NORCE-Environment, Mekjarvik, 12, 4070, Randaberg, Norway.
CNR-IRBIM, Largo Fiera della Pesca, 1, 60125, Ancona, Italy.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2019 Aug;26(24):24407-24416. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-05693-y. Epub 2019 Jun 22.
In recent years, the occurrence of microplastics in the aquatic environment has gathered increasing scientific interest. Several studies have shown that the ingestion of microplastics may negatively influence the physiology of marine organisms having different feeding strategies, particularly in those species which cannot discriminate between food sources. Recent studies highlighted the potential for such particles to accumulate in the food web, posing risks to human health via the consumption of seafood. Furthermore, early findings also indicated the role of microplastics as vectors of chemical pollutants either used as additives during synthesis of the plastics or adsorbed directly from seawater, i.e., PAHs, PCB, and surfactants. Despite the importance of microplastics in adsorption and transport of hydrophobic pollutants, little is known about their distribution and accumulation in marine food webs, or their direct and indirect harmful effects. The Adriatic Sea represents a semi-enclosed basin with a low water recirculation rate and high anthropogenic pressures associated with unsustainable fishing and inputs of contaminants. The body burden, accumulation rates, polymer composition, and recurring morphotypes of microplastics in native blue mussels (M. galloprovincialis) were examined. Organisms collected offshore were compared to those collected in coastal areas. Microplastics were recovered from the soft tissues of all analyzed mussels. Coastal organisms showed a load of 1.06-1.33 fragments g (wet weight) and 0.62-0.63 fibers g (wet weight) while offshore organisms showed an accumulation of 0.65-0.66 fragments g (wet weight) and 0.24-0.35 fibers g (wet weight). The size class distribution revealed a marked prevalence of smaller particles (20 μm to 40 μm range) and the most recurring polymer type in analyzed organisms was PE followed by PP, PET, and equal amounts of PS, PLY, and PVC. A significant site-, time-, and oceanographic-related distribution trend was observed. Based on the findings presented here, there is a clear need to implement a seafood safety monitoring program to better understand actual human health-related risks.
近年来，水生环境中微塑料的出现引起了越来越多的科学关注。多项研究表明，摄入微塑料可能会对具有不同摄食策略的海洋生物的生理产生负面影响，特别是在那些无法区分食物来源的物种中。最近的研究强调了这些颗粒在食物网中积累的可能性，通过食用海鲜对人类健康构成风险。此外，早期的研究结果还表明，微塑料作为化学污染物的载体，这些污染物要么在塑料合成过程中作为添加剂使用，要么直接从海水中吸附，例如多环芳烃、多氯联苯和表面活性剂。尽管微塑料在吸附和运输疏水性污染物方面很重要，但对于它们在海洋食物网中的分布和积累，以及它们的直接和间接有害影响，人们知之甚少。亚得里亚海是一个半封闭盆地，水的再循环率低，与不可持续的捕捞和污染物输入相关的人为压力高。本研究检测了本地贻贝（M. galloprovincialis）中微塑料的体负荷、积累率、聚合物组成和反复出现的形态类型。对近海采集的生物体与沿海地区采集的生物体进行了比较。从所有分析的贻贝的软组织中回收了微塑料。沿海生物显示的负荷为 1.06-1.33 个碎片 g（湿重）和 0.62-0.63 个纤维 g（湿重），而近海生物的积累量为 0.65-0.66 个碎片 g（湿重）和 0.24-0.35 个纤维 g（湿重）。尺寸级分布显示出较小颗粒（20-40μm 范围）的明显优势，在分析的生物体中最常见的聚合物类型是 PE，其次是 PP、PET 和等量的 PS、PLY 和 PVC。观察到明显的地点、时间和海洋学相关的分布趋势。基于这里提出的发现，显然需要实施海鲜安全监测计划，以更好地了解与实际人类健康相关的风险。
