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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to An effect factor for macro- and microplastic ingestion impacts on marine ecosystems for use in life cycle assessment
ClearIntegrating plastic ingestion impacts into biodiversity metrics: a global effect factor for marine air-breathing vertebrates
Scientists studied how plastic pollution affects marine animals like seabirds, sea turtles, and whales by analyzing data from over 55,000 animals across 308 species. They found that when plastic debris in ocean water reaches about 52 kilograms per square kilometer, 20% of these species will have at least 1 in 10 animals eating plastic. This research helps us better measure the true environmental cost of plastic pollution, which matters because these same plastics that harm marine life can also end up in seafood we eat.
An effect factor approach for quantifying the impact of plastic additives on aquatic biota in life cycle assessment
Researchers developed a preliminary effect factor approach to quantify the environmental impact of plastic additives on aquatic organisms within life cycle assessment frameworks, addressing a critical gap in how marine plastic chemical impacts are characterized.
Plastic litter in life cycle assessment: Advances of the marine impacts in life cycle assessment international taskforce and application to case studies
Researchers reviewed advances in incorporating marine plastic litter impacts into life cycle assessment, focusing on recently developed indicators for biodiversity and ecosystem quality. The new indicators allow LCA practitioners to account for plastic pollution when comparing product systems and informing design choices.
Tools and constraints in monitoring interactions between marine litter and megafauna: Insights from case studies around the world
Researchers synthesized case studies from seven global monitoring programs on marine litter interactions with megafauna — including fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals — examining both macro-debris entanglement and microplastic ingestion, and discussed the critical need for standardized assessment methods to support international environmental policy.
Plastic litter in life cycle assessment: Advances of the marine impacts in life cycle assessment international taskforce and application to case studies
This review examined advances in incorporating marine plastic litter impacts into life cycle assessment, addressing the long-standing gap in LCA methodology for accounting for plastic pollution as an environmental impact category. Recent progress by the MarILCA research group was highlighted as bringing LCA closer to properly reflecting biodiversity and ecosystem impacts from plastic waste.
A quantitative risk assessment framework for mortality due to macroplastic ingestion in seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles
Researchers analyzed over 10,000 necropsies of seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles to quantify the risk of death from swallowing large plastic debris. The study found that sea turtles faced the highest mortality rate at 4.4%, and the type of plastic mattered: rubber was most dangerous for seabirds, fishing debris for marine mammals, and soft plastics for sea turtles.
How plastic debris and associated chemicals impact the marine food web: A review.
This review examined how plastic debris and associated chemicals disrupt marine food webs at all trophic levels, from physical entanglement and false satiation in megafauna to microplastic ingestion and chemical transfer through trophic magnification, concluding that plastic contamination poses systemic threats to marine ecosystem function.
Updated and comprehensive characterization factors for microplastics in life cycle assessment considering multimedia fate modelling
Researchers updated life cycle assessment characterization factors for microplastics, developing comprehensive factors that account for ecosystem quality, human health, and socioeconomic impacts across multiple environmental compartments. The updated factors enable LCA practitioners to more accurately compare the plastic pollution impacts of different product systems and waste management strategies.
Marine litter: trends and impacts in marine fauna
This review synthesizes evidence on marine litter sources, distribution, and ecological impacts, with particular focus on microplastics as a pervasive contaminant across all marine habitats. It finds that microplastics threaten marine life through ingestion, entanglement, and chemical transport, with impacts spanning trophic levels from plankton to large marine mammals.
Updated and comprehensive characterization factors for microplastics in life cycle assessment considering multimedia fate modelling
Researchers updated and expanded characterization factors for microplastics in life cycle assessment, allowing better quantification of plastic pollution impacts on ecosystem quality and human health. The new factors cover a broader range of particle types and environmental compartments than previous versions.
Overview of global status of plastic presence in marine vertebrates
A review of 112 studies on plastic ingestion by marine vertebrates (sea turtles, cetaceans, fish) found widespread occurrence across species and ocean regions, with methodological inconsistencies preventing reliable global comparisons and underscoring the need for standardized protocols.
Micro Plastics in The Marine Environment: A Review of Their Effects on Marine Organisms and Ecosystems
This review examines the effects of microplastics on marine organisms and ecosystems, summarizing evidence for MP ingestion across trophic levels, physical and chemical harm to marine life, and the pathways through which marine MP pollution threatens biodiversity and fisheries.
Quantifying impacts of plastic debris on marine wildlife identifies ecological breakpoints
Researchers developed a modeling approach to quantify how plastic ingestion affects the growth, reproduction, and population dynamics of marine wildlife, using loggerhead turtles as a test case. They found that having 3-25% plastics in digestive contents could reduce reproductive output by 10-88% compared to unaffected turtles. The study introduces a method for identifying ecological breakpoints where plastic pollution could cause population declines in affected species.
Is it fate? Quantifying the probabilities of mismanaged macroplastics reaching the ocean within the Life Cycle Assessment framework
Researchers developed a probabilistic framework within the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to quantify the likelihood of mismanaged macroplastics reaching the ocean at different life cycle stages, aiming to better quantify the contribution of macroplastics to marine pollution and their role as precursors to microplastics through fragmentation.
Bioindicators for monitoring marine litter ingestion and its impacts on Mediterranean biodiversity
Researchers reviewed existing knowledge of marine litter ingestion impacts on Mediterranean biodiversity and proposed a new integrated monitoring framework using bioindicator species, identifying major knowledge gaps in understudied habitats and sub-regions while outlining a threefold approach to simultaneously measure plastic presence and its sub-lethal effects on organisms.
Deleterious Effects of Litter on Marine Life
Researchers reviewed global data on how marine wildlife is harmed by plastic debris, finding that the number of affected species doubled from 267 to 557 since 1997, with 100% of sea turtle species and two-thirds of marine mammal species now impacted through entanglement or ingestion of plastic. The dramatic increase across fish and invertebrates — groups previously overlooked — underscores the accelerating ecological damage of ocean plastic pollution.
What is known and unknown about the effects of plastic pollution: A meta‐analysis and systematic review
This meta-analysis and systematic review pools data from hundreds of studies to assess whether plastic pollution, both large pieces and microplastics, poses a real ecological threat. The findings confirm negative effects on wildlife across many species and environments, underscoring that plastic pollution is not just an aesthetic problem but a genuine risk to ecosystems and the food chains humans rely on.
Understanding individual and population-level effects of plastic pollution on marine megafauna
Researchers reviewed 50 years of published studies on how plastic pollution affects marine megafauna including seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles at both individual and population levels. While numerous individual-level effects were documented, including starvation, injury, and reproductive impairment from entanglement and ingestion, no study provided direct evidence of population-level declines. The study highlights a critical gap in understanding whether the widespread individual harm from plastic pollution is translating into measurable population consequences for these species.
Microplastics in marine ecosystems: Sources, effects, and mitigation strategies
This review examines the sources, environmental pathways, ecological impacts across trophic levels, and mitigation strategies for microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems, synthesizing current evidence on biological harm and evaluating policy frameworks, technological solutions, and individual behavioral changes aimed at reducing marine microplastic loads.
Impact of microplastic pollution on the ocean and marine animals: A comprehensive review
This comprehensive review synthesized evidence on how microplastic pollution affects ocean health and marine animals, covering ingestion, entanglement, chemical toxicity, and ecosystem-level impacts. It found pervasive harm across marine food webs and called for urgent global reduction measures.
Cross-ecosystem impacts of plastic pollution: a systematic analysis of environmental threats
A systematic analysis of recent literature on plastic pollution across ecosystems found that microplastics impair organisms through physical ingestion, chemical toxicity, and facilitated transfer of co-contaminants, with cross-ecosystem effects linking terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments.
Impacts of microplastics on marine organisms: Present perspectives and the way forward
Researchers reviewed how microplastics — small plastic particles less than 5 mm — affect marine life from microscopic phytoplankton all the way up to marine mammals and humans, finding documented harms across nearly every level of ocean life. The review calls for urgent research into environmentally realistic exposure levels and stronger policies to reduce single-use plastic production.
How Relevant Are Direct Emissions of Microplastics into Freshwater from an LCA Perspective?
This study assessed the relevance of direct microplastic emissions into freshwater from a life cycle assessment perspective, providing initial inventory data and identifying key knowledge gaps needed to incorporate microplastic impacts into environmental assessments.