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Sustainability
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Microplastics and Their Potential Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems
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Microplastics and Their Potential Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Pollution Prevention, Mitigation and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 16865

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Filipa Bessa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: marine biodiversity; marine ecology; marine ecosystems functioning; coastal systems; microplastics; marine litter

Special Issue Information

Microplastics were first described as any tiny plastic particle measuring less than five millimeters on the longest axis, and are widely reported as a common pollutant of both aquatic and terrestrial environments. In the past decade, the scientific knowledge of microplastics has increased remarkably and several studies have documented the presence, transport, fate, exposure, and potential effects of microplastics on nature and society. However, current understanding of the risks remains incomplete.

Several studies have demonstrated that a wide range of aquatic organisms of varied size and across multiple trophic levels in wild conditions contain microplastics. Ingestion is the most frequent interaction between microplastics and biota and has been predominantly found in marine species. This can result in physical injury inducing inflammation and stress, or it can result in a blockage of absorptive surfaces (e.g., gut blockage) and subsequent reduced energy intake or respiration. Physical toxicity can also manifest after tissue translocation of plastic particles, i.e., a transfer from the outside (gut lumen) of the body into the tissues. Nevertheless, limited data on the actual exposure, in the field, of aquatic species to microplastics is available. 

In this Special Issue, we explore the issue of microplastic pollution from marine and freshwater habitats on aquatic organisms, and ask for studies discussing current state-of-the-art research addressing the sources and pathways of microplastics, their accumulation, and potential effects on biota from these ecosystems.

Dr. Filipa Bessa
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • microplastics
  • ecotoxicological effects
  • biota
  • marine species
  • freshwater species
  • aquatic ecosystems
  • oceans
  • rivers
  • pollutants

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 5009 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Abundance and Distribution Patterns of Microplastics in the Lis River, Portugal
by Bárbara Sá, Joana Pais, Joana Antunes, João Pequeno, Ana Pires and Paula Sobral
Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2255; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042255 - 16 Feb 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4774
Abstract
The majority of microplastics (MP) found in the marine environment have land-based sources and rivers are known as carriers of these particles to the ocean. This work is the first to study MP in the Lis River Basin and coastal shoreline (total nine [...] Read more.
The majority of microplastics (MP) found in the marine environment have land-based sources and rivers are known as carriers of these particles to the ocean. This work is the first to study MP in the Lis River Basin and coastal shoreline (total nine sampling sites) and the potential relationship with inputs from 105 companies/units. We report the seasonal abundance, typology, colour, size, and polymer distribution of MP in surface water and sediment. To the collected samples, a digestion protocol was applied, followed by filtration. For sediment, an MP density separation was performed prior to filtration. MP were mostly fibres (0.02 to 1111.11 items.m−3 in water and 10.66 to 1609.64 items.kg−1 in sediment) and fragments (0.02 to 2311.11 items.m−3 in water and 10.66 to 501.01 items.kg−1 in sediment). The most frequent colours were transparent and blue, and MP were mostly smaller than 1 mm in water and 2 mm in sediment samples. The most abundant polymers in water were polyethylene (37%), polyacrylate (18%) and polystyrene (18%), and in sediment, polyethylene terephthalate (29%) and polyacrylate (23%). Population density, plastic processing companies and meteorological factors were found to be associated with seasonal MP abundance and distribution patterns in the Lis River Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics and Their Potential Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems)
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14 pages, 980 KiB  
Article
Microplastic Types in the Wastewater System—A Comparison of Material Flow-Based Source Estimates and the Measurement-Based Load to a Wastewater Treatment Plant
by Emma Fältström, Kristina Borg Olesen and Stefan Anderberg
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5404; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105404 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4765
Abstract
Microplastics are omnipresent in the environment, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been highlighted as a transport pathway. The aim of this study is to contribute to increased understanding of microplastic sources in wastewater and test the possibilities of source tracking. Previous research [...] Read more.
Microplastics are omnipresent in the environment, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been highlighted as a transport pathway. The aim of this study is to contribute to increased understanding of microplastic sources in wastewater and test the possibilities of source tracking. Previous research has focused either on estimating microplastic contribution from various sources or on quantifying occurrence based on measurements. In this paper, these two approaches are compared. Microplastic types detected in the influent to a WWTP in Sweden are compared with estimations of sources in the WWTP catchment area. The total load from the identified sources was estimated to 1.9–14 tonnes/year, and the measurement-based load was 4.2 tonnes/year. In general, there was a good agreement between the two approaches; microplastic types with large shares at the inlet also had large contributions in the source estimates. An exception was cellulose acetate, which was not found at the inlet despite a large theoretical contribution. Many uncertainties remain, which lead to large intervals for the source estimates. The comparison can give an indication into which part of the intervals is most likely. Investigating more WWTPs with different characteristics and including particle morphology will further increase the understanding of sources that contribute to the presence of microplastics in wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics and Their Potential Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems)
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Review

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23 pages, 893 KiB  
Review
Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: A Known but Underrated Pathway in Wastewater Treatment Plants
by Maria Cristina Collivignarelli, Marco Carnevale Miino, Francesca Maria Caccamo and Chiara Milanese
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12591; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212591 - 15 Nov 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5888
Abstract
Interest in the presence of microplastics (MPs) in wastewater has grown significantly in recent years. In fact, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) represent the last barrier before the discharge of MPs into an aquatic ecosystem. The research has highlighted how MPs are in part [...] Read more.
Interest in the presence of microplastics (MPs) in wastewater has grown significantly in recent years. In fact, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) represent the last barrier before the discharge of MPs into an aquatic ecosystem. The research has highlighted how MPs are in part effectively removed from the waters and accumulated inside the sewage sludge (SeS) produced by the WWTP, being a cause for concern, especially in the case of agricultural reuse. This work aims to analyze the existing literature on the (i) methodical procedure for MPs analysis (thermal, spectroscopic, optical analyses), (ii) qualitative and quantitative presence of MPs in SeS, (iii) effect on sludge properties, and (iv) the possible accumulation in amended soils. Based on the results already obtained in the literature, this work aims to provide critical insights to stimulate interest in the topic and direct future research on aspects that should be deepened. In particular, it emerges that there is a clear need for standardization of the collection methods and the analytical techniques for identifying and quantifying MPs, since their physico-chemical characterization and the study on aging and on the response towards acid or basic pre-treatments are fundamental for the understanding of microplastics ecotoxicological potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics and Their Potential Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems)
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