The ecological impacts of discarded cigarette butts

Green, Dannielle S.; Tongue, Andrew D.W.; Boots, Bas

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2021.10.001

Cited by 52 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Both alkaloids represented 52.1% of the total pollutants in CB wastewater and they were generally difficult to remove by microalgae. A recent review highlighted that since 2006, a total of 36 investigations have been performed studying the impacts of CB on aquatic and terrestrial life and lethal impacts seem to be most pronounced in aquatic systems [2]. For instance, leachates from smoked CB over 5 years of decomposition inhibited the growth of the freshwater microalga Raphidocelis subcapitata in a bimodal mode, where this inhibition was related to high nicotine concentration at early CB decomposition stage (~30 days postsmoking) and to microplastic release at late stage (5 years) as nicotine concentration declined [51].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cigarette butts (CB) are the most littered item in the world, which are usually found spread everywhere from urban areas to even protected areas [1]. CB contain a variety of toxic compounds accumulated during smoking such as benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pyridine and heavy metals, which can leach into the environment and affect all ecosystems [2]. Moreover, practical operational aspects are lacking at the regulatory level as the current disposal systems for CB are landfilling and incineration, which are unsustainable and release hazardous contaminants to the environment [3,4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Remediation Capacity of Different Microalgae in Effluents Derived from the Cigarette Butt Cleaning Process

Chiellini

Mariotti

Reyes

et al. 2022

Plants

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Microalgal-based remediation is an ecofriendly and cost-effective system for wastewater treatment. This study evaluated the capacity of microalgae in the remediation of wastewater from cleaning process of smoked cigarette butts (CB). At laboratory scale, six strains (one from the family Scenedesmaceae, two Chlamydomonas debaryana and three Chlorella sorokiniana) were exposed to different CB wastewater dilutions to identify toxicity levels reflected in the alteration of microalgal physiological status and to determine the optimal conditions for an effective removal of contaminants. CB wastewater could impact on microalgal chlorophyll and carotenoid production in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, the resistance and remediation capacity did not only depend on the microalgal strain, but also on the chemical characteristics of the organic pollutants. In detail, nicotine was the most resistant pollutant to removal by the microalgae tested and its low removal correlated with the inhibition of photosynthetic pigments affecting microalgal growth. Concerning the optimal conditions for an effective bioremediation, this study demonstrated that the Chlamydomonas strain named F2 showed the best removal capacity to organic pollutants at 5% CB wastewater (corresponding to 25 butts L−1 or 5 g CB L−1) maintaining its growth and photosynthetic pigments at control levels.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remediation Capacity of Different Microalgae in Effluents Derived from the Cigarette Butt Cleaning Process

Chiellini

Mariotti

Reyes

et al. 2022

Plants

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“…This finding suggests that substances that are produced during the combustion processes while smoking and substances that are originally present in virgin filters, both play an important role in the toxicity of cigarette filters. During filter production, plasticisers such as triacetin [95,96], diethyl phthalate [97], and delustrant titanium dioxide [96] are applied. Triacetin was, however, assessed to have low toxicity to aquatic invertebrate Daphnia magna [98] and therefore, might not play a major role in the toxicity we observed on C. riparius.…”

Section: Ecotoxicity Testing Of Cigarette Filters On Chironomus Ripariusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smokers’ behaviour and the toxicity of cigarette filters to aquatic life: a multidisciplinary study

et al. 2023

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Cigarettes are the most littered item in public spaces. Smokers who litter are leaving a trace of toxic waste that adds to the global plastic pollution due to harmful chemicals and semisynthetic microfibres that compose cigarette filters. Here we present a multidisciplinary study aiming to assess i) predictors of cigarette littering, and ii) the toxicity of semisynthetic filters to the freshwater invertebrate Chironomus riparius, including iii) the potential driver of toxicity. Unobtrusive observations of 597 smokers at public places were analysed using logistic regression, which showed that age (negatively) and group setting (positively) are personal predictors, and the number of present ashtrays (negatively) is a contextual predictor of cigarette littering. In addition, we assessed acute and chronic aquatic toxicity of cigarette filters in standardized ecotoxicity tests on several lethal and sublethal effects, using both smoked and unsmoked filters. Following 48-h exposure, concentrations of 2 filters/L from smoked and unsmoked filters caused 36–100% and 75–100% larvae immobility, respectively. We further demonstrated that cigarette filter fibres seem to add to the toxicity of filter leachates. Seven-day exposures that used either contaminated water or sediment (3 weeks leaching time, eq. 1 filter/L water and 1 filter/166.5 ml sediment) showed exposures via sediment caused more frequent and severe effects on the larvae than exposures via water. Larvae exposed to contaminated sediment (smoked and unsmoked filters) exhibited > 20% higher mortality, > 1.5-fold decrease in growth, and > 80% decreased development, compared to larvae in control conditions. Moreover, we found that cigarette filters have the potential to be teratogenic to freshwater invertebrates. Our results could be used to support litter prevention efforts, advisably via integrated educational campaigns. The campaigns could account for the societal and environmental complexity of cigarette littering by being tailored to the determined littering predictors and using ecotoxicity results as content.

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“…Pollution with CFs therefore potentially pose long-term risk to the environment. While it is recognized that CFs may affect both pelagic and benthic organisms, such as crustaceans, gastropods, polychaetes, and fishes, little is known regarding their long-term effects on higher levels of biological organization at environmentally realistic concentrations. , Due to the slow degradation rate of CFs and a density of minimum 1.28 g cc –1 for cellulose acetate, fibers and particles from CFs are expected to accumulate in sediments. The sediment compartment may thus be an important reservoir for discarded CFs, and organisms living in the sediment may physically interact with intact and fragmented CFs as well as the chemicals associated with the CFs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sediment compartment may thus be an important reservoir for discarded CFs, and organisms living in the sediment may physically interact with intact and fragmented CFs as well as the chemicals associated with the CFs. Experiments with leachate (chemicals) from CFs in both water-only and whole-sediment exposures have shown sublethal and lethal effects in aquatic organisms, ,− but physicochemical effects of sediment-associated CF fragments have been little studied so far . In marine sediments, polychaetes are among the most abundant groups and play an important role in bioturbation and irrigation of sediment as well as forming the primary consumer base of many marine food webs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small Butt Harmful: Individual- and Population-Level Impacts of Cigarette Filter Particles on the Deposit-Feeding Polychaete Capitella teleta

Sandgaard

Syberg

Grønlund

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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In the marine environment, discarded cigarette filters (CFs) deteriorate and leach filter-associated chemicals. The study aim was to assess the effects of smoked CFs (SCFs) and nonsmoked CFs (NCFs) particles on individual life-history traits in the deposit-feeding polychaete Capitella teleta and extrapolate these to possible population-level effects. C. teleta was exposed to sedimentspiked particles of NCFs and SCFs at an environmentally realistic concentration (0.1 mg particles g −1 dw sed) and a 100-fold higher (10 mg particles g −1 dw sed) concentration. Experimental setup incorporated 11 individual endpoints and lasted approximately 6 months. There were significant effects on all endpoints, except from adult body volume and egestion rate, in worms exposed to 10 mg SCF particles g −1 dw sed. Although not statistically significant, there was ≥50% impact on time between reproductive events and number of eggs per female at 0.1 mg SCF particles g −1 dw sed. None of the endpoints was significantly affected by NCFs. Results suggest that SCFs are likely to affect individual life-history traits of C. teleta, whereas the population model suggests that these effects might not transform into population-level effects. The results further indicate that chemicals associated with CFs are the main driver causing the effects rather than the CF particles.

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The ecological impacts of discarded cigarette butts

Cited by 52 publications

References 64 publications

Remediation Capacity of Different Microalgae in Effluents Derived from the Cigarette Butt Cleaning Process

Remediation Capacity of Different Microalgae in Effluents Derived from the Cigarette Butt Cleaning Process

Smokers’ behaviour and the toxicity of cigarette filters to aquatic life: a multidisciplinary study

Small Butt Harmful: Individual- and Population-Level Impacts of Cigarette Filter Particles on the Deposit-Feeding Polychaete Capitella teleta

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