Golamkibria Presentation PlasticWastePlasticPollution-8Sep18

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Presentation: Plastic Pollution- Sources, Global Production, Global


“Hotspots”, Impacts on Biodiversity & Seafood; Adsorption of Organic
& Inorganic Chemicals, and Mitigation

Presentation · August 2018


DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.35028.24967/3

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Plastic Pollution- Sources, Global
Production, Global “Hotspots”,
Impacts on Biodiversity & Seafood;
Adsorption of Organic & Inorganic
Chemicals, and Mitigation

:
Plastic Pollution Sources, Global Production, Hot spots, Impacts, Adsorption, and Mitigation

Bergmann et al. 2017

Golam Kibria; 26 Aug 2018


Citation: Kibria, G. 2018. Plastic Pollution Sources, Global Production, Global Hot spots, Impacts on Biodiversity & Seafood, Adsorption of Organic
& Inorganic Chemicals, and Mitigation. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.35028.24967
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327230697_Presentation_Plastic_Waste_Plastic_Pollution-_A_Threat_to_All_Nations

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 1


Outline of Presentation
Summary (one page)

What is Plastic

Common types of plastics

Classification of Plastics

Global plastic production

Facts about plastic pollution

Marine plastic pollution

Most plastic polluting countries

Plastic pollution sources

Microplastics in Treated Waste Water of Plants

Marine Plastic Pollution ‘Hot Spots”

Impacts of Plastic Pollution- impacts on biodiversity

Impacts of Plastic Pollution- adsorption of contaminants

Transfer of Plastic Associated Toxins to Humans

Research results
• Contaminants Detected in Plastics in Adsorption Research Studies
• Factors Related to Adsorption of Contaminants
• Sorption of Contaminants in Various Plastics
• Effects of Plastic Additives (phthalates, PBDE)
• Seafood & Other Food Contamination by Plastics

Mitigation measures
• Biodegradable Plastics
• Building Roads from Plastic Waste
• MicroBeads Legislation

Take Home Messages (one page)

References

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


2
Aug2018
Summary
Plastic waste is ubiquitous and is reported from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from the surface to sediment. This presentation PPT (based on the latest peer-reviewed journal papers and other
technical reports . The presentation provides an account of i) global consumption of plastic; ii) classification of plastics; iii) global plastic pollution; iv) plastic pollution sources; v) impacts of plastic
pollution on global biodiversity, vi) effects of plastic additives; vii) global marine plastic pollution “hot spots” and viii) adsorption of organic and inorganic chemicals by different types of plastic;
viii) factors related to adsorption of contaminants by plastics ix) innovative solutions to mitigate the plastic pollution across the globe

Plastic production: Plastic is a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers. They are most commonly derived from petrochemicals (natural gas, oil or coal). The common types
of plastic are Polyamide (PA), Polyethylene (PE), Polyester (PES), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP). They are classified as nano (<1 um), micro (1 um-
5 mm), meso (5 mm-200 mm) and megaplastics (>200mm). The global plastic production was 0.35 mmt (million metric tonnes) in 1950 and in 2016 it was 335 mmt. Asia accounts for more than
49% of worldwide plastics production in 2015, of which China 28%, Japan 4% and the rest of Asia 17%. It is estimated that 4.8-12.7 million tonnes of palstics end up in the world’s oceans.

Plastic pollution (PP) accounts for 60–80% of marine litter; 80% PP originates from land and 20% PP originates from fishing nets & ropes. Non-degradable plastic accounts for 73% of litter in any
aquatic ecosystem, 50% of which is disposed of after a single-use. The Countries Polluting the Oceans most are China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam & Sri Lanka. Sixteen of the top 20
mismanaged plastic waste producers are low to upper middle-income countries, where fast economic growth is occurring but waste management infrastructure is lacking. The plastic pollution
can be caused by illegal dumping, inadequate waste management, WWTPs (WWTPs cannot filter out micro-plastics and nano plastics), discharge of stormwater, coastal littering, natural
disasters, accidentally lose or deliberately dump fishing equipment (nets, lines and rope, etc. To date, there are over 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic weighing over 268,940 tons floating on the
world's oceans. There are five large patches of marine plastic pollution “hot spots” (North & South Pacific; North & South Atlantic; Indian Ocean). The North/Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the
most polluted with plastic's topmost hot spot The North Pacific has the highest level of contamination with nearly 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic while the Indian Ocean comes second with 1.3
trillion. The Plastic objects identified in the North Pacific garbage patch were containers, bottles, lids, bottle caps, packaging straps, eel trap cones, oyster spacers, ropes, and fishing nets (Fishing
nets represented more than 46% of the plastic load)

Plastic pollution impacts: Plastic (bottles, etc) could cause pollution via blocking inland waterways, wastewater outflows; Micro plastics/microbeads (used in personal care products, toothpaste)
could pose the following impacts i) environmental hazard for aquatic animals in freshwater and ocean water such as large plastic items (discarded fishing rope and nets) can cause entanglement
or injury or killing of birds, mammals, turtles, whales, dolphins, seals and fish. Much smaller micro-plastic particles (microbeads) white in colour, mistaken by surface feeding fishes as food
(plankton); iii) several marine species ingested plastic items (of all shapes) causing injuries and the blockage of the digestive tract (infection, suffocation, starvation, and ultimately mortality).
micro plastic particles may accumulate high concentrations of POPs -polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or DDTs; toxins can cause lethal and sub-lethal effects on marine animals (if ingested) and
the toxins may enter the entire food chain; plastic along shorelines has negative impacts on tourism (reduced tourism revenues, reduced recreational activities; may cause vessel damage &
negatively impact on shipping, energy production, fishing, and aquaculture resources; micro plastics provide a transport service of epifauna and microbes to areas where they were not existing
before

Adsorption of pollutants/contaminants by plastics: Plastic particles are hydrophobic in nature and can adsorb high risk organic & inorganic contaminants from the surrounding aquatic; research
results reveal 21 contaminants were adsorbed by different type of plastics including DDT, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH), octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol (NP), PCB, PAH, and heavy metals; The
adsorption of contaminants in plastics are affected by i) roughness or smoothness; ii) aged or pristine; iii) temperature; iv) salinity; v) discolour or non-discolourness; and vi) particle size;
polymer such as PE has the highest adsorption capacity (greater diffusion of contaminants) compared to polymers (PET, PVC) which shows lower adsorption capacities; microplastics contain
toxic plastic additives (phthalates, flame retardants- PBDE); phthalates suspected to have link to breast cancer, reduced sperm counts, histological changes in testes and reduced fertility; PBDE
caused endocrine disruption (hormones disruption) in fish including reduced egg production, reduced gonad development, delayed hatching, altered swimming behaviour, and affected male
gamete quantity and quality.

Seafood & other food contamination with plastic particles: Globally, fish provides approximately 4.3 billion people with 15% of their animal protein intake (FAO, 2014), however seafood were
reported to be contaminated with micropartcles (PA, PE, PET, PP, PS, PVC) such as fish (herring, whiting, haddock, cod, mackerel, cod, Dory, red gurnard, Dragonet, redband fish, sole);
mussels, and other foods (honey, salt and sugar)

Mitigation: Use of biodegradable plastics (starch or cellulose), building roads from plastic waste, implementing legislation to prevent addition of microbeads in personal care products, efficient
wastewater treatment, preventing illegal plastic waste dumping, ban, levy, tax on use of plastic bags, and awareness & education on harms associated with plastic pollution are some of the
measures can be taken to curb plastic pollution

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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Aug2018
Beat Plastic Pollution

• Around the world, one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased
every minute
• Up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year
• In total, half of all plastic produced is designed to be used only once — and
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
then thrown away https://www.unenvironment.org/interactive/beat-plastic-pollution/
Aug2018
4
What is Plastic
• Plastic is a synthetic material made from a wide
range of organic polymers (synthetic polymer resin
formulations) that are versatile, durable and
resistant to external shocks (Sebillec and Spathi, 2016)

• from the Greek word plastikos, which means able to


be shaped or molded
• They are most commonly derived from
petrochemicals (natural gas, oil or coal)

• The first completely synthetic plastic was bakelite,


which was made in 1907 by Leo Baekeland
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 5
Common Types of Plastics
Polyamide (PA) Ropes
Polyethylene (PE) Plastic bags, bottles, food bags
Lifetime: 2-20 yrs
Polyester (PES) Fibres, textiles
Lifetime: 5-10 yrs
Polyethylene Drink bottles, plastic films
terephthalate
(PET)
Polyvinyl chloride Pipelines, flooring
(PVC) Lifetime: upto 50yrs
Polypropylene Bottle caps, drinking straws
(PP) Lifetime: 15 yrs
Polystyrene (PS) Plastic tableware, disposable cups,
food containers
Lifetime: upto 10 yrs

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018


6
Classification of Plastics
Mega-, macro- and These items can be identified by the naked eye and
mesoplastics (few include
metres to 5 mm) • wrappers, drink containers, single-use plastic bags,
cigarette butts
• medical and personal hygiene items such as
diapers and syringes
• Household appliances
• tyres and car parts
• fishing equipment (large volumes of mega- and
macroplastic debris originate from ocean-based
sources- fishing nets) ( Sebillec and Spathi, 2016)
Nanoplastics (NPs), • the direct release of products containing
particles up to 100 nanoplastics or from the fragmentation of larger
nm in size) plastic particles in the environment
• Potentially the most hazardous since nanoplastics
may adsorb toxic compounds (POPs), leading to
toxicity to marine life
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 7
Classification of Plastics
(Mrowiec, 2017; Germanov et al. 2018)

Microplastics • small-sized plastic particles <5 mm in size &


(MP) classified as
• primary’ MPs
• secondary’ MPs
(Primary or secondary MPs are based on the size of
origin)
Primary micro • raw materials for personal-care products
plastics (<5 mm) • facial cleaners, cosmetics, toothpaste, cleaning
products or drug vector
Secondary micro- • Formed during the degradation of macroplastics
plastics (>5 mm) through environmental exposure to ultraviolet
radiation (sunlight), chemical (salt water),
biological (microorganism), and/or mechanical
(wind and wave action) degradation;
• include synthetic fibers originating from fishing
gear or wastewater from textile industries and
households)
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 8
Classification of Plastics
Germanov et al. 2018

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 9


Our Plastic World

10
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018
Global Plastic Production

World

Europe

https://www.statista.com/statistics/282732/global-production-of-plastics-since-1950/

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 11


World Plastic Production
Asia accounts for more than 49% of worldwide plastics production in 2015
(China 28%+ Japan 4% and rest of Asia 17%)

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 12


Facts About Plastic Pollution (PP)
• The world population uses over 300 million tonnes (335 mmt in 2016) of
new plastic every year
• An estimated 4.8-12.7 million tonnes ends up in the world’s oceans
(Ocean Care. 2017)

Plastic Pollution (PP) is a global problem


Plastic found from the Arctic to the Antarctic; from the surface to the
sediment
Plastic donot readily biodegrade
Plastic persist in the aquatic environment for long periods
PP accounts for 60–80% of marine litter
• 80% PP originates from land
• 20% PP originates from fishing nets & ropes
Land-based sources: open dumping/“mismanaged”
Non-degradable plastic accounts for 73% of litter in any aquatic ecosystem,
50% of which is disposed of after a single-use
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 13
80% Plastic Pollution (Bottles,
Bags) originates from Land

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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Aug2018
Most of Marine Plastic Pollution
Originates in Asia and Africa!
World Oceans

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


15
Aug2018
The Countries Polluting the Oceans are
China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam
& Sri Lanka

Mismanaged plastic waste are materials that is


• dumped in open space
• put in uncontrolled landfills

https://www.statista.com/chart/12211/the-countries-polluting-the-oceans-the-most/

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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Aug2018
Mismanaged Plastic Waste
in the Top 20 Countries

10
Sixteen of the top 20 mismanaged plastic waste producers are low to
9 upper middle-income countries, where fast economic growth is
occurring but waste management infrastructure is lacking
8 Jambeck, et al. 2016. Science. 347 (6223): 768-771;

7
Plastic waste (MMT/yr)

5
8.82
4

2
3.22

1 1.88 1.83 1.59


1.03 0.97 0.94 0.85 0.79 0.63 0.6 0.52 0.49 0.48 0.47 0.46 0.31 0.3 0.28
0

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


Country 17
Aug2018
Marine Plastic Pollution Sources
Mrowiec, 2017; Sebillec, nd Spathi, 2016.)

1. Illegal dumping • Fragments of plastic from open dumping grounds may be blown into
streams, rivers or directly into the ocean
and inadequate • In some nations without formal waste disposal services, rivers are
waste management sometimes used to dispose of waste

2. Wastewater WWTPs cannot filtered out micro-plastics and nanoplastics such as


cosmetic microbeads or fibres from clothing, making WWTPs treatment
treatment plants plants a significant source of microplastic pollution
3. Discharge of During storms, runoff water can pick up municipal waste, waste from
dumpsites, street litter or even landfill waste. This litter is then
storm water discharged into streams, rivers or directly into the ocean via the drainage
network.
4. Coastal littering Beachgoers may leave litter behind, which can include cigarette butts,
food and beverage packaging, and plastic beach toys.
5. Natural disasters Extreme events can result in almost any kind of waste being released into
the ocean. In 2011 (11 March), for instance, Japan’s Tohoku tsunami
produced a quantity of floating debris comparable to 3,200 years’ worth
of ‘normal’ debris input. Tohoku tsunami released more than 13 times the
total plastic contained in the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific Ocean in one
event (Lebreton and Borrero, 2013)
6. Boats, ships and Fishing boats may accidentally lose or deliberately dump fishing
equipment (nets, lines and rope, etc) into the ocean. Cargo ships may
offshore industrial discharge litter into the ocean by accident. Offshore oil and gas
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 18
platforms platforms, undersea exploration
Microplastics (MP) in Treated Waste Water of
Plants in Lower Saxony (Germany)
Mintenig et al. 2016

PA=Polyamide; PE= Polyethylene; PET=Polyethylene-terephthalate; PP=Polypropylene; PS= Polystyrene; PVC=Polyvinyl chloride; PUR=Polyurethane (PUR)

Microplastics (MP) >500 um


in treated WWTP Microplastics (MP) <500 um Synthetic fibers in treated
Major Polyethylene in treated WWTP WWTP
Major Polyethylene Major Polyesters

• In the WWTP effluents MPs were detected in all samples (> 500 um, < 500 um)
• The majority of MPs was identified as polyethylene (PE) (av. 59% in > 500 um;
av. 40% in < 500 um);
• All samples containedGolamK_Plastic
synthetic fibres, with (PES or polyesters av. 74%)
Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
19
(Mintenig et al. 2016) Aug2018
Almost all of the World‟s Oceans
Contain Litter (yellow dots), of which
most of the Litters are Plastics (73%)

On a global scale, non-degradable plastic accounts for 73% of litter in any aquatic habitat (Bergmann et al. 2017)
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 20
The Worlds Oceans are Infested with 5.25
Trillion Pieces of Plastic (in the Pacific,
Atlantic, Indian & Mediterranean sea)

• there are over 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic weighing over 268,940 tons floating on the world's
oceans.
• GolamK_Plastic
The North Pacific has the highest level ofWaste_Plastic
contaminationPollution_27
with nearly 2 trillion pieces of plastic 21
Aug2018
while the Indian Ocean comes second with 1.3 trillion
Plastic Pollution Has Reached Antarctica!
Greenpeace activist Dr Grant Oakes shows
a water sample collected using a manta
trawl in Neko Harbour, Antarctica.
Microplastics were
We may
detected in nine of 17
think that water samples
the collected off the
Antarctic is Antarctic peninsula by
a remote a Greenpeace vessel
place and in early 2018;
should be
pristine but Seven of nine snow
samples taken on land
in fact it is
in Antarctica found
not! chemicals known as
PFAs (polyfluorinated
alkylated substances),
which are used in
industrial products
https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-06-07/greenpeace-plastic-pollution-has-spread-antarctica
and can harm wildlife

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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Aug2018
Marine Plastic Pollution „Hot Spots”
The North/Great Pacific Garbage Patch
(GPGP)
• There are five large patches of marine plastic pollution “hot spots” (North &
South Pacific; North & South Atlantic; Indian Ocean)
• The North/Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the most polluted with plastic's top
• Marine PlaMarine Hot Spots” stic
most hot spot ”
• Roughly twice the size of the United States/3 times to Thailand .
Pollution „Hot Spots”
http://www.bluebird-
electric.net/oceanography/Ocean_Plastic_International_Rescue/Plastic_The_Great_North_Pacific_Garba
ge_Patch.htm

4 3 2

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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Aug2018
Case Study
Plastic Pollution (PP) “Hot Spot (GPGP)

Marine
researcher/Yachtsman
Charles Moore holds a
sample of water with debris
from the Great Pacific
Garbage Patch, which he first
discovered in 1997.

The patch was discovered in 1997 by Charles Moore, a researcher/yachtsman who had sailed through a
mishmash (mixture) of floating plastic bottles and other debris on his way home to Los Angeles. It was named
by Curtis Ebbesmeyer, a Seattle oceanographer known for his expertise in tracking ocean currents and the
movement of cargo lost overboard, including rubber duck bath toys and Nike tennis shoes. The patch is now
the target of a $32 million cleanup campaign
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
24
Aug2018
Case Study
Plastic Pollution (PP) “Hot Spot” (GPGP)
Fishing gear/ghost nets comprised 46% of the PP

Crew on the R/V Ocean Starr pulling a Ghostnets-


discarded or accidentally lost fishing nets from the
Pacific Ocean during the 2015 Mega Expedition
Great Pacific Garbage Patch

• A most recent research (Labreton et al. 2018) reveals that microplastics make up 94 percent of an
estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic in the patch (8% of the total mass)
• Contains 79,000 metric tons of plastic in the patch, most of it is abandoned fishing gear (46% by
mass) —not plastic bottles or packaging materials
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/great-pacific-garbage-patch-plastics-environment/
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 25
What is a Ghost Net?

• Lost or discarded fishing nets by fishermen known as


“Ghostnets”

• They can entangle fish, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks,


dugongs, crocodiles, seabirds, crabs including human diver

• Fishermen sometimes abandon worn-out nets because it is


often the easiest way to get rid of them

• From 2000 to 2012, the National Marine Fisheries


Service reported an average of 11 large whales entangled in
ghost nets
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_net

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 26


Case Study (GPGP): Plastic Pollution “Hot Spot”-
The North/Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP)
Lebreton et al. 2018 quantified buoyant ocean plastics (various sizes and types)
inside the GPGP
• 1.6-million-square-kilomete which is twice the size of USA & located between
Hawaii and California,)
• It used 18 participating vessels to collect surface trawl samples (652 surface net
tows) within and around the GPGP region (July-Sep, 2015),
• in addition, aerial surveys (Hercules-C-130) were also carried out to obtain geo-
referenced imagery
The research found that
• the North Pacific Garbage Patch(1.6-million-square-kilometer) is the
largest plastic accumulation zone on Earth
• It contains 1.8 trillion pieces of floating ocean plastic (79,000 metric tons
of plastic)
The Plastic objects identified include
• containers, bottles, lids, bottle caps, packaging straps, eel trap cones,
oyster spacers, ropes, and fishing nets
• Fishing nets represented more than 46% of the plastic load
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
(Lebreton et al. 2018, Nature Scientific Reports. 8:4666 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-22939-w 22 March2018) 27
Aug2018
Case study: Plastic Mass Distribution within
the GPGP Ocean plastic size spectrum
classes- H=pieces of hard plastic, plastic sheet and film; N = plastic lines, ropes and
fishing nets; P=pre-production plastic pellets, and type; F= pieces made of foamed
plastics)

Ghostnets, were the main contributors to the total


mass of GPGP plastic (42,362t) (Lebreton et al. 2018)
42, 362t

Plastic lines, ropes and fishing nets


20,195t N

9,971t
6,380t
Hard plastic,
Hard plastic,
plastic sheet
Hard plastic, plastic sheet
and film
plastic sheet and film
and film
H

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 28


Case Study :Plastic Pollution “Hot Spot”- the GPGP is Rapidly
Accumulating Microplastic Concentration in different decades
(1965 to 2015)

The figure
demonstrates
that the ocean
plastic
pollution GPGP
levels within
the GPGP are
increasing
exponentially/
rapidly and at
a faster rate
than in
surrounding
waters
Surrounding
(Labreton et waters
al. 2018)

Lebreton et al. 2018. Evidence that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is rapidly accumulating
plastic. Nature Scientific Reports. 8:4666 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-22939-w
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 29
This infoGraphic shows that there will
(predicted) be more Plastic in the
Oceans than Fish by 2050

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic#/media/File:More_Plastic_in_the_Ocean_than_Fish_Infographic.pn
g

30
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018
Impacts of Plastic
Pollution-Biodiversity

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


31
Aug2018
Impacts of Plastic Pollution
Mismanaged Could cause pollution via
plastics (dumped • inland waterways,
openly or in landfill) • wastewater outflows,
• transport by wind or tides
Micro Could pose the following impacts
plastics/microbeads • an environmental hazard for
(used in personal aquatic animals in freshwater
care products, and ocean water (mistaken as
toothpastes) food by fish)
• they cannot all be filtered out in
wastewater treatment plants
• they can travel vast distances
floating in seawater, or sediment
to the seabed
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
32
Aug2018
Impacts of Plastic Pollution (PP)
Entanglement • Large plastic items (discarded fishing rope and nets) can cause
and ghost entanglement or injury or killing of birds, mammals, turtles,
fishing whales, dolphins, seals and fish
• An estimated 100,000 marine animals are strangled,
suffocated, or injured by plastics every year.
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/great-pacific-garbage-patch-plastics-environment/

Ingestion of • Much smaller micro-plastic particles (microbeads) white in


floating colour, mistaken by surface feeding fishes as food (plankton)
microplastics • several marine species ingested plastic items (of all shapes)
causing injuries and the blockage of the digestive tract
(infection, suffocation, starvation, and ultimately mortality )
Ingestion of • microplastic particles may accumulate high concentrations of
micro plastics POPs -polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or DDTs.
contaminated • Toxins can cause lethal and sub lethal effects on marine animals
(if ingested) and the toxins may enter the entire food chain.
with toxins
Tourism • Plastic along shorelines has negative impacts on tourism
(reduced tourism revenues, reduced recreational activities)
Shipping and • May cause vessel damage & negatively impact on shipping,
fishing energy production, fishing, and aquaculture resources
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 33
Impacts of Plastic Pollution (PP)
Raft service Microplastics floating in water have the
tendency of providing raft substrates
for various epifauna and microbes (i.e.,
bacteria, algae, diatoms, barnacles,
hydroids, tunicates)
Raft service Microplastics provide a transport
service of epifauna and microbes to
areas where they were not existing
before (Solomon and Palanisami,
2016)

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 34


Impacts of Plastic Pollution
Wildlife Can Become Entangled in Discarded Fishing
Nets & Plastic bags

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


35
Aug2018
Impacts of Plastic Pollution
Whale Dies from Eating more Than 80 Plastic Bags in
Thai Canal (3 June 2018)
80 kg plastic bags extracted from a whale’s stomach in Thailand

• The whale vomited up to five bags during the rescue attempt


• The plastic bags had made it impossible for the whale to eat any nutritional food.
• Thailand is one of the world’s largest users of plastic bags
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/03/whale-dies-from-eating-more-than-80-plastic-bags

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 36


Impacts of Plastic Pollution
This dead albatross chick was found with plastics in its
stomach on Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/great-pacific-garbage-
patch-plastics-environment/
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
37
Aug2018
The Main Meal for Sperm Whales
Plastics Debris
Plastic debris found in the stomach of Sperm whales were (a) flower pot, (b) hosepipe, (c) greenhouse cover
material, (d) plastic burlap, (e) rope, and (f) plastic mulch of greenhouse.

flower pot,
hosepipe

plastic burlap
greenhouse cover material

rope

de Stephanis et al. 2013. As main meal for sperm whales: Plastics debris. Marine Pollution Bulletin 69 (2013) 206–214

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 38


Impacts of Plastic
Pollution- Adsorption of
Contaminants

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


39
Aug2018
Impacts of Plastic Pollution
Plastic Particles are Accumulator of Hydrophobic
Pollutants”

Plastic particles are Plastic particles can adsorb


hydrophobic in • high risk organic & inorganic
nature contaminants from the surrounding
aquatic environment including
They are known as • pharmaceuticals
vectors for priority • polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
pollutants • polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
(Wright & Kelly, 2017; Germanov et al., 2018)

• Pesticides (DDTs)
• personal care products
• Heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Ni, Pb) ) from the
surrounding water
(Mrowiec, 2017; Kibria, 2017; Germanov et al. 2018)

40
Plastic Waste is a Carrier of „Priority
Pollutants

• Priority Pollutants (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and


Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDTs) are Consistently
found in Plastic Waste
• These chemicals adsorb onto the Plastic due to Hydrophobic
Nature at harmful concentrations (e.g. 100 times those found
in sediments and 1 million times those occurring in sea
water) (Rochman et al. 2013. Nature. 494: 169-171)

• These priority pollutants can enter the tissues of aquatic


species after they eat debris and can move up the food chain
to human consumers (from eating contaminated
fish/seafood/shellfish)
• Seabirds that have consumed plastic waste have PCBs in
their tissues at 300% greater concentrations than in those
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
that have not eaten plastic Aug2018 (Rochman et al. 2013. Nature. 494: 169-171)
41
Hazard Associated with Plastics

• Many plastics contain endocrine-disrupting and other toxic leaching additives,


which are added during the manufacturing process, such as phthalates,
organobromines (polybrominated diphenyl ethers- PBDE), heavy metals, styrenes,
and antibacterials
• Other waterborne toxins, heavy metals, POPs (DDTs, PCBs) adhere to plastics
• Microplastics and associated toxins enter food webs through low trophic levels
and transfer to higher trophic levels permeating through food webs and potentially
adversely impacting filter-feeding megafauna and contaminating marine food
resources (Germanov et al. 2018)

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


42
Aug2018
Transfer of Plastic Associated Toxins to Humans via the
Food Chain
Microplastics contain
toxic plastic additives
(phthalates, flame
retardants- PBDE)

It adsorb persistent
organic pollutants
(POPs), such as (DDTs)
and (PCBs from the
environment

Filter-feeding marine
megafauna are
particularly prone to
microplastic ingestion
and contamination by
plastic-associated toxins
because of the large
volumes of water they
ingest during feeding
(Germanov et al., 2018)
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
43
Aug2018
Contaminants that Have Been Found to be
Associated with Plastic Debris (Alimi et al. 2018, page 1716)

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


44
Aug2018
Research Results

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


45
Aug2018
Contaminants Detected in Plastics in Adsorption
Research Studies 21 contaminants
detected; including DDT,
HCH, OP, NP, PCB, PAH,
Heavy metals

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


46
Aug2018
Contaminants Detected

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


47
Aug2018
Contaminants Detected

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


48
Aug2018
Factors Related to Adsorption of
Contaminants

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


49
Aug2018
Factors Related to Adsorption

Relation of PCB77 sorption and particle size; The sorption capacity


significantly increased with decreasing particle size Wu et al. 2016,
page 561.

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


50
Aug2018
Research Results Related to Sorption of
Contaminants in Various Plastics

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


51
Aug2018
Research Results

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


52
Aug2018
Research Results

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


53
Aug2018
Research Results

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


54
Aug2018
Research Results

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


55
Aug2018
Sorption Capacity is a Function of Plastic
Type
Rubbery polymers (PE and PP): higher sorption Score 1: the highest
capacities, greater diffusion, greater affinity for sorption capacity
contaminants, mostly score 1; Glassy polymers (PVC,
PET): lower sorption capacities; score 3 to 5) (Alimi et Score 4: the Lowest
al. 2018) sorption capacity

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


56
Aug2018
Figure Showing a Tendency of PE Pellets to
Have a Higher Amount of PCBs than PP Pellets

PCBs concentration in PE and PP resin pellets derived from piece-by-piece analysis.


Concentrations over the limit of detection (LOD) are plotted as solid diamonds, and those
under the LOD as open diamonds (Endo et al. 2005, page 1107).

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


57
Aug2018
Uptake of PCBs by Polyethylene, PVC, and
Polystyrene (Pascall et al. 2005)

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


58
Aug2018
Research: Possible Effects of Plastic Additives
(Phthalates and PBDE)

Phthalates • widely used as plasticizers in shopping and garbage bags, fluid


(Di-2- containers, clothing, toys, nail polish, flooring, food packaging,
(ethylhexyl)- medicinal products and insect repellents
• Phthalates leaches from food wrapping materials, medical devices,
phthalate
carpets
(DEHP)) • Phthalates suspected to have link to breast cancer (Dey et al. 2009)
• Phthalates may cause miscarriages and pregnancy complications in
humans (Bolong et al. 2009)
• Phthalates reduced sperm counts, histological changes in testes
and reduced fertility (Latini et al. 2006; Heudorf et. al. 2007)
• In China agricultural soils were contaminated with phthalate esters
(Zeng et al. 2008) which lead to elevated uptake by crops and
contamination of vegetables and human exposures
• DEHP is toxic to aquatic organisms (Kibria et al. 2010)
PBDE • PBDE is extensively used as flame retardants in consumer products
(polybrominate such as plastics, textile, carpets, polyurethane
d diphenyl • PBDE is hydrophobic, and bioaccumulative and biomagnify in the
food chain
ethers)
• PBDE caused endocrine disruption (hormones disruption) in fish
including reduced egg production, reduced gonad development,
delayed hatching, altered swimming behaviour, and affected male
gameteGolamK_Plastic
quantity and quality (Nugegoda
Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 & Kibria, 2016)
59
Aug2018
Research Results: Seafood & Other Food Contamination
by Plastics
PA=Polyamide; PE= Polyethylene; PET=Polyethylene-terephthalate; PP=Polypropylene; PS= Polystyrene; PVC=Polyvinyl chloride;

Seafood Plastic detected Contamination


Route
Seafood (fish) Globally, fish provides approximately 4.3 billion people with 15% of their animal protein Environmental
intake (FAO, 2014), It has been demonstrated in various lab studies that fish ingest and contamination
PA, PE, PET, PP, PS, PVC accumulates micro plastics in various organs ; in the wild, fish alos contaminated with
North Sea, English plastics: (e.g. PE, PP, PET, SA (styrene acrylate) in North sea fish-Herring, whiting,
haddock, and cod; PA, PE , PS , PET in English channel fish -Whiting, mackerel, cod,
Channel Dory, red gurnard, Dragonet, redband fish, sole and PE , PET , PS , PVC in fish from the
Mediterranean Sea with (reviewed by Wright & Kelly, 2017)

Seafood (fish) Along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, 1822 MP particles were extracted from Environmental
stomachs and intestines of 1337 fish specimen with the majority of ingested particles contamination
Fibres and hard represented by fibers (70%) and hard plastics (20.8%) (Güven et al. 2017)
plastics
Mediterranean coast
of Turkey
Seafood (fish) In different species of fish from coastal (21) and freshwater (6) of China, MPs were Environmental
abundant in 26 species, accounting for 55.9-92.3% of the total number of plastics items contamination
Microplastics in coastal in each species (Jabeen et al. 2017)
and freshwater of
China
Seafood (fish) In Norwegian coast, lower level of plastics (including MPs) was measured in the Atlantic Environmental
cod (Gadus morhua) fish with 3% of plastic found in the stomachs examined (Brate et contamination
Plastics and al. 2016)
microplastics in
Norwegian coast
Seafood (fish) Microplastics in fish species: Sardina pilchardus, Squalus acanthias, Merluccius
merluccius, Mullus barbatus and Chelidonichthys lucerna (Avio et al., 2015)
microplastics
60
Adriatic sea GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018
Research Results: Seafood & Other Food
Contamination by Plastics
PA=polyamide; PE=polyethylene; PET=polyethylene-terephthalate

Seafood Plastic detected Contamination


Route
Mussels (Mytilus edulis) from investigated microplastics mussels (Mytilus edulis) from 22 sites Air and water borne
22 sites of coastlines in China. of coastlines in China. the number of total microplastics varied
from 0.9 to 4.6 particles/g and from 1.5 to 7.6
particles/individual and the most common microplastics were
fibres (Li et al., 2016)
Mussels Wild and purchased farmed mussels in Canada and Belgium Polypropylene lines
(Belgium & Canada)- Fibres were contaminated by micro plastic fibers used for farming

Shellfish (bivalve molluscs) PE, Nine popular species of bivalves (clam, cockle, mussel, scallop, Air and water borne
PET, PA (China) oyster, razor clam, carpet shell, Orient clam and oriental cyclina)
purchased from a
fishing market in Shanghai were found to be contaminated with
microplastics - PE, PET, PA (Li et al. ,2015)
Honey & sugar Synthetic microfibers (minimum 40 μm in length) and fragments Airborne by bees
Fibers & fragments (Germany) (mostly 10−20 μm in size), An average of 166 fibers and 8
fragments/kg in honey, and an average of 217 fibers and 32
fragments/kg of sugar were reported (Liebezeit and Liebezeit,
2013)
Beer Fragments (reaching up to 109 fragments/L); (Liebezeit and Atmospheric
Plastic fragments (Germany) Liebezeit, 2014) deposition

Sea-salt Up to 681 microplastics/kg sea salt, the most common type of Coastal waters (major)
PET, PE (China) plastic found in sea salt was PET followed by PE (Yang et al., and Atmospheric
2015) deposition
GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27 Aug2018 61
Research: Exposure of Fish mullet, Mugil cephalus,
under Laboratory Conditions to Polystyrene (PE) and
Polystyrene (PS)

CNTR: Control; PE=polyethylene


treatment; PS=polystyrene

Microplastics particles extracted in gastrointestinal tract (A) and liver (B) of exposed fish.
CNTR=control; PE=polyethylene treatment; PS=polystyrene treatment (Avio et al. 2015)

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


62
Aug2018
Mitigation Measures

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


63
Aug2018
Mitigation Measures
Reducing Plastic Waste Generation (3 Rs)

Preventing Illegal Plastic Waste Dumping

Use Biodegradable Plastics


(made from renewable raw materials- starch or
cellulose or bio-synthesized materials)
• Biodegradable bags are bags that are capable of being decomposed by bacteria or
other living organisms. f Every year approximately 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic
bags are used worldwide ("Store offers biodegradable bags." Aiken Standard (Aiken, SC) (Feb 17, 2009)]

Curb the growth of single-use plastics via ban, levy,


tax on plastic bags

Collect and removeGolamK_Plastic


old orWaste_Plastic
abandoned
Aug2018
Pollution_27
fishing nets 64
Mitigation Measures

• Efficient wastewater treatment, and waste disposal

• Recycling of plastic materials

• Raising awareness & education on plastic pollution


(evidence and science based) of the harm caused by
plastic pollution

• Innovate biodegradable plastics and other


alternatives

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


65
Aug2018
Mitigation Measures

Avoid cosmetics that contain microbeads

Ban the use of microplastic in cosmetics

Equip washing machines with fibre filters

Minimise buying and using disposable plastic

Disposal personal plastic waste appropriately

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


66
Aug2018
Mitigation Measures
Build Roads from Plastic Waste

https://gulfnews.com/news/asia/india/watch-building-roads-from-plastic-waste-in-india-1.2122745

• Using recycled plastic to build roads not only curbs pollution but also creates jobs
• plastic roads made from recycled materials are not only greener, but are also
stronger and maintenance-free — they could last about three times as long as
conventional road structures, according to new research.
How it works
• Plastic waste — mostly water or soda bottles — are first sorted.
• After sorting, the material is cleaned, dried, and shredded.
• The shredded plastic is mixed and melted at around 170°C.
• Hot bitumen is then added and mixed with the melted plastic.
• After mixing the mixture is laid as GolamK_Plastic
one would with regular asphalt concrete
Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
67
Aug2018
Mitigation Measures
Phase out of Plastic Bags Around the World via Banning,
Taxing or Both

In 2015, UK
introduced the 5p
charge on plastic
carrier bags, it
caused 9bn fewer
bags being used
http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/ne
ws/plastic-microbeads-are-now-banned-in-
the-uk

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Plastic_bag_legislation.svg

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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Aug2018
Mitigation Measures
MicroBeads Legislation: Prohibits the Addition of
Microbeads in Certain Personal Care Products

Microbead legislation around the world


◼ Full ban;
◼ Manufacture and import ban;
◼ Regional manufacture and import ban

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


69
Aug2018
Mitigation Measures
Plastic Microbeads Are Now Banned in
the UK (9 Jan 2018)
As of today (9 Jan 2018) manufacturers of cosmetics and
personal care products will be prohibited from adding tiny
pieces of plastic to their products, with a ban on the sale to
come later in 2018.

Plastic microbeads are usually found in beauty products such as


skin cleaning products, facial scrubs, and makeup.

In 2016, MPs called for a ban on such microbeads after they


washed into the oceans & could be harmful to sea life and
ultimately be consumed by humans via food chain.

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


70
Aug2018
Mitigation Measures
EU to Ban Single-Use Plastics
(May 2018)

The European Commission is proposing new EU-wide rules to


ban 10 single-use plastic products which form 70 per cent of all
marine litter items.

The ban will apply to:


• Plastic cotton buds
• Cutlery
• Plates
• Straws
• Drink stirrers
• Sticks for balloons
• Single use plastic products cannot be provided free of charge.
• Member States will have to reduce the use of plastic food
containers and drinks cups Waste_Plastic Pollution_27
GolamK_Plastic
Source: May 29, 2018 by Waste Management Review 71
Aug2018
http://wastemanagementreview.com.au/eu-ban-single-use-plastics/
Mitigation Measures
Queen Elizabeth II Bans Plastic from the Royal
Estate (13 Feb 2018)
The Queen of the United Kingdom has reportedly banned
plastic straws and bottles from being used across the various
Royal homes and palaces

Royal Estate will only be using china plates, glasses or


recyclable paper cups.

Food packaging across all visitor cafes attached to


Royal households will have be biodegradable.
http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/news/queen-elizabeth-ii-bans-plastic-from-the-royal-estate

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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Aug2018
Mitigation Measures
China Outlaws Plastic Bags
14 January 2008

China would ban production of ultra-thin plastic bags (0.025


mm thick)

China will forbid supermarkets and shops from handing ultra-


thin plastic bags freely
Chinese residents use up to 3 billion plastic bags a day (37
million barrels of crude oil each year to make the bags)
http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/news/china_outlaws_plastic_bags

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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Aug2018
Mitigation Measures
Ban on Plastic Straws Use
The coffee giant- Starbucks has announced it will eliminate all
plastic straws from its 28,000 global stores, saving an estimated
one billion straws each year

It will introduce a new recyclable lid and alternative straw


options (compostable and paper) to its worldwide customer
base

Selected stores in London have also been trailing the use of a 5p


paper cup charge, which will soon expand to 950 locations

http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/news/starbucks-to-save-1-billion-plastic-straws-with-global-ban-by-
2020?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Starbucks+to+save+1+billion+plastic+straws+with+global+ban+by+2020+-
+Climate+Action+News&utm_campaign=CA+Newsletter+10+July+2018

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Take Home Messages
Plastic waste is ubiquitous and is reported from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from the surface to sediment. This presentation PPT (based on the latest peer-reviewed journal papers
and other technical reports . The presentation provides an account of i) global consumption of plastic; ii) classification of plastics; iii) global plastic pollution; iv) plastic pollution
sources; v) impacts of plastic pollution on global biodiversity, vi) effects of plastic additives; vii) global marine plastic pollution “hot spots” and viii) adsorption of organic and
inorganic chemicals by different types of plastic; viii) factors related to adsorption of contaminants by plastics ix) innovative solutions to mitigate the plastic pollution across the
globe

Plastic production: Plastic is a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers. They are most commonly derived from petrochemicals (natural gas, oil or coal). The
common types of plastic are Polyamide (PA), Polyethylene (PE), Polyester (PES), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP). They are classified as
nano (<1 um), micro (1 um-5 mm), meso (5 mm-200 mm) and megaplastics (>200mm). The global plastic production was 0.35 mmt (million metric tonnes) in 1950 and in 2016 it was
335 mmt. Asia accounts for more than 49% of worldwide plastics production in 2015, of which China 28%, Japan 4% and the rest of Asia 17%. It is estimated that 4.8-12.7 million
tonnes of palstics end up in the world’s oceans.

Plastic pollution (PP) accounts for 60–80% of marine litter; 80% PP originates from land and 20% PP originates from fishing nets & ropes. Non-degradable plastic accounts for 73% of
litter in any aquatic ecosystem, 50% of which is disposed of after a single-use. The Countries Polluting the Oceans most are China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam & Sri Lanka. Sixteen
of the top 20 mismanaged plastic waste producers are low to upper middle-income countries, where fast economic growth is occurring but waste management infrastructure is
lacking. The plastic pollution can be caused by illegal dumping, inadequate waste management, WWTPs (WWTPs cannot filter out micro-plastics and nano plastics), discharge of
stormwater, coastal littering, natural disasters, accidentally lose or deliberately dump fishing equipment (nets, lines and rope, etc. To date, there are over 5.25 trillion pieces of
plastic weighing over 268,940 tons floating on the world's oceans. There are five large patches of marine plastic pollution “hot spots” (North & South Pacific; North & South Atlantic;
Indian Ocean). The North/Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the most polluted with plastic's topmost hot spot The North Pacific has the highest level of contamination with nearly 1.8
trillion pieces of plastic while the Indian Ocean comes second with 1.3 trillion. The Plastic objects identified in the North Pacific garbage patch were containers, bottles, lids, bottle
caps, packaging straps, eel trap cones, oyster spacers, ropes, and fishing nets (Fishing nets represented more than 46% of the plastic load)

Plastic pollution impacts: Plastic (bottles, etc) could cause pollution via blocking inland waterways, wastewater outflows; Micro plastics/microbeads (used in personal care products,
toothpaste) could pose the following impacts i) environmental hazard for aquatic animals in freshwater and ocean water such as large plastic items (discarded fishing rope and nets)
can cause entanglement or injury or killing of birds, mammals, turtles, whales, dolphins, seals and fish. Much smaller micro-plastic particles (microbeads) white in colour, mistaken
by surface feeding fishes as food (plankton); iii) several marine species ingested plastic items (of all shapes) causing injuries and the blockage of the digestive tract (infection,
suffocation, starvation, and ultimately mortality). micro plastic particles may accumulate high concentrations of POPs -polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or DDTs; toxins can cause
lethal and sub-lethal effects on marine animals (if ingested) and the toxins may enter the entire food chain; plastic along shorelines has negative impacts on tourism (reduced
tourism revenues, reduced recreational activities; may cause vessel damage & negatively impact on shipping, energy production, fishing, and aquaculture resources; micro plastics
provide a transport service of epifauna and microbes to areas where they were not existing before

Adsorption of pollutants/contaminants by plastics: Plastic particles are hydrophobic in nature and can adsorb high risk organic & inorganic contaminants from the surrounding
aquatic; research results reveal 21 contaminants were adsorbed by different type of plastics including DDT, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH), octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol (NP),
PCB, PAH, and heavy metals; The adsorption of contaminants in plastics are affected by i) roughness or smoothness; ii) aged or pristine; iii) temperature; iv) salinity; v) discolour or
non-discolourness; and vi) particle size; polymer such as PE has the highest adsorption capacity (greater diffusion of contaminants) compared to polymers (PET, PVC) which shows
lower adsorption capacities; microplastics contain toxic plastic additives (phthalates, flame retardants- PBDE); phthalates suspected to have link to breast cancer, reduced sperm
counts, histological changes in testes and reduced fertility; PBDE caused endocrine disruption (hormones disruption) in fish including reduced egg production, reduced gonad
development, delayed hatching, altered swimming behaviour, and affected male gamete quantity and quality.

Seafood & other food contamination with plastic particles: Globally, fish provides approximately 4.3 billion people with 15% of their animal protein intake (FAO, 2014), however
seafood were reported to be contaminated with micropartcles (PA, PE, PET, PP, PS, PVC) such as fish (herring, whiting, haddock, cod, mackerel, cod, Dory, red gurnard, Dragonet,
redband fish, sole); mussels, and other foods (honey, salt and sugar)

Mitigation: Use of biodegradable plastics (starch or cellulose), building roads from plastic waste, implementing legislation to prevent addition of microbeads in personal care
products, efficient wastewater treatment, preventing illegal plastic waste dumping, ban, levy, tax on use of plastic bags, and awareness & education on harms associated with plastic
pollution are some of the measures can be taken to curb plastic pollution

GolamK_Plastic Waste_Plastic Pollution_27


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References
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Contaminant Transport. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2018, 52, 1704−1724.

Avio, C.G., et al., 2015. Experimental development of a new protocol for extraction and characterization of microplastics in fish tissues: First observations in commercial species from Adriatic
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Bakir, A.; Rowland, S. J.; Thompson, R. C., Transport of persistent organic pollutants by microplastics in estuarine conditions. Estuar. Coast Shelf Sci. 2014, 140, 14-21.

Bergmann, M. Tekman, M.B. and Gutow, L. 2017. Sea change for plastic pollution. Nature. 544. Page 297.

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Bråte ILN, Eidsvoll DP, Steindal CC, Thomas KV: Plastic ingestion by Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Norwegian coast. Mar Pollut Bull 2016, 112:105–110, https://doi.org/
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Brennecke, D.; Duarte, B.; Paiva, F.; Caçador, I.; Canning-Clode, J., Microplastics as vector for heavy metal contamination from the marine environment. Estuar. Coast Shelf Sci. 2016, 178, 189-
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Dey, S., Soliman, A. S. and Merajver, S. D. 2009. Xenoestrogens may be the cause of high and increasing rates of
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Endo, S.; Takizawa, R.; Okuda, K.; Takada, H.; Chiba, K.; Kanehiro, H.; Ogi, H.; Yamashita, R.; Date, T., 2005. Concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in beached resin pellets:
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Germanov, E.S, Marshall, A.D, Bejder, L, Fossi, M. C and Neil R. Loneragan, N.R. 2018. Microplastics: No Small Problem for Filter- Feeding Megafauna. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, April 2018,
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Hu, J.-Q.; Yang, S.-Z.; Guo, L.; Xu, X.; Yao, T.; Xie, F., Microscopic investigation on the adsorption of lubrication oil on microplastics. J. Mol. Liq. 2017, 227, 351-355.

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Latini, G., Vecchio, A. D., Massaro, M., Verrotti, A. and Felice, C. D. 2006. Phthalate exposure and male infertility.
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Li, J.; Yang, D.; Li, L.; Jabeen, K.; Shi, H. Microplastics in commercial bivalves from China. Environ. Pollut. 2015, 207, 190−195.

Liebezeit, G.; Liebezeit, E. Synthetic particles as contaminants in German beers. Food Addit. Contam., Part A 2014, 31 (9), 1574−1578.

Liu, L.; Fokkink, R.; Koelmans, A. A., 2016. Sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to polystyrene nanoplastic. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2016, 35, (7), 1650-1655.

Mato, Y.; Takada, H.; P., Z. M.; Kanehiro, H.; Y., K., 2002. Toxic chemicals contained in plastic resin pellets in the marine environment: Spatial difference in pollutant concentrations and the
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