Modeling three-dimensional transport of microplastics and impacts of biofouling in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario

Daily, Juliette; Tyler, Anna Christina; Hoffman, Matthew J.

doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2022.07.001

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The Great Lakes are also a gateway to the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence Seaway, and may act as a conduit to the oceans, especially for buoyant plastic debris. Modeling studies [10][11][12] and field observations suggest that plastic debris behaves differently in freshwater systems than oceans: rather than accumulating in a large floating "patch" [7], debris distribution in the Great Lakes is determined by source location and transport [8,13,14]. Plastic ultimately accumulates nearshore in the benthos and on beaches, in concentrations that can be >10,000 particles kg −1 [15][16][17][18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Microplastic on Freshwater Sediment Biogeochemistry and Microbial Communities Is Polymer Specific

Chomiak,

Owens-Rios,

Bangkong

et al. 2024

Water

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Plastic debris is a growing threat in freshwater ecosystems and transport models predict that many plastics will sink to the benthos. Among the most common plastics found in the Laurentian Great Lakes sediments are polyethylene terephthalate (especially fibers; PET), polyvinylchloride (particles; PVC), and styrene-butadiene rubber resulting from tire wear (“crumb rubber”; SBR). These materials vary substantially in physical and chemical properties, and their impacts on benthic biogeochemistry and microbial community structure and function are largely unknown. We used a microcosm approach to evaluate the impact of these three plastics on benthic-pelagic coupling, sediment properties, and sediment microbial community structure and function using sediments from Irondequoit Bay, a major embayment of Lake Ontario in Rochester, New York, USA. Benthic metabolism and nitrogen and phosphorous cycling were all uniquely impacted by the different polymers. PET fibers and PVC particles demonstrated the most unique effects, with decreased ecosystem metabolism in sediments containing PET and greater nutrient uptake in sediments with PVC. Microbial diversity was reduced in all treatments containing plastic, but SBR had the most substantial impact on microbial community function, increasing the relative importance of metabolic pathways such as hydrocarbon degradation and sulfur metabolism. Our results suggest that individual polymers have unique impacts on the benthos, with divergent implications for ecosystem function. This provides deeper insight into the myriad ways plastic pollution may impact aquatic ecosystems and will help to inform risk assessment and policy interventions by highlighting which materials pose the greatest risk.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Microplastic on Freshwater Sediment Biogeochemistry and Microbial Communities Is Polymer Specific

Chomiak,

Owens-Rios,

Bangkong

et al. 2024

Water

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“…Due to global transport via dust, water, and carbon , cycles, and like other persistent organic pollutants (POPs), microplastics are ubiquitous across ecosystems. , Within aquatic ecosystems, POPs (e.g., pesticides) partition based on hydrophobicity, informed by their molecular structure. , Microplastic particles, however, partition based on physical and chemical properties including surface chemistry, size, density, and shape. , As such, models that predict the fate and transport of POPs are not applicable to microplastics. Thus, new models must be developed to predict the fate and transport of microplastics, for which researchers are actively trying to determine the key structural parameterse.g., size, density, shape, and the presence of biofilm .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 7 , 8 Microplastic particles, however, partition based on physical and chemical properties including surface chemistry, size, density, and shape. 9 , 10 As such, models that predict the fate and transport of POPs are not applicable to microplastics. Thus, new models must be developed to predict the fate and transport of microplastics, for which researchers are actively trying to determine the key structural parameters—e.g., size, density, shape, and the presence of biofilm.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Informing the Exposure Landscape: The Fate of Microplastics in a Large Pelagic In-Lake Mesocosm Experiment

Rochman,

Bucci,

Langenfeld

et al. 2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Understanding microplastic exposure and effects is critical to understanding risk. Here, we used large, in-lake closedbottom mesocosms to investigate exposure and effects on pelagic freshwater ecosystems. This article provides details about the experimental design and results on the transport of microplastics and exposure to pelagic organisms. Our experiment included three polymers of microplastics (PE, PS, and PET) ranging in density and size. Nominal concentrations ranged from 0 to 29,240 microplastics per liter on a log scale. Mesocosms enclosed natural microbial, phytoplankton, and zooplankton communities and yellow perch (Perca flavescens). We quantified and characterized microplastics in the water column and in components of the food web (biofilm on the walls, zooplankton, and fish). The microplastics in the water stratified vertically according to size and density. After 10 weeks, about 1% of the microplastics added were in the water column, 0.4% attached to biofilm on the walls, 0.01% within zooplankton, and 0.0001% in fish. Visual observations suggest the remaining >98% were in a surface slick and on the bottom. Our study suggests organisms that feed at the surface and in the benthos are likely most at risk, and demonstrates the value of measuring exposure and transport to inform experimental designs and achieve target concentrations in different matrices within toxicity tests.

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“…Once in the environment, biological and chemical transformation of plastic debris may influence material properties, shifting key attributes like material density and weight and causing sinking. − Environmental alteration, alongside exposure to water-borne contaminants and freshwater organisms, may make the benthos one of the most sensitive aquatic ecosystems to plastic pollution over time. Intact freshwater benthic microbial and faunal communities regulate trophic dynamics, benthic-pelagic coupling, recycling or removal of nutrients and carbon, and thereby ecosystem services. , Plastic debris can have direct impacts on benthic biogeochemistry, shifting nitrogen, and phosphorus and carbon cycling. − However, benthic ecosystem function is often driven by infauna, such as Lumbriculus variegatus, that increase benthic metabolism, decomposition, and nutrient recycling and removal through feeding, bioirrigation, and bioturbation. − As drivers of ecosystem function, even sublethal effects of pollutants may have cascading indirect effects on biogeochemical processes and ecosystem functions. − For example, Huang et al found that the enhanced nitrogen removal driven by Chironomids was diminished in the presence of polyethylene .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and Indirect Impacts of Disposable Face Masks and Gloves on Freshwater Benthic Fauna and Sediment Biogeochemistry

2022

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To reduce virus transmission, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) increased substantially during the COVID-19 global pandemic. As a result, disposable face masks and gloves made from plastic polymers rapidly entered the environment, with little understanding of ecological impacts. Many plastic polymers sink to the bottom of freshwater bodies, either immediately or following biofouling and degradation, posing a potential risk to the benthos. We assessed the acute and chronic ecotoxicity of disposable polypropylene face masks and nitrile gloves on Lumbriculus variegatus, a benthic ecosystem engineer. In microcosm experiments, we also investigated direct impacts on sediment biogeochemistry and indirect impacts mediated by toxicity to L. variegatus. Exposure to fragments of both masks and gloves decreased vitality of L. variegatus. Gloves were acutely toxic, but mask toxicity was mediated by physical interactions. Glove fragments significantly decreased nitrogen removal and phosphorus release to the water column. Both materials suppressed the ecosystem engineering role of L. variegatus by decreasing its impact on microalgal primary production, net ecosystem metabolism, and sediment nitrate consumption. The influx of PPE to the environment may have profound and cascading negative impacts on benthic organisms and ecosystem function, suggesting the need for improved management of PPE litter.

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Modeling three-dimensional transport of microplastics and impacts of biofouling in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario

Cited by 8 publications

References 57 publications

Impact of Microplastic on Freshwater Sediment Biogeochemistry and Microbial Communities Is Polymer Specific

Impact of Microplastic on Freshwater Sediment Biogeochemistry and Microbial Communities Is Polymer Specific

Informing the Exposure Landscape: The Fate of Microplastics in a Large Pelagic In-Lake Mesocosm Experiment

Direct and Indirect Impacts of Disposable Face Masks and Gloves on Freshwater Benthic Fauna and Sediment Biogeochemistry

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