Jang Mi, Shim Won Joon, Han Gi Myung, Rani Manviri, Song Young Kyoung, Hong Sang Hee
Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea; Department of Marine Environmental Sciences, Korea University of Science and Technology, Marine Environmental Science, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea.
Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje 53201, Republic of Korea.
Environ Pollut. 2017 Dec;231(Pt 1):785-794. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.08.066. Epub 2017 Aug 30.
The role of marine plastic debris and microplastics as a carrier of hazardous chemicals in the marine environment is an emerging issue. This study investigated expanded polystyrene (EPS, commonly known as styrofoam) debris, which is a common marine debris item worldwide, and its additive chemical, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). To obtain a better understanding of chemical dispersion via EPS pollution in the marine environment, intensive monitoring of HBCD levels in EPS debris and microplastics was conducted in South Korea, where EPS is the predominant marine debris originate mainly from fishing and aquaculture buoys. At the same time, EPS debris were collected from 12 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and HBCD concentrations were measured. HBCD was detected extensively in EPS buoy debris and EPS microplastics stranded along the Korean coasts, which might be related to the detection of a quantity of HBCD in non-flame-retardant EPS bead (raw material). The wide detection of the flame retardant in sea-floating buoys, and the recycling of high-HBCD-containing EPS waste inside large buoys highlight the need for proper guidelines for the production and use of EPS raw materials, and the recycling of EPS waste. HBCD was also abundantly detected in EPS debris collected from the Asia-Pacific coastal region, indicating that HBCD contamination via EPS debris is a common environmental issue worldwide. Suspected tsunami debris from Alaskan beaches indicated that EPS debris has the potential for long-range transport in the ocean, accompanying the movement of hazardous chemicals. The results of this study indicate that EPS debris can be a source of HBCD in marine environments and marine food web.
海洋塑料碎片和微塑料作为海洋环境中有害化学物质载体的作用是一个新出现的问题。本研究调查了发泡聚苯乙烯(EPS,俗称泡沫塑料)碎片,它是全球常见的海洋垃圾,以及其添加化学物质六溴环十二烷(HBCD)。为了更好地了解海洋环境中EPS污染导致的化学物质扩散情况,在韩国对EPS碎片和微塑料中的HBCD水平进行了密集监测,在韩国,EPS是主要的海洋垃圾,主要来源于渔业和水产养殖浮标。同时,从亚太地区其他12个国家收集了EPS碎片,并测量了HBCD浓度。在韩国沿海搁浅的EPS浮标碎片和EPS微塑料中广泛检测到HBCD,这可能与在非阻燃EPS珠粒(原材料)中检测到一定量的HBCD有关。在漂浮在海上的浮标中广泛检测到这种阻燃剂,以及大型浮标内部含高HBCD的EPS废物的回收利用,凸显了制定EPS原材料生产和使用以及EPS废物回收利用适当指南的必要性。在从亚太沿海地区收集的EPS碎片中也大量检测到HBCD,这表明通过EPS碎片造成的HBCD污染是一个全球普遍存在的环境问题。来自阿拉斯加海滩的疑似海啸碎片表明,EPS碎片有可能在海洋中进行远距离传输,并伴随着有害化学物质的移动。本研究结果表明,EPS碎片可能是海洋环境和海洋食物网中HBCD的一个来源。