Color Of Microplastics Research Articles

Microplastics in Surface Sediments along the Montenegrin Coast, Adriatic Sea: Types, Occurrence, and Distribution

Considering that microplastics are widespread in the marine environment, in this study we evaluated the presence, identify distribution, abundance, shape type, and color of microplastics in surface sediment along the Montenegrin coast, on the Adriatic Sea. These preliminary results provide the first published record of microplastics found in the surface sediment of this area and highlight the importance of microplastics as a component of marine debris. We documented the presence of microplastics at all sampling locations. The identification of polymer types was performed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, whereby the presence of three polymer types became evident: polypropylene (54.5%), polyethylene (9.7%), and acrylate copolymer (2.0%). Another 22.2% of particles were unidentified polymers, and the remaining 11.5% were non-synthetic materials. The most common shape type of microplastics was filaments (55.5%), followed by granules (26.3%), fragments (14.9%), and films (3.3%). The dominant colors of microplastics followed the order: blue > yellow > red > clear > black > green > blue-white > white. The average abundance of microplastics in all sampling locations was 609 pieces of microplastic/kg of dry sediment. Compared with other studies, the surface sediment of the Montenegrin coast is moderately to highly polluted with microplastics, depending on the examined location.

Occurrence of Microplastics in Fish and Shrimp Feeds.

Plastics with particle sizes of 100nm to 5mm are known as microplastics. The contamination of seafood-based feeds by larger microplastics (20μm to 5mm) is a growing concern. Here, we analyzed fish and shrimp meals. Microplastics were extracted using density separation methods and characterized using scanning micro Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FT-IR). The average microplastic abundance in shrimp meal was 10.7 microplastics·100g-1. In fish meal, 1.02% of the microplastics were smaller than 1mm, while most of the microplastics in shrimp meal were 1-5mm. Eight colors of microplastics were observed; black, red, and orange microplastics have been rarely reported in previous studies. The microplastics found included films, fibers, and fragments, with film-type microplastics being the most common. The main chemical components of fiber-type microplastics were olefins and polyester, while film- and fragment-type microplastics were mainly paraffin and polyethylene. Additional in-depth studies of microplastics in feeds are necessary to provide data support for feed safety assessments.

Occurrence and characterization of microplastics in white shrimp, Metapenaeus affinis, living in a habitat highly affected by anthropogenic pressures, northwest Persian Gulf

Microplastics (MPs) are a modern societal concern and recognized as a growing environmental hazard by careless disposal. This study aimed to assess the MPs content in white shrimp (Metapenaeus affinis) inhabiting in a natural habitat affected by high anthropogenic pressures, and recognize if the shrimp could be a suitable bioindicator for MPs pollution. To assess spatial changes of MPs presence in shrimps, sampling was carried out by a trawl net from 13 stations across the entire Musa Bay. Tissues of shrimps were examined for MPs following floatation, digestion, microscopic observation and identified by Confocal Raman Spectroscopy. MPs were observed in the shrimps of all stations. The average MPs abundance was 1.02 items/g of digestive tissues. About 37% of recorded MPs in M. affinis samples exceeding 500 μm that could be related to surface area and stickiness as notable controls beyond ingestion. The dominant shape of MPs was fiber, followed by film. Five different colors were recorded in tissues of M. affinis samples, and the white/transparent MPs were the most abundant, followed by blue and black. In addition, a wide range of recorded colors of MPs in the study area could suggest a variety of sources of MPs. Confocal Raman Spectroscopy confirmed that polyethylene terephthalate (46%), polypropylene (27%) and polystyrene (27%) were dominant polymers. As the average annually consumption of shrimp in the region is 2.3 g/person/day, therefore each person could consume 857 MPs per year. In conclusion, the results of this research provide a detailed and useful information for a better understanding of MPs contamination in the region and suggest Jinga shrimp as a suitable species for monitoring MPs in marine ecosystems.

Measurement, quantification, and potential risk of microplastics in the mainstream of the Pearl River (Xijiang River) and its estuary, Southern China.

The goals of this study were to investigate the distribution profiles, sources, and inventory of microplastics in the surface water of the mainstream of the Pearl River (Xijiang River) and its estuary, China, and to assess the potential ecological risks of the microplastics in this subtropical riverine habitat. The results showed that the microplastic abundances of the Humen (HUM, 16.33 ± 0.88 items/L), Zhaoqing (ZQ, 15.33 ± 0.67 items/L), and Hutiaomen (HTM, 14.67 ± 1.33 items/L) sites were significantly higher than those of the other sampling sites, indicating that the microplastics in Xijiang River and its estuary exhibited an unbalanced spatial distribution. The most common microplastic color was transparent and the major shape of the microplastics was fragments. Microplastics with a size of 0.01-0.1 mm were dominant throughout the 16 sampling sites. Polyolefin elastomer (POE, 33.33%), polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 23.81%), and polyurethane acrylate (PUA, 14.29%) were the dominant microplastic polymers. The microplastic abundance co-varied with most of the selected socio-economic indicators, including the population density, urban land area, gross domestic product (GDP), freshwater aquatic products, and freshwater cultivated area, but without significant differences, indicating that there are additional factors affecting the microplastic abundance. The potential risk (i.e., the potential ecological risk, RI; polymer risk index, H; and pollution load index, PLI) posed by the microplastics was higher in HUM, followed by ZQ and HTM, and it was lower for the other sites, suggesting that the main outlets and the biggest city on the Xijiang River contributed more to the high risks of microplastic pollution. Consistent with microplastic abundance distribution profiles, the average potential risk index values of the western river outlets were higher than those of the eastern river outlets and the Xijiang River, implying that the western river outlets had non-negligible potential ecological risks. Our findings deepen the understanding of the risks posed by microplastics and further contribute to microplastic risk management of riverine ecosystems.

Microplastic pollution in inshore and offshore surface waters of the southern Caspian Sea

In this study, as the first comprehensive monitoring, the occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in inshore and offshore surface waters of the southern Caspian Sea was investigated. Our data indicated that MPs, which were detected in all the samples, were widely distributed in the thirteen studied stations. Non-normally distribution of the MPs was observed among the studied stations (p<0.05). The average concentration of microplastics in the selected stations was 0.246 ± 0.020 MP/m3. In most of the transects, negative gradients of MPs from coastal waters to deeper waters were observed. The dominant size and color of MPs in the inshore and offshore water samples was 1000–5000 μm and white-transparent, respectively. Films and fibers constituted about 50% and 40% of the total number of MPs of the water samples, respectively. Also, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the three main polymer types of microplastics in the inshore and offshore surface waters. Our data provide valuable evidence for the comparative assessing of future data regarding decreases or increases of MPs in the southern Caspian Sea.

Testing the factors controlling the numbers of microplastics on beaches along the western Gulf of Thailand

Microplastic pollution is one of the most significant global environmental concerns. This study represents a first attempt to establish connections between the concentration of microplastics and both ocean surface circulation direction and land-based sources along the western Gulf of Thailand. Microplastics at the high-tide line from 25 beaches in 5 provinces were quantified. Observed amounts range from 20 to 273 (max. 5741) pieces/kg. Sheets were the most common shape and black the most common color of microplastics. Our study showed a significant, positive correlation between the number of microplastics and land-based sources (e.g., aquatic industries). While human activities were the dominant factor affecting microplastic concentrations, the newly designed surface circulation direction (SCD) index reflected relative changes in microplastic amounts. Our study identified several locations with substantial microplastic pollution which require a proper management system with appropriate laws and regulations, and a public awareness campaign about effects of microplastics on ecosystems.

Occurrence of microplastic particles in Milkfish (Chanos chanos) from brackishwater ponds in Bonto Manai Village, Pangkep Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Pangkep Regency in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is a milkfish producing region from which milkfish are distributed to fish markets or other regions. The location of the brackishwater ponds which are close to the sea and human settlements could allow microplastics as suspended particles to enter the milkfish gut. This study aimed to observe the number, shape, and color of microplastics in the guts of milkfish (Chanos chanos) from ponds in Bonto Manai Village, Pangkep Regency, and to analyze the relationship between the microplastics found and the hepatosomatic index (HSI). Milkfish samples were collected randomly from one brackishwater pond. Visual identification of the microplastics present in milkfish guts was carried out under a stereomicroscope. The results show that 46 out of 50 (92%) of milkfish sampled had microplastics in their digestive tracts. The average number of microplastics in Chanos chanos milkfish guts was 3.5 items/fish. The microplastic shape was dominated by line (92%) and blue (40%) was the most prevalent color. There was no correlation between the mean number of microplastics in milkfish guts and the mean hepatosomatic index (HSI); however, increasing value of HSI with the increase in number of microplastics found in the gut might indicate a reduction in the health condition of the fish.

Spatial distribution of microplastic in sediment of the Citanduy River, West Java, Indonesia

Microplastic particles have a significant impact on freshwater environments, as well as on biota association in its ecosystems. This study aims to identify and determine the spatial distribution of microplastic in sediments in Citanduy River, West Java. Microplastic was observed by census method on the SRC (Sedgewick Rafter-Counting Cell) with the help of a micrometer at 10x magnification. Analysis of statistic using MS. Excel 2007. For statistical studies, Kruskall Wallis and Mann Whitney are used for spatial analysis using ArcMap software. The highest microplastic abundance was in the downstream area, followed by the upstream; however, the lowest value was at the center of Citanduy River sediment. Microplastic abundance in this river was ranged 18,190–70,405 particles/kg of dry sediment. The determination of microplastic type found was fragments form. The dominant microplastic color was black. The microplastic of films and fragments were dominant by range 20–40 μm and dominant fibers was about 500–1,000 μm. Spatially distribution the abundance of the microplastic average at the substation and sampling station was found to be the highest at Substation 2 in downstream area and the distribution of the average abundance of microplastics decreased towards substations 1 and 3 at the downstream station.

Plastic ingestion by fish in the coastal waters of the Hengchun Peninsula, Taiwan: Associated with human activity but no evidence of biomagnification

Plastic pollution has become a global threat to the marine environment. Many studies have indicated that marine creatures are at risk of plastic ingestion, but relevant studies are still lacking in Taiwan. In this study, we quantified plastic debris ingestion by marine fish in the coastal waters of the Hengchun Peninsula, including the Kenting National park, located in southern Taiwan. We also investigated possible biotic and abiotic factors associated with the quantity of ingested plastic by fish. In the 117 fish samples we examined, 94.87% of them had ingested plastic debris, and all of the observed debris was microplastics (<5mm). The average number of ingested microplastics was 5.6±5.1 pieces per fish (ranged 0-32 pieces per fish). The major type and color of microplastics were fiber (96%) and blue (43%), respectively. The quantity of ingested microplastics was not significantly different between the reef and pelagic fish. However, reef fish from the more populated west and south coast ingested more microplastics than that from the east coast, suggesting that microplastic ingestion by fish is related to human activity. Regarding biotic factors, the size, trophic level, and taxonomic family of the fish were not significantly associated with the number of ingested microplastics. Our results, the first investigation of microplastic ingestion in marine fish of Taiwan, show a high prevalence of microplastic ingestion but no biomagnification of microplastics in the fish. More research is much needed to better characterize the biological and ecological impacts of plastic debris on fish.

Occurrence Characteristics and Quality Estimation of Microplastics in Drainage Ditches in Hetao Irrigation District of Inner Mongolia

Microplastic pollution due to land runoff has gained increasing attention as it is closely associated with human beings. In this study, we analyzed the occurrence characteristics of microplastics in drainage channel and main drainage channel in Hetao irrigation district of Inner Mongolia and estimated its quality. Through field sampling, the density separation of suspension method and microscope observation, Fourier infrared spectrum measurement, and proportional flow method, the abundance distribution, shape, color, particle size, and chemical composition of microplastics in the water body and sediment of the drainage channel and main drainage channel in the Hetao irrigation district were identified. The mass of microplastics transported in the main drainage channel was also estimated. The results showed that the value range of microplastic abundance in the water body of the drainage channel and the main drainage channel in Hetao irrigation district was 2880-11200 n ·m-3, and the value range of microplastic abundance in the sediment was 100-292 n ·kg-1. Fiber was the most common microplastic form, occupying 34.98%-70.39% and 42.24%-58.56% in the water and sediment, respectively. The color of microplastics was mainly transparent, which occupied 46.43%-61.51% and 40.41%-57.44% in the water and sediment, respectively. The largest particle size of microplastics was<0.5 mm, accounting for 46.43%-61.51% and 43.27%-54.79% in the water and sediment microplastics, respectively. It was concluded that polyethylene was the most common type (43%), followed by polystyrene (34%) and polypropylene (16%) using Fourier infrared spectroscopy. It was estimated that the main drainage channel in the Hetao irrigation district could transport 116.06 kg of microplastics into Lake Ulansuhai every day, and a serious microplastic pollution effect was generated due to the accumulation of microplastics in Lake Wulangsuhai. This study can provide reference for the pollution of microplastics in Hetao irrigation district of Inner Mongolia.

Occurrence of microplastic particles in the most popular Iranian bottled mineral water brands and an assessment of human exposure

Microplastics (MPs) have recently been detected in different products and environmental samples, ranging from wastewater to drinking water, as well as in products consumed by humans. However, few studies have addressed the contamination by MPs in bottled mineral water. Therefore, in the present study, the contamination by MPs was investigated from 11 samples of popular brands of bottled mineral water in Iran. Using a staining method and stereomicroscope analysis, MPs were detected in 9 out of the 11 sample brands. The amount, shape, and color of MPs varied in different bottles. The most detected MPs were in the shape of fragment (93 %) and fiber (7%), with an average concentration of approximately 8.5 ± 10.2 particles/L. In addition, there were no MPs in 20 % of the collected samples, which was the reason for the observed high variation of SD. The presence of MPs was demonstrated by FTIR and Raman stereoscopy and the most likely polymers found were PET, PS, and PP. Finally, four scenarios were investigated for daily and annual human exposure to microplastics. The study results indicate that the human daily and annual intake were negligible when compared using Valmet textures; approximately 0.015 P/kg/bw/day and 5.35 P/kg/bw/year for adults and approximately 0.065 P/kg/bw/day and 23.43 P/kg/bw/year for children.

The abundance and characteristics of microplastics in rainwater pipelines in Wuhan, China

Urban rainwater runoff is considered to be an important way to transport microplastics into the freshwater. By analyzing the microplastics in rainwater pipelines in different land function areas in Hongshan District (Wuhan, China), the preliminary results of microplastics abundance and characteristics in rainwater pipelines and rainwater pipeline sediments were obtained. The microplastics abundance in water samples was 2.75 ± 0.76 to 19.04 ± 2.96 items/L, the abundance of microplastics in the sediment was 6.00 ± 1.63 to 27.33 ± 4.64 items/100 g. The highest abundance among the samples was in the business district and the lowest in the campus. The microplastics in water samples and sediment samples were mainly fragments, accounting for 44.7% and 57.1%, respectively. The proportion of particle size <1 mm was 75.0% and above. The color of microplastics was diversified, and colored particles occupied over 60.0%. The types of polymers detected were mainly polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester, which were related to the types of polymers widely used in life. This study shows that urban rainwater pipelines is one of the ways for land-based microplastics to migrate to freshwater, and the accumulation of microplastics in stormwater pipe sediments might be an important contributor to microplastics in freshwater area.

Identification of Microplastic Composition on Clams (Gafrarium tumidum) and Sediments in Seribu Island, Pari Island Area, DKI Jakarta

Microplastic is one of the pollutants that can contaminate marine biota even spread in sea waters and coastal substrate because of the sizes ranges to 10 μm - 2 mm. This pollutant is spread in marine waters and found in the area of Seribu Island, Pari Island Area, DKI Jakarta. This research aims to identify the amount of abundance, type, size, and color of microplastic that was found in sediment and shell samples. The research method used was a survey method and laboratory analysis. The method consists of three parts, namely field data collection, identification using a microscope, and describing the results of identification. All sediment and shell samples were identified as being contaminated with microplastics. Microplastic are found in fiber, fragment, and film type. That color found including black, yellow, red, blue, green, chocolate, and clear. The most dominant microplastic color is black and the most dominant microplastic size is the small size group. The highest microplastic abundance in sediment samples from 3 stations is found in samples taken by station 2 with an average of 43.67 particles. 100 g-1 of dry sediment and the most dominant type is the fiber type from all sediment samples. The most dominant type of mussels sample is fragment type and the average abundance of microplastics in the highest sample of mussels is worth 17.33 particles.ind-1.

Community structure and functional diversity of the plastisphere in aquaculture waters: Does plastic color matter?

Microplastics (MPs) serve as a niche for colonization of biofilm-forming microorganisms, termed as plastisphere. Distinct microbial assemblages between MPs and surrounding waters have been well reported, but little is known about driving factors affecting biofilm development on plastic surfaces. Here, to investigate the influence of plastic colors on microbial assemblages, we performed a biofilm incubation experiment, in an aquaculture pond, using MPs in colors (blue, yellow and transparent) that commonly found in the aquatic environments for 30 days. We examined the community structure and function of plastisphere by using 16S rRNA sequencing. The results showed that plastisphere communities exhibited a higher diversity and evenness compared with the water community. MPs especially the blue MPs had more unique species, which might indicate a plastic color/additive-driven selection of microorganisms on MPs. A significant distinctness in bacterial community composition between MPs and the water was found, mainly caused by large amounts of Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium but trace amounts of Microcystis_PCC-7914 on MPs. Due primarily to rich in Aquabacterium but lack of norank_f__norank_o__1–20 on blue MPs than on transparent and yellow MPs, a clear separation between plastisphere communities of three colors of MPs was also observed. Moreover, compared with the water column, the metabolic pathways, e.g., transport and metabolism of amino acid, carbohydrate and inorganic ion, on plastisphere especially those of blue MPs were generally enriched. Biofilms colonizing on blue MPs appeared to have a higher functional diversity than those on transparent or yellow MPs. These results might suggest that plastic colors have impacts on the community structure and functional diversity of plastisphere.

Characteristics and removal of microplastics in rural domestic wastewater treatment facilities of China

The environment of the countryside is different from that of the city. Studying the abundance, characteristics, and removal of microplastics (MPs) in rural domestic wastewater treatment facilities (RD-WWTFs) is of great significance for understanding the impacts of human activities on the environment of the countryside. Therefore, we studied five such facilities in the Hangzhou region of China. The abundance of MPs in the influent was 430–2154 items/m3. Micro-Raman spectroscopic analysis indicates that the main type of polymer in the influent is polypropylene (PP, 54.6%), followed by polystyrene (PS, 29.7%) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 9.7%). The color of MPs is mainly white and clear (62.9%), red (13.3%) and gray (12.0%). Our results show that fragments (71.3%) are the dominant shape of MPs, followed by fibers (21.5%). The characteristics of MPs, such as sizes, shapes, and types, along with the treatment process, affect the removal of MPs in RD-WWTFs. Large MPs are easily removed by anaerobic processes, while small MPs are better removed by anaerobic/anoxic/oxic processes. Fibrous MPs are more difficult to be removed than the fragmented ones. Constructed wetlands play an important role in the removal of MPs.

Spatiotemporal distribution, source identification and inventory of microplastics in surface sediments from Sanggou Bay, China

Microplastic pollution has become a major global environmental issue. Yet the source identification and inventory of microplastics in mariculture areas remain unclear. Here we investigated the spatiotemporal distribution, source and inventory of microplastics in surface sediments from Sanggou Bay, China. The results showed that average abundance of microplastics in the surface sediments was 1674 ± 526 items/kg dry weight, which represented a heavy level when compared with other sea areas, including coastal waters, estuaries, the open sea and other mariculture areas. Microplastics with a size of <0.5 mm were dominant throughout four seasons. The dominant shape of microplastics was granule in summer, autumn and winter, and film in spring, respectively. The most common color of microplastics was transparent. Polyethylene was the dominant polymer in summer, autumn, and winter, while polystyrene accounted for the largest proportion in spring. Approximately 57.72% of the microplastics in surface sediments originated from the plastic mariculture facilities, suggesting that mariculture makes a significant contribution to microplastic pollution in Sanggou Bay. Estimated inventory of microplastics in surface sediments of Sanggou Bay was 183.73 tons. Our results improve the understanding of risks caused by mariculture-derived microplastics to marine ecosystem and human health.

Rapid Monitoring Approach for Microplastics Using Portable Pyrolysis-Mass Spectrometry.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution has drawn increasing concern due to its widespread occurrence and potential risks in the environment. The reliable methods and instruments for fast analysis of microplastics (MPs) less than 5 mm are urgently needed. In this study, a new method based on custom-made portable pyrolysis-mass spectrometry (Pyr-MS) is developed, which enables rapid identification and mass related quantification of MPs. MPs are decomposed in the compact pyrolyzer and then directly analyzed in the portable MS by the chemical fingerprints of polymers including characteristic ions and their special ratio. It avoids the complex extraction and separation procedures of the pyrolysis/thermogravimetric-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Pyr/TGA-GC-MS), realizes the rapid analysis of MPs in 5 min, and thus can practically apply to a large number of MPs samples. In comparison to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Raman, this method is not limited by the shape, size, and color of MPs. Four common plastics including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were investigated to verify the feasibility of this method. The environmental MPs samples collected from a beach were successfully identified and quantified, demonstrating the simplicity and practicality of this approach. The influence of plastics aging on the chemical fingerprints and the potential of mixed plastics detection by Pyr-MS are also assessed. The portable Pyr-MS could provide a promising tool for in-field analysis of MPs such as ship-based marine MPs surveys.

Occurrence Relationship Between Microplastics and Heavy Metals Pollutants in the Estuarine Sediments of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River

Heavy metals are typical pollutants in the environment and microplastics are relatively newly recognized environmental pollutants, with their coexistence potentially compounding pollution and ecological risks. In this study, we investigate the contents and morphological characteristics of microplastics and heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cr) in the estuarine sediments of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River as a means of exploring the relationship between them. The results showed that the abundance of microplastics ranged from 356 n·kg-1 to 1452 n·kg-1, with an average abundance of 982.33 n·kg-1 in the dry sediments. Microplastics were identified as being of three main types:fragments, fibers, and films, whereby fragments were the most dominant type found and accounted for 48.23% of the total microplastics in the sediments. The main color of microplastics in the sediments was chromatic, and the particle size of most microplastics was<1 mm. The major polymer components were polyethylene (PE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and polyethylene (PP). Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) results indicated that the surfaces of microplastics were rough, porous, cracked, and torn, and that the five heavy metals were found on the surfaces of different microplastics. These heavy metals accumulated to different degrees in the estuarine sediments, and redundancy analysis indicated that environmental factors[including the total organic carbon (TOC), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and sediment particle size] and the occurrence of microplastics all had significant (P<0.05) effects on the distribution of heavy metal concentrations in sediments. Variation partitioning analysis (VPA) showed that the contribution rates of environmental factors and microplastics to the bioavailability of heavy metals were 37.70% and 0.70% respectively, but the combined effect was 49.60%. We conclude that microplastics in sediments may act as carriers of heavy metals and activate their bioavailability, hence posing a potential threat to the ecological security of estuaries and wetlands.

Occurrence characteristics of microplastics and heavy metals in pyrolysis incineration residues of small towns in Southern China

Closed oxygen-limited pyrolysis is becoming a widely used waste treatment method in small towns. In the present study, we selected some typical municipal solid waste incineration plants in Jiangxi Province in Southern China as the research areas, and collected the ash samples which from the stacking ground after pyrolysis of refuse and its surrounding environment soil with ash slag and surface soil as the research materials. The flotation separation method, scanning electron microscopy method, ICP-MS and BCR three-step continuous extraction methods were used to study the abundances of microplastics and the occurrence characteristics of different forms of heavy metals such as Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cr. The results showed that there were some differences in the abundance of microplastics in samples from different sources. The abundance range of microplastics in ash from different garbage factories was from 131.00 n·kg-1 dw to 176.00 n·kg-1 dw (the amount of microplastics in dry soil samples per kg), which was significantly higher than that in the soil with ash slag and surface soil in the surrounding environment. The morphological types of microplastics were mainly debris (38.5%) followed by film (17.6%), fiber (26.7%) and foam (17.2%). The main colors of microplastics were black (29.4%), white (12.2%), transparent (20.8%), blue (12.4%) and red (25.3%). The proportions of the microplastics abundances with different particle sizes were > 5 mm (11%), 2.5—5 mm (13%), 1—2.5 mm (19%), 0.5—1 mm (24.2%) and Cd (73.48%) > Zn (55.69%) > Cu (38.8%) > Cr (38.02%). The results of correlation analysis showed that the abundance of microplastics and the occurrence of heavy metals in pyrolysis residue of the garbage were corelated and the correlation between the content of heavy metals and microplastics with different characteristics was different. There was a significant correlation (P<0.05) between black microplastics and most heavy metal elements, and also between microplastics with particle size less than 0.5 mm and most heavy metal elements.

Seagrass beds acting as a trap of microplastics - Emerging hotspot in the coastal region?

Microplastics is an emerging environmental problem in the world. However, presence and fate of microplastics in seagrass meadows are barely known. In this study, the abundance and diversity of microplastic from Enhalus acodoides vegetated sites and bare sites were quantified and characterized in Xincun bay and Li’an bay, Hainan, China. Microplastics ranged from 80.0 to 884.5 particles per kg of dry sediment, and fibers were the dominant shape. The most frequent colors of microplastics were blue, transparent and black. The dominant size of microplastics was in the range of 125–250 μm. And the seagrass sediments were enriched in microplastics 2.1 and 2.9 times for Xincun bay and Li’an bay, respectively. The trap effect of seagrass was non-selective regarding the shape, color and size of microplastics. High anthropogenic pollution and poor beach management may contribute to higher concentrations of microplastics in Li’an bay.