Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil.
School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 8;9(1):3977. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-40311-4.
Although marine plastic pollution has been the focus of several studies, there are still many gaps in our understanding of the concentrations, characteristics and impacts of plastics in the oceans. This study aimed to quantify and characterize plastic debris in oceanic surface waters of the Antarctic Peninsula. Sampling was done through surface trawls, and mean debris concentration was estimated at 1,794 items.km with an average weight of 27.8 g.km. No statistical difference was found between the amount of mesoplastics (46%) and microplastics (54%). We found hard and flexible fragments, spheres and lines, in nine colors, composed mostly of polyurethane, polyamide, and polyethylene. An oceanographic dispersal model showed that, for at least seven years, sampled plastics likely did not originate from latitudes lower than 58°S. Analysis of epiplastic community diversity revealed bacteria, microalgae, and invertebrate groups adhered to debris. Paint fragments were present at all sampling stations and were approximately 30 times more abundant than plastics. Although paint particles were not included in plastic concentration estimates, we highlight that they could have similar impacts as marine plastics. We call for urgent action to avoid and mitigate plastic and paint fragment inputs to the Southern Ocean.
尽管海洋塑料污染已经成为了多项研究的焦点，但我们对于海洋中塑料的浓度、特征和影响仍然存在许多认识上的空白。本研究旨在量化和描述南极半岛海洋表面水域中的塑料碎片。通过表层拖网进行采样，估计平均碎片浓度为 1794 个/公里，平均重量为 27.8 克/公里。中塑料（46%）和微塑料（54%）的数量没有统计学差异。我们发现了硬碎片和软碎片、球体和线状碎片，有九种颜色，主要由聚氨酯、聚酰胺和聚乙烯组成。一个海洋扩散模型表明，至少在过去七年中，采样的塑料可能不是来自于南纬 58°以下的地区。对附生群落多样性的分析表明，有细菌、微藻和无脊椎动物群附着在碎片上。油漆碎片在所有采样站都有存在，其丰度大约是塑料的 30 倍。尽管油漆颗粒未包含在塑料浓度估计中，但我们强调它们可能与海洋塑料具有相似的影响。我们呼吁采取紧急行动，避免和减少塑料和油漆碎片向南大洋的输入。
