Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1186/s43591-023-00054-6
Joana Marie Sipe, Jaleesia D Amos, Robert F Swarthout, Amalia Turner, Mark R Wiesner, Christine Ogilvie Hendren
A majority of American adults report having used sex toys, which, by design, interact with intimate and permeable body parts yet have not been subject to sufficient risk assessment or management. Physical and chemical data are presented examining potential risks associated with four types of currently available sex toys: anal toy, beads, dual vibrator, and external vibrator. A standardized abrasion machine made real-time breakdown of products into microplastics and nanoplastics. The microplastics from the sex toys were then solvent extracted and analyzed using GC-MS. Rates of microplastics and nanoplastics released during abrasion testing from most microplastic release to least was the anal toy, beads, dual vibrator, external vibrator. Both micro- and nanoplastics particles were generated following the abrasion test, with the 50 percentile diameters (D50) ranging from the anal beads at 658.5 μm, dual vibrator at 887.83 μm, anal toy at 950 μm, and external vibrator at 1673.33 μm. The material matrix of each product was analyzed using ATR-FTIR, with results identifying the anal toy as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the anal beads as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the external vibrator as a silicone blend (polydimethylsiloxane [PDMS]), and the dual vibrator as a rubber mixture (polyisoprene). After extraction, phthalates known to be endocrine disruptors were present in all tested sex toys at levels exceeding hazard warnings. Analogous findings have been reported for similar materials that, when incorporated into other product categories, are subject to regulatory scrutiny in both the US and EU. This data set is not intended to be representative of sex toys as an entire class of products, nor are the abrasion experiments claiming to simulate exact use conditions. However, these exploratory data frame potential concerns, highlighting research questions and the need for prompt prioritization of protective action. Therefore, future studies and multi-stakeholder action are needed to understand and reduce risk for this class of products.
Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43591-023-00054-6.
{"title":"Bringing sex toys out of the dark: exploring unmitigated risks.","authors":"Joana Marie Sipe, Jaleesia D Amos, Robert F Swarthout, Amalia Turner, Mark R Wiesner, Christine Ogilvie Hendren","doi":"10.1186/s43591-023-00054-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-023-00054-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A majority of American adults report having used sex toys, which, by design, interact with intimate and permeable body parts yet have not been subject to sufficient risk assessment or management. Physical and chemical data are presented examining potential risks associated with four types of currently available sex toys: anal toy, beads, dual vibrator, and external vibrator. A standardized abrasion machine made real-time breakdown of products into microplastics and nanoplastics. The microplastics from the sex toys were then solvent extracted and analyzed using GC-MS. Rates of microplastics and nanoplastics released during abrasion testing from most microplastic release to least was the anal toy, beads, dual vibrator, external vibrator. Both micro- and nanoplastics particles were generated following the abrasion test, with the 50 percentile diameters (D50) ranging from the anal beads at 658.5 μm, dual vibrator at 887.83 μm, anal toy at 950 μm, and external vibrator at 1673.33 μm. The material matrix of each product was analyzed using ATR-FTIR, with results identifying the anal toy as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the anal beads as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the external vibrator as a silicone blend (polydimethylsiloxane [PDMS]), and the dual vibrator as a rubber mixture (polyisoprene). After extraction, phthalates known to be endocrine disruptors were present in all tested sex toys at levels exceeding hazard warnings. Analogous findings have been reported for similar materials that, when incorporated into other product categories, are subject to regulatory scrutiny in both the US and EU. This data set is not intended to be representative of sex toys as an entire class of products, nor are the abrasion experiments claiming to simulate exact use conditions. However, these exploratory data frame potential concerns, highlighting research questions and the need for prompt prioritization of protective action. Therefore, future studies and multi-stakeholder action are needed to understand and reduce risk for this class of products.</p><p><strong>Supplementary information: </strong>The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43591-023-00054-6.</p>","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":"3 1","pages":"6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10034881/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9552627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-23DOI: 10.3390/microplastics2010001
Davi R. Munhoz, P. Harkes, N. Beriot, J. Larreta, O. C. Basurko
Although (micro)plastic contamination is a worldwide concern, most scientific literature only restates that issue rather than presenting strategies to cope with it. This critical review assembles the current knowledge on policies and responses to tackle plastic pollution, including peer-reviewed scientific literature, gray literature and relevant reports to provide: (1) a timeline of policies directly or indirectly addressing microplastics; (2) the most up-to-date upstream responses to prevent microplastics pollution, such as circular economy, behavioral change, development of bio-based polymers and market-based instruments as well as source-specific strategies, focusing on the clothing industry, tire and road wear particles, antifouling paints and recreational activities; (3) a set of downstream responses tackling microplastics, such as waste to energy, degradation, water treatment plants and litter clean-up strategies; and examples of (4) multifaceted responses focused on both mitigating and preventing microplastics pollution, e.g., approaches implemented in fisheries and aquaculture facilities. Preventive strategies and multifaceted responses are postulated as pivotal to handling the exacerbated release of microplastics in the environment, while downstream responses stand out as auxiliary strategies to the chief upstream responses. The information gathered here bridges the knowledge gaps on (micro)plastic pollution by providing a synthesized baseline material for further studies addressing this environmental issue.
{"title":"Microplastics: A Review of Policies and Responses","authors":"Davi R. Munhoz, P. Harkes, N. Beriot, J. Larreta, O. C. Basurko","doi":"10.3390/microplastics2010001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics2010001","url":null,"abstract":"Although (micro)plastic contamination is a worldwide concern, most scientific literature only restates that issue rather than presenting strategies to cope with it. This critical review assembles the current knowledge on policies and responses to tackle plastic pollution, including peer-reviewed scientific literature, gray literature and relevant reports to provide: (1) a timeline of policies directly or indirectly addressing microplastics; (2) the most up-to-date upstream responses to prevent microplastics pollution, such as circular economy, behavioral change, development of bio-based polymers and market-based instruments as well as source-specific strategies, focusing on the clothing industry, tire and road wear particles, antifouling paints and recreational activities; (3) a set of downstream responses tackling microplastics, such as waste to energy, degradation, water treatment plants and litter clean-up strategies; and examples of (4) multifaceted responses focused on both mitigating and preventing microplastics pollution, e.g., approaches implemented in fisheries and aquaculture facilities. Preventive strategies and multifaceted responses are postulated as pivotal to handling the exacerbated release of microplastics in the environment, while downstream responses stand out as auxiliary strategies to the chief upstream responses. The information gathered here bridges the knowledge gaps on (micro)plastic pollution by providing a synthesized baseline material for further studies addressing this environmental issue.","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":"131 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73116646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-23DOI: 10.3390/microplastics2010002
M. Isinibilir, K. M. Eryalçın, A. Kideys
Microplastic pollution is a problem not only in the marine environment but also in freshwater ecosystems. Water flea (Daphnia magna) is one of the most common omnivorous cladocerans in freshwater ecosystems. In this study, the potential effects of microplastics (fluorescent polystyrene beads with dimensions of 6 microns) on the survival, growth and reproduction of Daphnia magna were examined during 21 days of laboratory experiments. Microplastics (MPs) were observed to be ingested alone or along with either the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris (Cv) or baker’s yeast (By). D. magna fed exclusively with microplastics showed a drastic decline in survival similar to that in the starving group. The least growth in total length or width was observed in Daphnia specimens fed only MPs and the starved groups. Daphia fed with a mixture of MPs/Cv or MPs/By produced a significantly (p < 0.05) lower number of ephippia. Our results show that high concentrations of microplastics adversely affect Daphnia magna populations.
{"title":"Effect of Polystyrene Microplastics in Different Diet Combinations on Survival, Growth and Reproduction Rates of the Water Flea (Daphnia magna)","authors":"M. Isinibilir, K. M. Eryalçın, A. Kideys","doi":"10.3390/microplastics2010002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics2010002","url":null,"abstract":"Microplastic pollution is a problem not only in the marine environment but also in freshwater ecosystems. Water flea (Daphnia magna) is one of the most common omnivorous cladocerans in freshwater ecosystems. In this study, the potential effects of microplastics (fluorescent polystyrene beads with dimensions of 6 microns) on the survival, growth and reproduction of Daphnia magna were examined during 21 days of laboratory experiments. Microplastics (MPs) were observed to be ingested alone or along with either the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris (Cv) or baker’s yeast (By). D. magna fed exclusively with microplastics showed a drastic decline in survival similar to that in the starving group. The least growth in total length or width was observed in Daphnia specimens fed only MPs and the starved groups. Daphia fed with a mixture of MPs/Cv or MPs/By produced a significantly (p < 0.05) lower number of ephippia. Our results show that high concentrations of microplastics adversely affect Daphnia magna populations.","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":"52 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82176237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-19DOI: 10.1186/s43591-022-00048-w
J. Sonke, A. Koenig, N. Yakovenko, O. Hagelskjær, H. Margenat, S. Hansson, F. De Vleeschouwer, O. Magand, G. Le Roux, Jennie L. Thomas
{"title":"A mass budget and box model of global plastics cycling, degradation and dispersal in the land-ocean-atmosphere system","authors":"J. Sonke, A. Koenig, N. Yakovenko, O. Hagelskjær, H. Margenat, S. Hansson, F. De Vleeschouwer, O. Magand, G. Le Roux, Jennie L. Thomas","doi":"10.1186/s43591-022-00048-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-022-00048-w","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45253779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-16DOI: 10.1186/s43591-022-00047-x
Yasmin Adomat, Melanie Kahl, Fabian Musche, T. Grischek
{"title":"Evaluation of microplastics sediment sampling techniques—efficiency of common methods and new approaches","authors":"Yasmin Adomat, Melanie Kahl, Fabian Musche, T. Grischek","doi":"10.1186/s43591-022-00047-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-022-00047-x","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48863848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-07DOI: 10.3390/microplastics1040045
Rebecca Talbot, M. Cárdenas-Calle, J. Mair, F. López, Guillermo Cárdenas, Beatríz Pernía, M. Hartl, Miguel Uyaguari
The composition, abundance and distribution of macroplastics (MAPs) and microplastics (MPs) in the Vinces and Los Tintos rivers were determined in three sites (Pueblo Nuevo, Santa Marianita, Los Tintos) from the low basin in the coastal province of Guayas, Ecuador. MAPS were recorded by visual census, covering a total distance of 140 m, and MPs were extracted in the intertidal sediments via density separation using a saturated NaCl solution, and these were counted using a stereomicroscope. A total of 940 plastic items were identified. The predominant debris was plastic with 85.2%, followed by manufactured materials and metals. The Vinces River contained the highest abundance of plastic in the locality of Pueblo Nuevo. The most abundant plastic was MPs. The most common MAPs were plastic bags (23%), food packaging (17%) and foamed plastic (8%). MP size classes quantified between 0.15 and 2.52 mm in intertidal, very fine sandy sediment and decreased in abundance with increasing grain size. The most common MPs were fibres (65.2%) (black (43.8%) and blue (25.8%)), and their distribution has a high correlation with population density and water flow direction: Santa Marianita 5.55 g−1, Pueblo Nuevo 7.39 g−1, Los Tintos 8.17−1. A significant abundance of fibres was identified in Pueblo Nuevo. The plastic spatial distribution revealed major plastic pollution in areas where recreational and tourism activities have been developed. Therefore, we recommend implementing awareness campaigns by educating businesses, residents and tourists on managing solid waste (especially plastic) and wastewater. Our results can serve as a baseline for future plastic monitoring in the area.
{"title":"Macroplastics and Microplastics in Intertidal Sediment of Vinces and Los Tintos Rivers, Guayas Province, Ecuador","authors":"Rebecca Talbot, M. Cárdenas-Calle, J. Mair, F. López, Guillermo Cárdenas, Beatríz Pernía, M. Hartl, Miguel Uyaguari","doi":"10.3390/microplastics1040045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1040045","url":null,"abstract":"The composition, abundance and distribution of macroplastics (MAPs) and microplastics (MPs) in the Vinces and Los Tintos rivers were determined in three sites (Pueblo Nuevo, Santa Marianita, Los Tintos) from the low basin in the coastal province of Guayas, Ecuador. MAPS were recorded by visual census, covering a total distance of 140 m, and MPs were extracted in the intertidal sediments via density separation using a saturated NaCl solution, and these were counted using a stereomicroscope. A total of 940 plastic items were identified. The predominant debris was plastic with 85.2%, followed by manufactured materials and metals. The Vinces River contained the highest abundance of plastic in the locality of Pueblo Nuevo. The most abundant plastic was MPs. The most common MAPs were plastic bags (23%), food packaging (17%) and foamed plastic (8%). MP size classes quantified between 0.15 and 2.52 mm in intertidal, very fine sandy sediment and decreased in abundance with increasing grain size. The most common MPs were fibres (65.2%) (black (43.8%) and blue (25.8%)), and their distribution has a high correlation with population density and water flow direction: Santa Marianita 5.55 g−1, Pueblo Nuevo 7.39 g−1, Los Tintos 8.17−1. A significant abundance of fibres was identified in Pueblo Nuevo. The plastic spatial distribution revealed major plastic pollution in areas where recreational and tourism activities have been developed. Therefore, we recommend implementing awareness campaigns by educating businesses, residents and tourists on managing solid waste (especially plastic) and wastewater. Our results can serve as a baseline for future plastic monitoring in the area.","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88693051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-01DOI: 10.1186/s43591-022-00049-9
E. E. Emecheta, Diana Borda Borda, Patrizia Pfohl, W. Wohlleben, C. Hutzler, A. Haase, Alexander Roloff
{"title":"A comparative investigation of the sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to various polydisperse micro- and nanoplastics using a novel third-phase partition method","authors":"E. E. Emecheta, Diana Borda Borda, Patrizia Pfohl, W. Wohlleben, C. Hutzler, A. Haase, Alexander Roloff","doi":"10.1186/s43591-022-00049-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-022-00049-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49318441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-02DOI: 10.3390/microplastics1040044
D. Calore, N. Fraticelli
Microplastics make up a significant amount of the overall quantity of plastic debris that is present in seawater. However, their detection and monitoring at sea is cost-inefficient and challenging; typically, it consists of water sampling with special manta nets, followed by long (i.e., weeks) laboratory analysis to obtain valid results. The analysis of the state-of-the-art technologies capable of monitoring/detecting microplastics in the sea (typically in coastal areas) presented in this paper shows that there are currently no specific tools to obtain quick measurements. The classic multiparametric probes are useless and the contribution of their relative chemical–physical parameters to determine the presence of microplastics in water is insignificant. The evolution in the last decade of hardware and software tools for capturing hologram images and related post-processing seems to be one of the most effective methods available currently for the rapid detection of microplastics in seawater. In particular, some results of monitoring campaigns carried out in the Adriatic Sea using this type of technology are reported. The acquired data are analyzed and discussed, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, with indications of the possible methodologies that could be used to improve these systems.
{"title":"State of the Art Offshore In Situ Monitoring of Microplastic","authors":"D. Calore, N. Fraticelli","doi":"10.3390/microplastics1040044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1040044","url":null,"abstract":"Microplastics make up a significant amount of the overall quantity of plastic debris that is present in seawater. However, their detection and monitoring at sea is cost-inefficient and challenging; typically, it consists of water sampling with special manta nets, followed by long (i.e., weeks) laboratory analysis to obtain valid results. The analysis of the state-of-the-art technologies capable of monitoring/detecting microplastics in the sea (typically in coastal areas) presented in this paper shows that there are currently no specific tools to obtain quick measurements. The classic multiparametric probes are useless and the contribution of their relative chemical–physical parameters to determine the presence of microplastics in water is insignificant. The evolution in the last decade of hardware and software tools for capturing hologram images and related post-processing seems to be one of the most effective methods available currently for the rapid detection of microplastics in seawater. In particular, some results of monitoring campaigns carried out in the Adriatic Sea using this type of technology are reported. The acquired data are analyzed and discussed, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, with indications of the possible methodologies that could be used to improve these systems.","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":"63 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83053640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-01DOI: 10.3390/microplastics1040043
J. Weis, F. De Falco
Microplastics have become a topic of considerable concern and intensive study over the past decade. They have been found everywhere in the oceans, including the deepest trenches and remotest parts of the Arctic. They are ingested by many animals and some are incorporated into tissues. There is considerable effort in studying what effects they have on marine life. It has become clear that when water samples are collected in ways that prevent most long thin particles from escaping through pores of a net, the most abundant type of microplastics found in water and sediments are microfibers (fibers with dimensions less than 5 mm). The major source of these pollutants is synthetic textiles, such as polyester or polyamides, which shed microfibers during their entire life cycle. Microfibers are released during textile manufacturing, everyday activities (e.g., washing, drying, wearing) and final disposal. The complexity of microfiber release mechanisms and of the factors involved make the identification and application of ways to reduce the inputs of microfibers very challenging. A comprehensive approach is strongly needed, taking into account solutions at a number of levels, such as re-engineering textiles to minimize shedding, applying washing machine filters, developing advanced wastewater treatment plants and improving the management of textile wastes. To harmonize and make mandatory the solutions identified, a variety of potential government policies and regulations is also needed.
{"title":"Microfibers: Environmental Problems and Textile Solutions","authors":"J. Weis, F. De Falco","doi":"10.3390/microplastics1040043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1040043","url":null,"abstract":"Microplastics have become a topic of considerable concern and intensive study over the past decade. They have been found everywhere in the oceans, including the deepest trenches and remotest parts of the Arctic. They are ingested by many animals and some are incorporated into tissues. There is considerable effort in studying what effects they have on marine life. It has become clear that when water samples are collected in ways that prevent most long thin particles from escaping through pores of a net, the most abundant type of microplastics found in water and sediments are microfibers (fibers with dimensions less than 5 mm). The major source of these pollutants is synthetic textiles, such as polyester or polyamides, which shed microfibers during their entire life cycle. Microfibers are released during textile manufacturing, everyday activities (e.g., washing, drying, wearing) and final disposal. The complexity of microfiber release mechanisms and of the factors involved make the identification and application of ways to reduce the inputs of microfibers very challenging. A comprehensive approach is strongly needed, taking into account solutions at a number of levels, such as re-engineering textiles to minimize shedding, applying washing machine filters, developing advanced wastewater treatment plants and improving the management of textile wastes. To harmonize and make mandatory the solutions identified, a variety of potential government policies and regulations is also needed.","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80788466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-08DOI: 10.3390/microplastics1040042
C. Weber, M. Bigalke
After five years of research on microplastic pollution of soils it becomes obvious that soil systems act as a reservoir for microplastics on global scales. Nevertheless, the exact role of soils within global microplastic cycles, plastic fluxes within soils and environmental consequences are so far only partly understood. Against the background of a global environmental plastic pollution, the spatial reference, spatial levels, sampling approaches and documentation practices of soil context data becomes important. Within this review, we therefore evaluate the availability of spatial MP soil data on a global scale through the application of a questionnaire applied to 35 case studies on microplastics in soils published since 2016. We found that the global database on microplastics in soils is mainly limited to agricultural used topsoils in Central Europe and China. Data on major global areas and soil regions are missing, leading to a limited understanding of soils plastic pollution. Furthermore, we found that open data handling, geospatial data and documentation of basic soil information are underrepresented, which hinders further understanding of global plastic fluxes in soils. Out of this context, we give recommendations for spatial reference and soil context data collection, access and combination with soil microplastic data, to work towards a global and free soil microplastic data hub.
{"title":"Opening Space for Plastics—Why Spatial, Soil and Land Use Data Are Important to Understand Global Soil (Micro)Plastic Pollution","authors":"C. Weber, M. Bigalke","doi":"10.3390/microplastics1040042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1040042","url":null,"abstract":"After five years of research on microplastic pollution of soils it becomes obvious that soil systems act as a reservoir for microplastics on global scales. Nevertheless, the exact role of soils within global microplastic cycles, plastic fluxes within soils and environmental consequences are so far only partly understood. Against the background of a global environmental plastic pollution, the spatial reference, spatial levels, sampling approaches and documentation practices of soil context data becomes important. Within this review, we therefore evaluate the availability of spatial MP soil data on a global scale through the application of a questionnaire applied to 35 case studies on microplastics in soils published since 2016. We found that the global database on microplastics in soils is mainly limited to agricultural used topsoils in Central Europe and China. Data on major global areas and soil regions are missing, leading to a limited understanding of soils plastic pollution. Furthermore, we found that open data handling, geospatial data and documentation of basic soil information are underrepresented, which hinders further understanding of global plastic fluxes in soils. Out of this context, we give recommendations for spatial reference and soil context data collection, access and combination with soil microplastic data, to work towards a global and free soil microplastic data hub.","PeriodicalId":74190,"journal":{"name":"Microplastics and nanoplastics","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81634881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}