Origins and Biological Accumulation of Small Plastic Particles in Fur Seals from Macquarie Island
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10887887 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Cecilia Eriksson (Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, corresponding author), Harry Burton, Harry R Burton (0009-0004-8931-0992, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2003 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 380-384 |
| Publication date | 2003-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | AMBIO (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0044-7447 • E-ISSN: 1654-7209 |
| Publisher | Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (PUBLISHER • SE) |
| DOI | 10.1579/0044-7447-32.6.380 |
| PMID | 14627365 |
| OpenAlex | W2173213477 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
One hundred and sixty four plastic particles (mean length 4.1 mm) recovered from the scats of fur seals (Arctocephalus spp.) on Macquarie Island were examined. Electron micrographs of 41 of the plastic particles showed that none could be identified as plastic pellet feedstock from their shapes. Commonly, such pellets are cylindrical and spherical. Instead, all the 164 plastic particles from the seal scats were angular particles of 7 colors (feedstock particles are normally opaque or white) and could be classified into 2 categories: i) fragmented along crystal lines and likely to be the result of UV breakdown; and ii) worn by abrasion (where striations were clearly visible) into irregular shapes with rounded corners. White, brown, green, yellow and blue were the most common colors. In composition, they came from 5 polymer groups; polyethylene 93%, polypropylene 4%, poly(1-Cl-1-butenylene) polychloroprene 2%, melamine-urea (phenol) (formaldehyde) resin 0.5%, and cellulose (rope fiber) 0.5%. The larger groups are buoyant with a specific gravity less than that of seawater. These small plastic particles are formed from the breakdown of larger particles (fragments). Their origin seems to be from the breakdown of user plastics washed ashore and ground down on cobbled beaches. Certainly most particles (70%) had attained their final form by active abrasion. It is hypothesized that the plastic particles were washed out to sea and then selected by size and consumed by individuals of a pelagic fish species, Electrona subaspera, who in turn were consumed by the fur seals. Thus, the particles were accumulated both by the fish and the seals in the usual process of their feeding
Abrasion (mechanical · Composite material · Mineralogy · Polyethylene · Chemistry · Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals · Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry · Materials Science · Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
International policies to reduce plastic marine pollution from single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads)
Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments
Microplastics in the marine environment
Plastic microbeads from cosmetic products
Microplastics in the Center of Mediterranean
Mapping ecological impact of microplastics on freshwater habitat in the central region of Ghana
Vestigial Matters
| Unique citing works | 7 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,41 |
| Citation span | 2009 - 2021 (13) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 7 |