Baseline Study on Microplastics in ASEAN

Prosjektleder: France CollardThe ASEAN region has among the highest concentrations of plastic litter globally. The knowledge on microplastic pollution in that region is still limited and needs further investigation for policy implementation. To support the implementation of the Regional Action Plan for combatting marine debris, the proposed Regional ASEAN Baseline Study on Microplastics is intended as a summary report that examines existing studies, sources, knowledge gaps, projects and policies that pertain to microplastics in the ASEAN region. Microplastic pollution is unequally investigated among the 10 countries of the region, constituting a first major knowledge gap. In addition, studies often focused on the same environments or matrices, i.e. marine and freshwaters, beach sediment and marine organisms (mostly fish). Microplastic contamination in top predators, air, river sediment, terrestrial ecosystems (including organisms), and wastewater treatment plants are largely unknown. Modeling and experimental studies are also lacking, resulting in a lack of knowledge on the fate and impacts of microplastic contamination on species and ecosystems. These fields need to be further investigated to implement relevant and efficient mitigation measures.Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbHpublishedVersio

Plastic ingestion by Arctic fauna: A review

peer reviewedThe distribution of marine plastic litter is unequal around the world, some areas being more polluted. Given that the Arctic is not a highly populated area, very low levels of plastics are expected. However, the Arctic is not significantly less polluted than populated areas further south. Plastic has already been found in most compartments of the Arctic Ocean and climate change will likely exacerbate that issue due to sea ice melting and increasing maritime activities. The Arctic fauna is, and will be, increasingly exposed to the plastic pollution threat in the coming years and decades. The objective of this review is providing a summary of existing data, as well as perspectives and important knowledge gaps regarding plastic ingestion by Arctic fauna. Among other knowledge gaps, we highlighted the need for a species for biomonitoring of plastic pollution in the Arctic, i.e. the northern fulmar and/or the polar cod, for more data in fauna from the Russian and European Arctic and for experimental studies on impacts of plastic ingestion on Arctic species

Magnetic resonance imaging for non-invasive measurement of plastic ingestion in marine wildlife

Monitoring plastic ingestion by marine wildlife is important for both characterizing the extent of plastic pollution in the environment and understanding its effect on species and ecosystems. Current methods to detect plastic in the digestive system of animals are slow and invasive, such that the number of animals that can be screened is limited. In this article, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is investigated as a possible technology to perform rapid, non-invasive detection of plastic ingestion. Standard MRI methods were able to directly measure one type of plastic in a fulmar stomach and another type was able to be indirectly detected. In addition to MRI, other standard nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements were made. Different types of plastic were tested, and distinctive NMR signal characteristics were found in common for each type, allowing them to be distin- guished from one another. The NMR results indicate specialized MRI sequences could be used to directly image several types of plastic. Although current commercial MRI technology is not suitable for field use, existing single- sided MRI research systems could be adapted for use outside the laboratory and become an important tool for future monitoring of wild animals

Interim report: Quantification of microplastic and plastic additives in water and fish in RAS (WP1)

Prosjektleder: Amy LusherPlastic material has been collected from three recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and their infrastructure. All plastic sources were analysed to identify their polymer and additive contents and a reference library created. This was used for targeted analysis when investigating the presence of microplastics within RAS facilities, specifically looking at intake water, recirculating water, sludge, fish, and fish feed. Analysis of these samples showed low levels but identified several potential sources of microplastics, including plastic infrastructure and consumables. There were low numbers of microplastics >300 μm in RAS samples. Comparatively, particle analysis of the smaller size fraction (50-300μm) suggests some degree of microplastic generation within the RAS although data is limited. Potential sources originating from the RAS infrastructure were identified as the fix bed bioreactor (FBBR) and moving bed bioreactor (MBBR), and biomedia. Initial analysis of fish tissue and stomachs showed low levels of microplastic and based on these results no conclusion could be drawn on ingestion by the fish. Screening for additives identified that several plastic-related chemicals were ubiquitous in RAS recirculating waters, including selected antioxidants and plasticisers. The source and distribution of these chemicals was compound specific. Fewer chemicals were quantified in sludge and fish compared with water. But specific compounds including antioxidants and plasticisers were consistently found in fish.FHFpublishedVersio

Anthropogenic microlitter in wastewater and marine samples from Ny-Ålesund, Barentsburg and Signehamna, Svalbard

Plastic pollution is recognized as a serious threat to the marine environment by the UN, the EU through the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Arctic council, the Nordic council, and national governments worldwide. Marine litter may reach the Arctic with ocean currents from global and regional sources, but may also originate from local emissions related to shipping and fishing activities, runoff from land based industries, dumping sites and wastewater outlets. Wastewater outlets are identified as important sources of microplastics to the marine environment in temperate areas but have received less attention in the Arctic. Wastewater treatment is generally lacking in the Arctic, and in smaller settlements, handling of wastewater (including sewage water) and garbage is comparable to conditions observed in developing countries. In Svalbard, wastewater treatment is absent aside from a small treatment plant in Hornsund and the recently installed treatment plant in Ny-Ålesund. The aim of this investigation was to quantify and characterize anthropogenic microparticles (AMPs: particles <5 mm of manmade or modified materials, e.g. plastics, paints, rubber and textile fibers) in wastewater from the recently installed treatment plant in Ny-Ålesund (Kongsfjorden), in the marine environment close to the Russian settlement Barentsburg (Grønnfjorden), and in Signehamna (Krossfjorden) far from permanent land-based human impact. Samples of seawater, marine sediments and beach sediments were collected and analyzed for AMPs using optical and spectroscopic techniques. AMPs were found at all sites and in all matrices investigated in this study. AMPs identified in wastewater and seawater were dominated by fibres (both non-synthetic and synthetic) while AMPs identified in sediment samples were dominated by fragments. Higher concentrations of AMPs and higher polymeric diversity was observed closer to human activities; in sediments close to Ny-Ålesund wastewater outlet and in seawater close to both Barentsburg and Ny-Ålesund, as compared to the remote site at Signehamna. Based on this investigation, as much as 99 % of the incoming AMPs may be retained by the wastewater treatment plant in Ny-Ålesund. It is thus clear that installation of appropriate wastewater treatment systems can substantially reduce the release of anthropogenic microlitter and potential associated contaminants to the marine environment. However, this investigation is based on a limited number of samples and a comprehensive investigation should be conducted to determine the true efficiency of the wastewater treatment plant in Ny-Ålesund, covering both temporal and spatial variation. The present report should be used as a first step towards resolving the issue of lacking wastewater treatment in Svalbard and in the Arctic as a whole

Implications of Regurgitative Feeding on Plastic Loads in Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis): A Study from Svalbard

Procellariiform seabirds like northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) are prone to ingest and accumulate floating plastic pieces. In the North Sea region, there is a long tradition to use beached fulmars as biomonitors for marine plastic pollution. Monitoring data revealed consistently lower plastic burdens in adult fulmars compared to younger age classes. Those findings were hypothesized to partly result from parental transfer of plastic to chicks. However, no prior study has examined this mechanism in fulmars by comparing plastic burdens in fledglings and older fulmars shortly after the chick-rearing period. Therefore, we investigated plastic ingestion in 39 fulmars from Kongsfjorden (Svalbard), including 21 fledglings and 18 older fulmars (adults/older immatures). We found that fledglings (50–60 days old) had significantly more plastic than older fulmars. While plastic was found in all fledglings, two older fulmars contained no and several older individuals barely any plastic. These findings supported that fulmar chicks from Svalbard get fed high quantities of plastic by their parents. Adverse effects of plastic on fulmars were indicated by one fragment that perforated the stomach and possibly one thread perforating the intestine. Negative correlations between plastic mass and body fat in fledglings and older fulmars were not significant

Kunnskapsinnhenting om forsøpling på sjøbunn i Norge

Prosjektleder: Jannike Falk-AnderssonDenne rapporten gir oversikt over kunnskapsbehov, kunnskapsstatus og kunnskapshull knyttet til forsøpling på havbunnen, med utgangspunkt i et foreslått helhetlig beslutningsrammeverk for rydding av søppel fra havbunnen. Dette omfatter grunnlag for å kunne gjøre prioritering av områder og gjenstander for rydding, vurdere negative konsekvenser av rydding relatert til valg av ryddemetode og skade på miljø, vurdere gjennomførbarhet i form av praktiske aspekter ved rydding inkludert logistikk og avfallshåndtering, samt kostnader forbundet med havbunnsrydding. Viktige kunnskapshull blir påpekt og anbefalinger blir gitt for å kunne videreutvikle et helhetlig beslutningsrammeverk som kan brukes til å veilede rydding av søppel på havbunnen. I tillegg blir norske myndigheters rolle i havbunnsrydding diskutert.MARFOpublishedVersio

The challenges of opportunistic sampling when comparing prevalence of plastics in diving seabirds: A multi-species example from Norway

There is a need for baseline information about how much plastics are ingested by wildlife and potential negative consequences thereof. We analysed the frequency of occurrence (FO) of plastics >1 mm in the stomachs of five pursuit-diving seabird species collected opportunistically. Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) found emaciated on beaches in SW Norway had the highest FO of plastics (58.8 %), followed by emaciated common guillemots (Uria aalge; 9.1 %) also found beached in either SW or SE Norway. No plastics were detected in razorbills (Alca torda), great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo), and European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) taken as bycatch in northern Norway. This is the first study to report on plastic ingestion of these five species in northern Europe, and it highlights both the usefulness and limitations of opportunistic sampling. Small sample sizes, as well as an unbalanced sample design, complicated the interpretation of the results.publishedVersio

Microlitter in Arctic marine benthic food chains and potential effects on sediment dwelling fauna

This report provides both field and impact data on microlitter pollution in the arctic marine environment of Svalbard and Greenland. Microlitter concentrations and characteristics were determined in marine sediments and biota in relation to local sources. Higher concentrations and diversities were found closer to human settlements and sites where lost/dumped fishing gear accumulated. Thus, local microlitter sources were found to be present in the Arctic. The experimental studies on effects of microlitter on feeding rate, microplastic ingestion, respiration and locomotion activity in an arctic amphipod, confirmed previous studies showing effects only at very high concentrations, not yet relevant in the arctic environment. The relatively low field concentrations of microlitter found in this study should be regarded as a ‘window of opportunity’ to act to at least reduce local pollution

First documentation of plastic ingestion in the arctic glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus)

Arctic wildlife is facing multiple stressors, including increasing plastic pollution. Seabirds are intrinsic to marine ecosystems, but most seabird populations are declining. We lack knowledge on plastic ingestion in many arctic seabird species, and there is an urgent need for more information to enable risk assessment and monitoring. Our study aimed to investigate the occurrence of plastics in glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) breeding on Svalbard. The glaucous gull is a sentinel species for the health of the arctic marine ecosystem, but there have been no studies investigating plastic occurrence in this species since 1994. As a surface feeder and generalist living in an area with high human activity on Svalbard, we expected to find plastic in its stomach. We investigated for plastic >1 mm and documented plastic ingestion for the first time in glaucous gulls, with a frequency of occurrence of 14.3% (n = 21). The plastics were all identified as user plastics and consisted of polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS). Our study provides new quantitative and qualitative data on plastic burden and polymer type reported in a standardized manner establishing a reference point for future research and monitoring of arctic gulls on national and international levels. </p