State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2022 Jul 20;831:154884. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154884. Epub 2022 Mar 28.
The rapid development of modern society has largely increased the usage of plastic. Concerns arise when vast amount of plastic waste has been generated and disposed. The accumulated evidences suggest that plastic waste in all the natural matrixes has become a global contaminant, principles such as geological and biogeochemical cycles for plastic pollution have been proposed. Before a full estimation of plastic mass flow, however, the pathways, directions and influences involved in plastic transportation are warranted to be addressed. We made this critical review based on the quantitative and narrative approaches in plastic and microplastic sources, sinks and transportation at global and historical scales. We also addressed the roles of anthropogenic influences in the global transportation of microplastic. The hydrological, meteorological, oceanic and even biological progresses naturally influence the plastic cycle and flow directions within the Earth's Four Spheres. Anthropogenic activities participated in all sections of plastic transportation, from sources to sinks. The contribution from anthropogenic activities remains unknown but several point sources including primary emissions and landfills have been confirmed. The primary outcomes point out that plastic pollution is highly complex issues in terms of natural and human-driven dynamics. We suggested that more efforts were needed in seeking the key sections in plastic transportation between environmental compartments at a global scale.
现代社会的快速发展在很大程度上增加了塑料的使用。当大量塑料垃圾产生并被处理时，人们开始担忧。有大量证据表明，塑料垃圾已经在所有的自然基质中成为了一种全球性污染物，因此提出了塑料污染的地质和生物地球化学循环等原则。然而，在对塑料质量流进行全面评估之前，需要解决塑料运输所涉及的途径、方向和影响。我们基于全球和历史尺度上塑料和微塑料源、汇和运输的定量和叙述方法进行了这一关键性综述。我们还讨论了人为因素在微塑料全球运输中的作用。水文、气象、海洋甚至生物进程自然地影响着地球四大圈层内的塑料循环和流动方向。人为活动参与了塑料运输的所有环节，从源到汇。人为活动的贡献尚不清楚，但已经确认了几个点源，包括一次排放和垃圾填埋场。主要结果指出，就自然和人为驱动的动态而言，塑料污染是一个高度复杂的问题。我们建议，在全球范围内，需要在寻找环境隔室之间塑料运输的关键环节方面做出更多努力。
