Modelling the Uptake and Exchange of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems using a Novel, Integrated System of High-Resolution Numerical Models

微塑料是小于5毫米的小塑料颗粒。它们在海洋环境中大量存在，并且随着塑料生产率的增加，其浓度预计将在未来几年增加。海洋污染物对海洋环境的有害影响已被欧盟海洋战略框架指令列为关切领域（MSFD 2008/56/EC），并将其纳入《东北大西洋环境战略》的战略目标4，该目标旨在“防止海洋垃圾的产生并大幅减少海洋垃圾，包括海洋垃圾，（b）在海洋环境中的废物排放量应达到不会对海洋和沿海环境造成不利影响的水平，最终目的是消除废物的投入”。最近的研究表明，塑料污染可以引起独特的病理学，如海鸟的“塑料病”，并证明了人类通过其存在于人类肠道，粪便，血液和胎盘中而吸收mPs。因此，了解海洋微颗粒物可能造成的潜在生态危害至关重要。微颗粒物污染是一个多方面的问题，带来了环境和公众健康问题，只有通过综合、多学科的研究才能充分了解。为了充分了解海洋颗粒物对海洋环境的影响，并确定不会造成不利影响的海洋颗粒物污染程度，必须了解其潜在的来源和汇、其运输方式以及推动其在海洋环境中吸收和交换的过程。然而，由于目前对这些进程缺乏了解，因此无法开展这些活动。本研究旨在通过开发一个数值模型系统来模拟海洋生态系统中低营养水平下的mPs吸收和交换过程，从而有助于解决围绕海洋mPs的知识空白，并增加我们对这些过程的理解（浮游植物和浮游动物）这一信息对于决策者完成海洋环境中海洋颗粒物的风险评估也至关重要。研究人员和政策制定者之间必须进行强有力的对话，以传播信息，并实现基于科学的决策，将相关研究转化为减轻海洋塑料污染的行动。因此，本研究将为政策制定者提供与管理和减轻海洋mP污染相关的信息。本研究的目标是：（A）通过对潜在重要过程进行审查，提高对海洋生态系统中低营养级mP吸收和交换过程的认识，（B）开发一个数学模型系统，以研究海洋生态系统中较低营养级的已确定mP吸收和交换过程的重要性，（丙）通过调查河流输入参数化的潜在方法，增加对海洋生态系统中mPs潜在源和汇的了解，（D）利用研究结果向决策者提供有关信息和建议，以评估mP污染所构成的风险及其造成重大生态损害的可能性，并实施适当的缓解措施，以减少mP对环境的影响。

Microplastics are small plastic particles that are less than 5mm in size. They are abundant and ubiquitous in the marine environment and their concentration is expected to increase in future years alongside the increasing plastic production rates. The detrimental impacts of mPs in the marine environment has led to their indication as an area of concern in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD 2008/56/EC) and their inclusion within OSPARs North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy Strategic Objective 4, which aims to "prevent inputs of and significantly reduce marine litter, including mPs, in the marine environment to reach levels that do not cause adverse effects to the marine and coastal environment with the ultimate aim of eliminating inputs of litter". Concerns surrounding marine mP pollution have been compounded by recent studies which have demonstrated that plastic pollution can induce unique pathologies, such as 'plasticosis' in seabirds and have evidenced the uptake of mPs by humans through their presence in human bowels, faeces, blood, and placenta. Therefore, it is of critical importance that we understand the potential ecological harm that may be caused by marine mPs.mP pollution is a multi-faceted issue presenting environmental and public health problems which can only be fully understood through integrated, multi-disciplinary research. To fully comprehend the impacts of mPs in the marine environment and ascertain levels of mP pollution which will not cause adverse effects, it is vital that there is an understanding of their potential sources and sinks, their mode of transport and the processes driving their uptake and exchange within the marine environment. However, the current lack of understanding of these processes prevents such activities from being undertaken. This research aims to contribute towards addressing the knowledge gaps surrounding marine mPs and increase our understanding of the processes driving the uptake and exchange of mPs in marine ecosystems by developing a system of numerical models to simulate these processes at lower trophic levels (phytoplankton and zooplankton) in the northwest European Continental Shelf region.This information is also essential for policy makers to complete a risk assessment of mPs in the marine environment. There must be a strong dialogue between researchers and policy makers to disseminate the information and enable science-based decision making that translates relevant research into action to mitigate against marine plastic pollution. Accordingly, this research will contribute information to policy makers that is relevant to the management and mitigation of marine mP pollution.The objectives of this research are (A) to improve the understanding of the processes which are significant in driving the uptake and exchange of mPs at lower trophic levels in marine ecosystems by conducting a review of potentially important processes, (B) to develop a mathematical model system to investigate the importance of the identified mP uptake and exchange processes at lower trophic levels in marine ecosystems, (C) to increase the understanding of the potential sources and sinks of mPs in marine ecosystems by investigating the potential means of parameterising the riverine input and atmospheric deposition of mPs to the marine environment in the northwest European continental shelf region and (D) to utilize the research findings to provide relevant information and recommendations to policy makers relating to the assessment of the risks posed by mP pollution and their potential to cause significant ecological harm and the implementation of suitable mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts of mPs.