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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Estimating total microplastic loads to the marine environment as a result of ship biofouling in-water cleaning
ClearUnderstanding the potential release of microplastics from coatings used on commercial ships
This review examined how polymer-based paints applied to commercial ships contribute to ocean microplastic pollution. The study found that anticorrosive and antifouling coatings shed plastic particles through normal weathering and in-water hull cleaning, with the extent of release depending on coating type, condition, and maintenance practices.
Qualitative and quantitative assessment of microplastics derived from antifouling paint in effluent from ship hull hydroblasting and their emission into the marine environment
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination generated during ship hull hydroblasting, a common maintenance procedure. They found that a single vessel produced billions of paint-derived particles, with the vast majority smaller than 5 millimeters and composed primarily of acrylic polymers. The study identifies ship maintenance activities as a significant but often overlooked source of microplastic emissions into marine environments.
Investigation of plastic and microplastic waste from ships in the marine environment
Researchers investigated plastic and microplastic waste originating from ships in the marine environment, examining the types, quantities, and pathways by which vessel operations contribute to marine plastic pollution. The study addresses a relatively underexplored source of marine plastic contamination compared to land-based inputs.
A Review of Microplastics Research in the Shipbuilding and Maritime Transport Industry
This review examined microplastic research specifically focused on the shipbuilding and maritime transport industry, an underexplored source of plastic contamination in marine environments. The authors found that ship maintenance, antifouling paint degradation, and fiber rope wear generate significant quantities of microplastics that largely escape current monitoring frameworks.
Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Microplastics and Antifouling Paint Particles from Ship-Hull Derusting Wastewater and Their Emissions into the Marine Environment
Researchers conducted a systematic analysis of microplastics and antifouling paint particles found in wastewater from ship hull cleaning operations. They found that both types of particles are released in significant quantities during derusting, with antifouling particles being particularly toxic due to their high metal and biocide content. The study highlights ship maintenance activities as an important but often overlooked source of marine microplastic and toxic particle pollution.
Microplastic generation and emission from ship's greywater
Researchers investigated microplastic concentrations and characteristics in greywater discharged from three vessel types - a research vessel, a container ship, and passenger ships - and estimated total microplastic emissions from global commercial shipping. The study found that untreated ship greywater represents a significant but unregulated sea-based microplastic source, with passenger vessels generating the highest microplastic loads per volume of discharge.
Characterization of microplastics from antifouling coatings released under controlled conditions with an automated SEM-EDX particle analysis method
Researchers demonstrated that antifouling coatings on boat hulls release microplastic particles into seawater during normal sailing conditions, with most particles between 1 and 5 micrometers in size. These particles contain both plastic binder material and toxic metals like copper and zinc used as biocides. This study reveals an often-overlooked source of microplastic pollution in the ocean, where the released particles carry both plastic and heavy metal contamination into marine ecosystems.
Microplastic generation and emission from ship's greywater
Researchers measured microplastic abundances and characteristics in greywater from different vessel types — a research vessel, a container ship, and passenger ships — and estimated global microplastic emissions from the discharge of untreated ship greywater. They found a mean abundance of 135,563 particles/m3 in research vessel greywater with fibers comprising about 66% of particles, identifying greywater discharge as a significant and largely unregulated sea-based microplastic source.
Assessment of Microplastic Abundance and Discharge from Greywater of Ships
Researchers quantified microplastics in ship greywater from showers, washbasins, laundry, and dishwashers and found that laundry sources produced the highest microplastic concentrations. Since greywater can be discharged to the sea without treatment in most areas, ships contribute substantially to marine microplastic pollution. The study supports the case for regulating greywater discharge from vessels.
Microplastic Pollution in Ship-Sourced Wastewater: Assessment of Pollution Load Risk for Ballast and Bilge Water
A study of ship-generated wastewater found substantial microplastic contamination in both ballast water and bilge water, identifying maritime transport as an underappreciated pathway for spreading microplastic pollution across ocean environments. The findings suggest that current international shipping regulations may be insufficient to prevent microplastic dispersal from vessel operations.
Identifying and managing ship paint microplastic pollution along the supply chain: a shipbuilding case study
This case study examined how shipbuilding supply chain activities contribute to ship paint microplastic pollution, which accounts for more than half of ocean microplastic contamination. Researchers found that specific project characteristics, strategies, and paint-related operations during shipbuilding can generate microplastic pollution across the entire project lifecycle. The study highlights the need for new regulations and industry policies to manage this significant but overlooked source of marine pollution.
Microplastics in Ship Sewage and Solutions to Limit Their Spread: A Case Study
Researchers found microplastic particles in both grey water and post-treatment sewage from transport ships, with mean concentrations of 72 particles per litre in grey water and 51 per litre in treated sewage, demonstrating that ships represent a significant and underregulated source of microplastic pollution in protected marine areas.
Quantification of microplastics in ship-generated greywater and their contribution to Baltic marine pollution
Ships are a poorly studied but potentially significant source of microplastic pollution in enclosed seas. This study measured microplastic concentrations in eight greywater (sink, shower, and laundry) discharge streams from five vessels operating in the Baltic Sea, finding concentrations up to 600,000 particles per cubic meter in laundry wastewater. PET fibers from synthetic textiles dominated the samples. Extrapolating to the entire Roll-on/Roll-off ferry fleet operating in the Baltic, the researchers estimated a substantial annual microplastic load entering one of Europe's most ecologically sensitive and contaminated marine environments.
Biofilms associated with ship submerged surfaces: implications for ship biofouling management and the environment
This paper is not about microplastics; it reviews how microbial biofilms form on ship hulls and how in-water cleaning might manage biofouling and the spread of non-indigenous marine species.
Potential microplastic release from the maritime industry: Abrasion of rope
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.
Microplastic Mass Concentrations and Distribution in German Bight Waters by Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry/Thermochemolysis Reveal Potential Impact of Marine Coatings: Do Ships Leave Skid Marks?
A mass-based Py-GC/MS survey of microplastics in the German Bight (North Sea) found highly variable concentrations (2–1396 µg/m³) influenced by oceanographic conditions, with coastal samples showing packaging waste signatures and central areas revealing an unexpected signal consistent with marine antifouling paint.
Balancing the consequences of in-water cleaning of biofouling to improve ship efficiency and reduce biosecurity risk
Cleaning biofouling from ship hulls underwater prevents the spread of invasive species and improves fuel efficiency, but the process releases microplastics from antifouling coatings, live organisms, and dissolved biocides into the surrounding water. This policy analysis argues that while capture and treatment technologies can reduce — but not eliminate — these risks, policymakers must weigh the full suite of tradeoffs when regulating in-water hull cleaning.
Environmental pollution with antifouling paint particles: Distribution, ecotoxicology, and sustainable alternatives
This review examines antifouling paint particles as a type of microplastic pollution loaded with toxic biocidal compounds in the marine environment. Researchers found that these particles are mainly concentrated around boatyards and port areas and contribute significantly to overall microplastic pollution, while also discussing recent advances in nontoxic, biobased antifouling alternatives.
Research vessel survey & assessment of surface marine microplastics: a comparative study between international water and the united arab emirates
Researchers conducted ship-based surveys to assess the diversity and abundance of microplastics in surface seawater, comparing results across different oceanic regions and collection methods. The study identified significant variability in microplastic concentrations related to proximity to land and shipping routes.
Oceanic realistic application of a microplastic biofouling model to the river discharge case
Researchers applied a biofouling model to simulate how microbial colonization affects microplastic transport from river discharge into oceanic environments, finding that biofouling alters particle density and significantly changes vertical distribution and transport distances.
Methods for the detection and characterization of boat paint microplastics in the marine environment
This study developed and evaluated analytical methods for detecting and characterizing boat paint microplastics in the marine environment, addressing a largely overlooked source of plastic pollution from antifouling and decorative coatings that enter seawater through normal boat use.
Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in greywater from a research vessel
Microplastics were found in greywater from a research vessel across multiple water usage types, with laundry water showing the highest microplastic concentrations, identifying ships as an underappreciated sea-based source of microplastic pollution.
Analysis of microplastics in ships ballast water and its ecological risk assessment studies from the Persian Gulf
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in ships' ballast water collected from the Persian Gulf, assessing the ecological risks of transporting plastic particles across ocean regions. The study found significant microplastic concentrations in ballast water samples, suggesting that international shipping may serve as an important vector for spreading microplastic pollution between marine ecosystems.
Occurrence and chemical characteristics of microplastic paint flakes in the North Atlantic Ocean
Non-fibrous microplastics captured by the Continuous Plankton Recorder across the North Atlantic included paint flakes as a significant component, with chemical analysis confirming alkyd and epoxy coatings from ship hulls as the source, representing an underappreciated but globally distributed plastic pollution type.