Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Woldwide: Sources and Sinks
Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Woldwide: Sources and Sinks
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DOI：
10.1021/es201811s
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发表时间：
2011-11-01
影响因子：
11.4
通讯作者：
Thompson, Richard
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Browne, Mark Anthony;Crump, Phillip;Thompson, Richard
小于1毫米的塑料碎片（此处定义为微塑料）正在海洋生境中积累。微塑料的摄入为污染物、单体和塑料添加剂转移到生物体提供了一个潜在的途径，对生物体的健康产生了不确定的后果。在这里，我们表明，微塑料污染了全球18个地点的海岸线，代表了从两极到赤道的六大洲，人口稠密地区的材料更多，但微塑料的丰度与天然颗粒的平均尺寸分布之间没有明确的关系。微塑料的一个重要来源似乎是通过洗涤衣物纤维污染的污水。对沉积物中微塑料的法医评估表明，服装中使用的聚酯和丙烯酸纤维的比例与接收污水排放和污水本身的栖息地中发现的比例相似。从家用洗衣机的废水取样的实验表明，一件衣服每次洗涤可以产生> 1900根纤维。这表明，在海洋环境中发现的很大一部分微塑料纤维可能来自洗涤衣服的污水。随着人口的增长和人们使用更多的合成纺织品，微塑料对栖息地和动物的污染可能会增加。
Plastic debris < 1 mm (defined here as microplastic) is accumulating in marine habitats. Ingestion of microplastic provides a potential pathway for the transfer of pollutants, monomers, and plastic-additives to organisms with uncertain consequences for their health. Here, we show that microplastic contaminates the shorelines at 18 sites worldwide representing six continents from the poles to the equator, with more material in densely populated areas, but no clear relationship between the abundance of miocroplastics and the mean size-distribution of natural particulates. An important source of microplastic appears to be through sewage contaminated by fibers from washing clothes. Forensic evaluation of microplastic from sediments showed that the proportions of polyester and acrylic fibers used in clothing resembled those found in habitats that receive sewage-discharges and sewage-effluent itself. Experiments sampling wastewater from domestic washing machines demonstrated that a single garment can produce > 1900 fibers per wash. This suggests that a large proportion of microplastic fibers found in the marine environment may be derived from sewage as a consequence of washing of clothes. As the human population grows and people use more synthetic textiles, contamination of habitats and animals by microplastic is likely to increase.