu Sun, Hui Lin Qianlong Liu, Hui Lin Xiuwu Sun, Xiuwu Sun, Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Xiuwu Sun, Hui Lin Weiwen Li, Xiuwu Sun, Hui Lin Hui Lin Xiuwu Sun, Xiuwu Sun, Xiuwu Sun, Zhong Pan, Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Weiwen Li, Hui Lin Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Haining Huang, Shuangcheng Jiang, Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Shuangcheng Jiang, Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Haining Huang, Hui Lin Hui Lin Hui Lin Zhong Pan, Hui Lin Hui Lin Weiwen Li, Zhong Pan, Hui Lin

Summary

Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic pollution in Dongshan Bay, a Chinese estuary, and found concentrations averaging 1.66 particles per cubic meter of surface water. The most common plastics were polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene foam, likely originating from local fishing and aquaculture activities. An ecological risk assessment rated the bay at a moderate hazard level, establishing important baseline data for future monitoring.

Polymers

PE PP PS

Microplastic (MP) pollution has spurred a wide range of concerns due to its ubiquity and potential hazards to humans and ecosystems, yet studies on MP abundance, distribution, and ecological impacts on the small-scale local estuarine systems are insufficient. We conducted the first study of MP pollution in surface water of Dongshan Bay in southern China. A total of six water samples were collected using a Manta trawl (length = 3 m, width = 1 m, height = 0.6 m, and mesh size = ∼330 μm). The abundance, type, shape, color, and size, were measured using light microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Our results showed that MPs spanned from 0.23 to 4.01 particles m with an average of 1.66 particles m. 75% of the MPs were PP, PE, and PS that may be explained by the widespread application of PE, PP, and PS foam in local fishing and aquaculture within the bay. Foam, white, and 1.0-2.5 mm were dominant shape, color, and size of MPs, respectively. Both indices of MPs-induced risk (H = 13.7) and pollution load (PLI = 14.2) yielded a Hazard Level II for MPs pollution in the Dongshan Bay. The potential ecological risk from combined MPs polymers (RI = 21.5) ended up at a minor risk. Our findings established the first set of baseline data on MPs pollution in Dongshan Bay and provided preliminary quantitative measures on the scale of ecological risk, which would improve the understanding of MP fate, transport, and ecological impacts in the estuarine environment.

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