ENSTU 300: Critical Thinking & Communication in Environmental Studies

Microplastic Pollution in Marine

Ecosystems
Killian May, Environmental Studies Program, California State University
Monterey Bay

a few microns in diameter. Fragmentation is

The Primary Sources of Microplastics a large cause of microplastic pollution
(Cozar, 2014). When parts of non-recycled
The chemical composition of plastics
plastic whether that be styrofoam or
polystyrene, nylon, and polyethylene are
polyethylene are not properly disposed in
unable to break down in the natural
recycling or trash bins, the items have
environment. During World War II, plastic
potential for break down. As an item gets
production nearly quadrupled in the overall
used or broken into pieces over time, those
amounts being used for making items.
small fragments never will decompose
Production went from 213 million pounds in
naturally. The particles once they enter the
1939 to 818 million pounds by 1945 at the
ocean become an item that is not cost-
end of the war (Freinkel 2009). The post war
effectively able to be detected and therefore
reactions from the American society pushed
has difficulty being recycled or properly
consumerism to a new high. Plastic products
disposed in waste facilities (Andrady, 2017).
allowed for affordable goods and people
Surface water, marine sediments, and
shared the abilities to enjoy simple
marine ecosystems now commonly are filled
conveniences and comforts of a modern life
with microplastic particles in all different
(Freinkel 2009). The introduction of plastics
parts of the world (Van Cauwenberghe,
enabled society to synthesize materials and
2013). The current marine pollution of
achieve new innovations but the detrimental
garbage patches are constantly breaking
impacts of long term usage is more
down trash with current flow into
prevalent than ever before.
microparticles, and it is a growing problem
Microplastics are loosely defined as being spread all over the ocean.
particles less than 5mm in diameter down to
Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Marine
Environments
Recent data represents
accumulations of microplastic within marine
organisms (Derraik, 2002; Hammer, 2012).
Zooplanktons, bivalves, and fish are
ingesting pieces of microplastics mistaken
as food sources which is harmful for the
trophic levels relying on the bottom levels.
With small fragments drifting freely in the
oceans, it is common that somewhere a fish
or smaller organism will intake a small
amount of the particles. The problem with
growing microplastic pollution is that
trophic levels will pass the pieces to the
higher levels ultimately to be consumed by
humans who rely on fish for food proposing
health risks (Seltenrich, 2015). Microplastics
have chemical, biological, and physical
impacts on the direct consumer and indirect
consumer of a particular marine organism
(Farrell and Nelson, 2013; Wright, 2013;
Setälä, 2014).
Ingestion related stress on organisms
has grown exponentially over the years.
Feeding type shows different consumption
levels of microplastics in aquatic
environments. Invertebrates and vertebrates
have been found to contain microfibres
within the gut (Mizraji, 2017). Intertidal
zones are places of high risk for microplastic
accumulation due to the amount of aquatic
activity mixing around sediments and parts
of the habitats (Raffaelli and Hawkins,
1996). As small marine organisms consume
the microplastic pieces, the particles never
are properly digested and sit within the gut.
A fish seeking out its common prey does not
escape the pollution eaten by the other
organism. Food digests but the growth of
microplastic pieces continues within the
linings of the next trophic level that ate its
last meal. Issues with human health arises
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once microplastics are noticed in the food
sources directly caught for consumption.
Bioaccumulation affects all sizes of
marine organisms because the microplastics
come in various forms. Commercial fishing
industries will eventually notice a potential
decline in the amount of non-contaminated
fish caught as the intake levels increase with
overall abundance. China leads the way with
the most plastic pollution globally.
(Jambeck, 2015). Food coming from the
ocean supports millions of people
throughout the world as a sole food source.
If increases in plastic production continue,
people neglect proper waste disposal, and
fragmentation continues the main fish
species caught for nutritional value will no
longer be able to feed or economically
sustain parts of society in the world
What are potential solutions for minimizing
microplastic fragments?
The steps necessary to minimize
microplastic pollution are complex and vary
in particular ways. Trying to eliminate the
particles piece by piece is not realistic but
taking action to prevent single use plastic
products is a start. Production sources of
plastic and items requiring traditional
plastics need to be rethought and attempt to
use alternative resources that are able to be
properly disposed. Biodegradable products
are important to manufacture in replacement
of single use plastics because over time they
will be properly dealt with using natural
break down cycles. Using science to create
reusable items without plastic will be a huge
industry people need to focus on. Consumer
habits of buying the most accessible and
cheapest items needs to change in order for
pollution to decrease. Unnecessary
packaging is a huge problem in society as
cosmetic appeal has become important to
many. Wasted plastic trash is found in
almost every product used by the common
American person each day whether its
directly noticed or not.
Literature Cited
Problems with plastic also deal with
Santillo, D., Miller, K., & Johnston, P.
disposal tactics. Recycling is a great idea but
(2017). Microplastics as contaminants in
only for those who are educated about it.
commercially important seafood species.
Trying to recycle every piece of recyclable
Integrated Environmental Assessment and
product is impossible and the stuff
Management, 13(3), 516-521.
overlooked gets thrown into landfills or out
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/i
into the open environment. It's not
eam.1909/full
necessarily the most effective way of
dealing with the microplastic pollution
Andrady, A., (2017). The plastic in
because it's hard to get society to focus on
microplastic: a review. Marine Pollution
properly disposing a small piece of plastic.
Bulletin, 119(1), 12-22.
Repurposing is going to be key in helping
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.
future generations deal with the microplastic
082
pollution problem. Society will eventually
need to understand they can use the
Vandermeersch, G., Van Cauwenberghe, L.,
resources already at hand and keep using
Janssen, C., Maques, A., Granby, K., Fait,
them until they are no longer good and then
G., Kotterman, M., Diogene, J., Bekaert, K.,
dispose of them properly once full usage has
Robbens, J., & Devriese, L. (2015). A
been reached.
critical view on microplastic quantification
Collecting microplastics is a in aquatic organisms. Environmental
challenge to deal with because they are so Research, 143(Part B), 46-55.
small in size. Trying to hand pick pieces of https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2015.07.016
microplastics out of the ocean is not
reasonable. A method used to eliminate Mizraji, R., Ahrendt, C., Perez-Venegas, D.,
some of the surface pieces are to drag trawls Vargas, J., Pulgar, J., Aldana, M., Ojeda, P.,
across the sea surface. Picking up parts of Duarte, C., & Galban-Malagon, C.(2017). Is
microplastics through a vacuum system is the feeding type related with the content of
another possible alternative to reducing the microplastics in intertidal fish gut? Marine
current amounts floating freely in the marine Pollution Bulletin, 116(1-2), 498-500.
ecosystems. As newer topic, specific https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.
extraction methods are not fully developed 008
to maximize clean ups but educating society
on the issue will spread the pollution idea Li, J., Yang, D., Li, L., Jabeen, K., & Shi, H.
that needs to be addressed. Production (2015). Microplastics in commercial
prevention is the best step individuals in bivalves from China. Environmental
society can take to minimize their pollution Pollution, 207, 190-195.
amounts. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.09.018

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Freinkel, S. (2011, May 29). A Brief History
of Plastic's Conquest of the World.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a
-brief-history-of-plastic-world-conquest/

Daughter, D. (2017, February 04). Do Most

Fish we Eat contain Microplastics including
Microbeads? Retrieved February 14, 2018,
https://desdaughter.com/2017/02/04/do-
most-fish-we-eat-contain-microplastics-
including-microbeads/