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micrometersizerange[40,41],andtheterm ‘mesoplastic’ introducedtoaccountfor
itemsbetween1 and2,500mm[42]. Lambert et al. [8] describedmacroplastics as
>5mm,mesoplastics as 5 to>1mm,microplastics as 1mmto>0.1μm, and
nanoplastics as 0.1μm.However, the upper limit of 5mm is generally accepted
because this size is able to include a range of small particles that can be readily
ingestedbyorganisms [42].
Generally,MPsaredivided into categories of either primaryor secondaryMPs.
Primary MPs are manufactured as such and are used either as resin pellets to
produce larger items or directly in cosmetic products such as facial scrubs and
toothpastesor inabrasiveblasting (e.g. to remove lacquers).Compared to thisdeli-
berate use, secondary MPs are formed from the disintegration of larger plastic
debris.
MPs have undoubtedly been present in the environment for many years. For
instance, Carpenter et al. [43], Colton et al. [44], and Gregory [45] reported on
marineplastics in the1970s,but theyhavenotbeenextensivelystudiedparticularly
in the context of freshwater systems.As research focusedon the issuemore inten-
sivelysincetheearly2000s,MPsareconsideredcontaminantsofemergingconcern
[8, 10, 46].
3 SourcesofPlasticsandMicroplastics intotheFreshwater
Environment
Plastics will enter freshwater environments from various sources through various
routes.Onlandlitteringisanimportantenvironmentalandpublic issue[47,48]and
is amatter of increasing concern in protected areaswhere volumes are influenced
byvisitor density; consequently,measures are nowneeded to reduce andmitigate
for damage to the environment [49]. In addition, wastemanagement practices in
different regionsof theworldalsovary,andthismaybeamore important source in
onegeographical region compared to another [8].Aswithbulkplastic items,MPs
canenter theenvironmentbyanumberofpathways, andan important route inone
geographical regionmay be less important in another. For example, primaryMPs
used in consumer cosmetics are probably more important in affluent regions
[8]. MPs have several potential environmental release pathways: (1) passage
throughWWTPs, either fromMPuse inpersonal careproductsor releaseoffibres
from textiles during the washing of clothes, to surface waters, (2) application of
biosolids fromWWTPs toagricultural lands [50], (3) stormwateroverflowevents,
(4) incidental release (e.g.during tyrewear), (5) release fromindustrialproductsor
processes, and (6) atmospheric depositionoffibres (discussed further inDris et al.
[51]). Plastic films used for crop production are considered an important agricul-
tural emission, and their use is thought to be one of themost important sources of
plastic contamination of agricultural soils [52–54]. There advantages include con-
serve of moisture, thereby reducing irrigation; reduce weed growth and increase
MicroplasticsAreContaminants ofEmergingConcern inFreshwater. . . 5
Freshwater Microplastics
Emerging Environmental Contaminants?
- Titel
- Freshwater Microplastics
- Untertitel
- Emerging Environmental Contaminants?
- Autoren
- Martin Wagner
- Scott Lambert
- Verlag
- Springer Open
- Datum
- 2018
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-319-61615-5
- Abmessungen
- 15.5 x 24.1 cm
- Seiten
- 316
- Kategorien
- Naturwissenschaften Chemie