A cutting-edge research study discovered comprehensive plastic and microplastic contamination in remote ocean areas, showing that the risk extends far beyond recognized garbage patches. It underscores the need for immediate international action to lower plastic emissions into the ocean and calls for a thorough Plastics Treaty to take on the concern at its source.A study by the UFZ has revealed the presence of microplastics in a remote marine secured region.When plastic finds its way into the ocean, it slowly breaks down into small pieces due to weathering and disintegration. These small particles, if taken in by marine life, can significantly harm their health. Large build-ups of plastic can therefore interfere with the biological balance of marine environments. Which areas are particularly affected?In a recent research study, a research study team from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), in collaboration with the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), has discovered big amounts of plastic waste and microplastics in a remote marine protected location in the Pacific Ocean. These amounts were similar to those found in one of the worlds biggest known trash spots. The researchers highlight that plastics are distributed a lot more widely than expected.The entire ocean community is threatened. They for that reason require the global emissions of plastics into the ocean to be stopped as quickly as possible. The study has been published in Environmental Science & & Technology.A sample from the neuston net with a great deal of different plastic particles (North Pacific Expedition 2019). Credit: UFZThe Scope of the Problem and Research Findings” Plastics in the ocean are a major problem. Every year, millions of tonnes of plastics wind up in the ocean via rivers and wind along with from shipping and fishing– and it stays there. It is still challenging to assess the consequences for the ocean ecosystem,” says UFZ environmental chemist Prof Annika Jahnke, organizer of the MICRO-FATE task, that made the research study possible.What is the circulation of plastics in the oceans? Which areas are especially affected? Exist any plastic-free zones? And what properties do plastics have close to the source or far in the open ocean? Jahnke and her research study group have examined these questions.Neuston net towed on the side of the German recreational vehicle SONNE, collecting surface-floating plastic samples when crossing the North Pacific Ocean. Credit: Philipp Klöckner/ UFZDuring a five-week exploration on the German research study vessel “Sonne” in 2019, the researchers took samples of the surface water in the North Pacific Ocean between Vancouver (Canada) and Singapore. The group picked the sampling stations along the cruise track based upon a prediction model from the University of Hawaii (Surface CUrrents from a Diagnostic model (SCUD)). This model determines just how much plastics are most likely to be present in a particular marine area.” We selected stations with predicted high and low plastic loads for our examinations,” states Jahnke. “Some stations were found in areas that had actually currently been well looked into such as the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch. We also wished to investigate zones outdoors ocean that had actually barely been checked out. For instance, we took samples in a marine reserve northwest of Hawaii, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.” The group used 2 different techniques to identify the amount of plastics in the surface area water. The very first one was a litter study in which teams of two scientists on the deck of the “Sonne” counted plastic products that showed up to the naked eye throughout ship transits and recorded their shape and size. The 2nd one involved neuston nets hauled at the surface area to take samples at 9 stations.Selection of plastic particles collected with the neuston internet, revealing a substantial degree of weathering and a big variety in colors, sizes, and shapes. Credit: Annika Jahnke/ UFZ” The mesh size was 0.3 millimeters. This allowed us to gather not only larger items, but also small plastic particles to identify the quantity of microplastics, which are less than five millimeters in size,” states UFZ scientist Robby Rynek, lead author of the research study. “The plastic particles from each sample were sorted by size and counted. We then utilized a special form of infrared spectroscopy to chemically evaluate the particles and approximate their weathering state based on their look.” The longer plastics are exposed to sun, wind, waves, and seawater, the more they weather and break down. Other studies have actually shown that bigger non-degraded plastic products and particles occur primarily where the plastic enters the sea. The additional the particles are carried, the more weathered and smaller sized they must be.” This is precisely what we showed with our examinations. And as expected, we found the greatest amounts of plastics in the samples we took in the location referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” says Rynek. “However, the products do not in any way form a carpet of plastic that covers a whole surface area in a dense manner. This is crucial when thinking about plastic removal technologies, which would need to cover large locations in order to have the ability to collect considerable quantities of plastic. A lot of plastics are little fragments that escape internet or which can just be gathered with substantial animal by-catch,” states co-author Dr. Melanie Bergmann from the AWI. It is therefore necessary to reduce the emissions of plastics.Close-up of a sample collected with the neuston net, revealing plastic particles with substantial animal by-catch. Credit: Annika Jahnke/ UFZImplications and Future Directions” The most surprising and at the very same time most distressing result of our research study is that we found similarly large quantities of particularly small microplastics in the remote marine protected area north-west of Hawaii. We had not anticipated that. According to the estimations of the projection design, there ought to be substantially less plastics in this area,” says Rynek.” Microplastics are more than likely distributed much further across the oceans than formerly presumed. We actually discovered plastics at all of our sampling stations. There were no samples without plastics. We cant assume that plastics are causing issues generally in the known build-up locations– the issue is much bigger and actually impacts the whole ocean environment,” says Jahnke.This year, UN member states plan to embrace a lawfully binding international Plastics Treaty in order to stop plastic contamination in the ocean. “As independent researchers, we stand as part of the Scientists Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty to recommend the delegates of the UN member states,” states Bergmann.In addition to far-reaching reductions in plastic production by preventing unnecessary plastic items and promoting reuse systems, numerous researchers believe that the chemical composition of plastic items requires to be simplified and improved. This is the only way to make sure safe reuse and higher recycling rates.Reference: “Hotspots of Floating Plastic Particles throughout the North Pacific Ocean” by Robby Rynek, Mine B. Tekman, Christoph Rummel, Melanie Bergmann, Stephan Wagner, Annika Jahnke and Thorsten Reemtsma, 23 February 2024, Environmental Science & & Technology.DOI: 10.1021/ acs.est.3 c05039.
It underscores the need for immediate worldwide action to reduce plastic emissions into the ocean and calls for a comprehensive Plastics Treaty to deal with the concern at its source.A study by the UFZ has revealed the presence of microplastics in a remote marine safeguarded region.When plastic finds its way into the ocean, it slowly breaks down into small pieces due to weathering and disintegration.” The group utilized 2 various methods to determine the amount of plastics in the surface water. Other studies have revealed that bigger non-degraded plastic items and particles occur primarily where the plastic enters the sea. We cant assume that plastics are triggering issues generally in the recognized accumulation areas– the issue is much bigger and in fact affects the whole ocean community,” says Jahnke.This year, UN member states mean to embrace a lawfully binding international Plastics Treaty in order to stop plastic pollution in the ocean. “As independent scientists, we stand as part of the Scientists Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty to encourage the delegates of the UN member states,” says Bergmann.In addition to far-reaching reductions in plastic production by avoiding unnecessary plastic items and promoting reuse systems, lots of scientists think that the chemical structure of plastic items needs to be streamlined and improved.
