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- Title
Estimating the Mass of Chemicals Associated with Ocean Plastic Pollution to Inform Mitigation Efforts.
- Authors
Frond, Hannah L; Sebille, Erik; Parnis, J Mark; Diamond, Miriam L; Mallos, Nicholas; Kingsbury, Tony; Rochman, Chelsea M
- Abstract
Plastic pollution in the marine environment is well documented. What remains less recognized and understood are the chemicals associated with it. Plastics enter the ocean with unreacted monomers, oligomers, and additives, which can leach over time. Moreover, plastics sorb organic and inorganic chemicals from surrounding seawater, for example, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals. Thus, interception and cleanup of plastics reduces the amount of chemical contaminants entering or reentering the oceans and removes those already present. Here, we estimate 1) the mass of selected chemical additives entering the global oceans with common plastic debris items, and 2) the mass of sorbed chemicals (using PCBs as a case study) associated with microplastics in selected locations. We estimate the mass of additives that entered the oceans in 2015 as constituents of 7 common plastic debris items (bottles, bottle caps, expanded polystyrene (EPS) containers, cutlery, grocery bags, food wrappers, and straws or stirrers). We calculate that approximately 190 tonnes (t) of 20 chemical additives entered the oceans with these items in 2015. We also estimate the mass of PCBs associated with microplastics in 2 coastal (Hong Kong and Hawaii) and 2 open ocean (North Pacific and South Atlantic gyres) locations, as comparative case studies. We find that the mass of chemicals is related to the mass of plastics in a location, with greater mass of PCBs closer to the source (i.e., land), where there is more plastic per unit area compared to the open ocean. We estimate approximately 85 000 times more PCBs associated with plastics in an average 4.5‐km stretch of beach in Hong Kong than from the same size transect in the North Pacific gyre. In conclusion, continuing efforts for plastic interception and cleanup on shorelines effectively reduces the amount of plastic‐related chemicals entering and/or reentering the marine environment. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:596–606. © 2019 SETAC Key Points: Plastic debris is more than a physical presence; it is also associated with a mixture of chemicals that can be removed from the ocean with prevention and cleanup.We estimate that 87 000 t of plastic bottles, bottle caps, expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and drink containers, cutlery, grocery bags, straws or stirrers, and food wrappers entered the ocean in 2015; approximately 190 t of 20 chemical additives entered the oceans with these plastic items.The amount of sorbed chemicals per unit area is greater on shorelines where there is more concentrated plastic litter, with approximately 85 000 times more PCBs in Hong Kong than in the North Pacific gyre.Continuing efforts for plastic interception and cleanup on shorelines, where there are more plastics, effectively reduces the amount of plastic‐related chemicals entering and/or reentering the marine environment.
- Subjects
HONG Kong (China); PLASTIC marine debris; MARINE pollution; PLASTIC scrap; INORGANIC compounds; ORGANIC compounds; POLYCHLORINATED biphenyls
- Publication
Integrated Environmental Assessment & Management, 2019, Vol 15, Issue 4, p596
- ISSN
1551-3777
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ieam.4147