Risks of floating microplastic in the global ocean

G. Everaert; M. De Rijcke; B. Lonneville; C. R. Janssen; T. Backhaus; J. Mees; E. van Sebille; A. A. Koelmans; A. I. Catarino; M. B. Vandegehuchte

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115499

Risks of floating microplastic in the global ocean

G. Everaert^*, M. De Rijcke, B. Lonneville, C. R. Janssen, T. Backhaus, J. Mees, E. van Sebille, A. A. Koelmans, A. I. Catarino, M. B. Vandegehuchte

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Despite the ubiquitous and persistent presence of microplastic (MP) in marine ecosystems, knowledge of its potential harmful ecological effects is low. In this work, we assessed the risk of floating MP (1 μm–5 mm) to marine ecosystems by comparing ambient concentrations in the global ocean with available ecotoxicity data. The integration of twenty-three species-specific effect threshold concentration data in a species sensitivity distribution yielded a median unacceptable level of 1.21 ∗ 10⁵ MP m⁻³ (95% CI: 7.99 ∗ 10³–1.49 ∗ 10⁶ MP m⁻³). We found that in 2010 for 0.17% of the surface layer (0–5 m) of the global ocean a threatening risk would occur. By 2050 and 2100, this fraction increases to 0.52% and 1.62%, respectively, according to the worst-case predicted future plastic discharge into the ocean. Our results reveal a spatial and multidecadal variability of MP-related risk at the global ocean surface. For example, we have identified the Mediterranean Sea and the Yellow Sea as hotspots of marine microplastic risks already now and even more pronounced in future decades.

Original language	English
Article number	115499
Journal	Environmental Pollution
Volume	267
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115499
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2020

Funding

The primary funding source of this study were the resources of the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ, Ostend, Belgium). Erik van Sebille was supported through funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement 715386 ).

Keywords

Environmental risk assessment
Marine ecosystems
Microplastic
Multidecadal
Spatial distribution

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1-s2.0-S026974912036187X-mainFinal published version, 959 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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abstract = "Despite the ubiquitous and persistent presence of microplastic (MP) in marine ecosystems, knowledge of its potential harmful ecological effects is low. In this work, we assessed the risk of floating MP (1 μm–5 mm) to marine ecosystems by comparing ambient concentrations in the global ocean with available ecotoxicity data. The integration of twenty-three species-specific effect threshold concentration data in a species sensitivity distribution yielded a median unacceptable level of 1.21 ∗ 105 MP m−³ (95% CI: 7.99 ∗ 103–1.49 ∗ 106 MP m−³). We found that in 2010 for 0.17% of the surface layer (0–5 m) of the global ocean a threatening risk would occur. By 2050 and 2100, this fraction increases to 0.52% and 1.62%, respectively, according to the worst-case predicted future plastic discharge into the ocean. Our results reveal a spatial and multidecadal variability of MP-related risk at the global ocean surface. For example, we have identified the Mediterranean Sea and the Yellow Sea as hotspots of marine microplastic risks already now and even more pronounced in future decades.",

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AU - Everaert, G.

AU - De Rijcke, M.

AU - Lonneville, B.

AU - Janssen, C. R.

AU - Backhaus, T.

AU - Mees, J.

AU - van Sebille, E.

AU - Koelmans, A. A.

AU - Catarino, A. I.

AU - Vandegehuchte, M. B.

PY - 2020/12/1

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N2 - Despite the ubiquitous and persistent presence of microplastic (MP) in marine ecosystems, knowledge of its potential harmful ecological effects is low. In this work, we assessed the risk of floating MP (1 μm–5 mm) to marine ecosystems by comparing ambient concentrations in the global ocean with available ecotoxicity data. The integration of twenty-three species-specific effect threshold concentration data in a species sensitivity distribution yielded a median unacceptable level of 1.21 ∗ 105 MP m−³ (95% CI: 7.99 ∗ 103–1.49 ∗ 106 MP m−³). We found that in 2010 for 0.17% of the surface layer (0–5 m) of the global ocean a threatening risk would occur. By 2050 and 2100, this fraction increases to 0.52% and 1.62%, respectively, according to the worst-case predicted future plastic discharge into the ocean. Our results reveal a spatial and multidecadal variability of MP-related risk at the global ocean surface. For example, we have identified the Mediterranean Sea and the Yellow Sea as hotspots of marine microplastic risks already now and even more pronounced in future decades.

AB - Despite the ubiquitous and persistent presence of microplastic (MP) in marine ecosystems, knowledge of its potential harmful ecological effects is low. In this work, we assessed the risk of floating MP (1 μm–5 mm) to marine ecosystems by comparing ambient concentrations in the global ocean with available ecotoxicity data. The integration of twenty-three species-specific effect threshold concentration data in a species sensitivity distribution yielded a median unacceptable level of 1.21 ∗ 105 MP m−³ (95% CI: 7.99 ∗ 103–1.49 ∗ 106 MP m−³). We found that in 2010 for 0.17% of the surface layer (0–5 m) of the global ocean a threatening risk would occur. By 2050 and 2100, this fraction increases to 0.52% and 1.62%, respectively, according to the worst-case predicted future plastic discharge into the ocean. Our results reveal a spatial and multidecadal variability of MP-related risk at the global ocean surface. For example, we have identified the Mediterranean Sea and the Yellow Sea as hotspots of marine microplastic risks already now and even more pronounced in future decades.

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Risks of floating microplastic in the global ocean

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