Zhang Mingyu, Lin Yan, Booth Andy M, Song Xikun, Cui Yaozong, Xia Bin, Gu Zhangjie, Li Yifan, Liu Fengjiao, Cai Minggang
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361002, China; College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361002, China.
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361002, China; College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361002, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen, 361002, China.
Environ Pollut. 2022 Feb 1;294:118640. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118640. Epub 2021 Dec 4.
As reservoirs for pollutants transported via the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, the Bohai Sea (BS) and Yellow Sea (YS) play an important role in transporting microplastics (MPs) to the Pacific Ocean. The fate, sources and mass budget of MPs in the BS and the YS were investigated by Pearson correlation, principal component analysis-multilinear regression analysis (PCA-MRLA) and a mass balance model to sedimentary MPs data. Average MP abundances were 137 and 119 items kg in the Bohai and Yellow Seas, respectively. MPs <1000 μm exhibited similar distribution patterns to total organic carbon and fine-grained sediments, while MPs >1000 μm were confined in the BS and exhibited a strong positive correlation with chlorophyll-a and polyethylene terephthalate, suggesting that larger MPs might deposit faster due to biofouling or when comprised of high density polymers. PCA-MLRA analysis indicated land-based inputs (packing materials, textile material and daily commodities) were dominant in the BS, while maritime activities (fishing and mariculture) were the main source of MPs in the YS. The mass balance model revealed that the total MP input and output to the BS and the YS was 3396.92 t yr and 3814.81 t yr, respectively. The major input pathway of MPs to the BS and the YS were river discharge and air deposition, respectively. Notably, 94% of MPs in the BS and the YS were deposited to sediments. This study revealed that BS and YS sediments play an important role in preventing MPs from being further transported to the Pacific Ocean, thus more attention should be paid to local ecological risk assessment.
作为经由长江和黄河输送污染物的储存库，渤海和黄海在将微塑料输送到太平洋方面发挥着重要作用。通过皮尔逊相关性分析、主成分分析 - 多元线性回归分析（PCA - MRLA）以及针对沉积微塑料数据的质量平衡模型，对渤海和黄海中微塑料的归宿、来源和质量收支进行了研究。渤海和黄海中微塑料的平均丰度分别为每千克137个和119个。小于1000微米的微塑料与总有机碳和细颗粒沉积物呈现出相似的分布模式，而大于1000微米的微塑料局限于渤海，并与叶绿素 - a和聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯呈现出强烈的正相关，这表明较大的微塑料可能由于生物污损或由高密度聚合物构成而沉积得更快。PCA - MLRA分析表明，陆源输入（包装材料、纺织材料和日常用品）在渤海占主导地位，而海上活动（捕鱼和海水养殖）是黄海中微塑料的主要来源。质量平衡模型显示，进入渤海和黄海的微塑料总输入量和输出量分别为每年3396.92吨和3814.81吨。微塑料进入渤海和黄海的主要输入途径分别是河流排放和大气沉降。值得注意的是，渤海和黄海中94%的微塑料沉积到了沉积物中。这项研究表明，渤海和黄海的沉积物在防止微塑料进一步输送到太平洋方面发挥着重要作用，因此应更加关注当地的生态风险评估。
