Marine microplastics on the rise in the Eastern Tropical Pacific: Abundance doubles in 11 years and a ten-fold increase is projected by 2100.

Plastic abundance in the ocean has increased systematically since the mid-20th century. Here we present a time-series dataset of microplastic abundance collected at several stations located in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean off Ecuador from 2008 to 2018. The data reveals a significant and sustained increase in the abundance of microplastics over time across all sampling sites; this implies a homogeneous and sustained input, which likely also occurs at other coastal and marine ecosystems.

Polymer Type, Oxidation, Size, and Abundance of Microplastics in Subsoils versus Topsoils with Varying Land Use in Beijing, China.

The occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in topsoil is well documented; however, recent evidence has also shown that MPs can reach the subsoil, which may eventually enter groundwater aquifers posing a potential threat to drinking water. In this study, we examined polymer-type specific, small-sized MPs (20-500 μm) in both topsoil (5 cm) and subsoil (50 and 100 cm) in the megacity of Beijing, China, using Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) Chemical Imaging Spectroscopy, focusing on variation in abundance, size, polymer type, and oxidation characteristics across 6 land use types. A total of 6085 MP particles with 11 polymer types were identified.

Biodegradable plastics in soils: sources, degradation, and effects.

Biodegradable plastics (BPs) are increasingly marketed as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics, yet their environmental impacts on soil ecosystems remain uncertain. Attention to plastic-related policies, global treaties, and initiatives assessing industrial sustainability are growing, and thus there is an urgent need for scientific data on the life cycle of BPs in soils to determine their viability as a truly sustainable alternative. BPs enter soil through agricultural applications, waste disposal, and landfills, undergoing complex degradation processes influenced by soil properties, environmental conditions, and polymer characteristics.

Distribution and trophic transfer of mercury and selenium in European hake (Merluccius merluccius) from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean: A stable isotope approach.

European hake (EH - Merluccius merluccius) are a commercially valuable, high trophic position marine fish species inhabiting the Northeast Atlantic Ocean (NEAO). Here, we investigated total mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation and trophic transfer dynamics, and selenium (Se) Hg interactions in EH fillets at a historic waste disposal site with a known Hg point source (n = 25) and at reference sites (n = 763) throughout Norway. Fillet concentrations of Hg (> 91 % methylmercury - MeHg) and Se, were elevated in samples from the polluted site (Hg = 0.

Global soil pollution by toxic metals threatens agriculture and human health.

Toxic metal pollution is ubiquitous in soils, yet its worldwide distribution is unknown. We analyzed a global database of soil pollution by arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, nickel, and lead at 796,084 sampling points from 1493 regional studies and used machine learning techniques to map areas with exceedance of agricultural and human health thresholds. We reveal a previously unrecognized high-risk, metal-enriched zone in low-latitude Eurasia, which is attributed to influential climatic, topographic, and anthropogenic conditions.

Predicting essential and hazardous element concentrations in marine fish from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean: A Bayesian approach.

Micronutrient deficiency or 'hidden hunger' is of growing importance regionally and globally. Marine fish have the potential to mitigate hidden hunger although certain contaminants they often contain may also pose a health risk. Understanding biological and environmental drivers behind essential and hazardous element concentrations is therefore important to develop evidence-based advice for adaptive management strategies.

A global meta-analysis of gillnet bycatch of toothed whales: Mitigation measures and research gaps.

Odontocetes are globally distributed and are foundational to the structure and function of marine food webs, and hence bycatch impacts from gillnet fishing need to be considered in the context of their conservation and population viability. Currently, global gillnet bycatch numbers are unknown yet are estimated to be the greatest in Asia, East Africa, and the west coasts of North and South America. Here we provide the first global meta-analyses of small- and large-scale gillnet bycatch estimates of odontocetes during 1990-2020, compiling population size, estimated gillnet bycatch, and conservation status in support of geographical and species-specific risk estimates.

Methylmercury degradation by hot spring sulfur-linked microbial communities as a dominant pathway in regulating mercury speciation.

Sulfidic hot springs harbor unique microbial communities and are important in mercury (Hg) species transformations, although the fine scale drivers of these processes remain poorly understood. Here we studied Hg speciation in water, biofilms, and sediment across three sampling seasons in a French sulfidic hot spring with low Hg concentrations. Microbial Hg species methylation and demethylation potentials were evaluated using incubation experiments with species-specific Hg isotope tracers.

Organ-specific mercury stable isotopes, speciation and particle measurements reveal methylmercury detoxification processes in Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.

Identifying metabolism and detoxification mechanisms of Hg in biota has important implications for biomonitoring, ecotoxicology, and food safety. Compared to marine mammals and waterbirds, detoxification of MeHg in fish is understudied. Here, we investigated Hg detoxification in Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus using organ-specific Hg and Se speciation data, stable Hg isotope signatures, and Hg and Se particle measurements in multiple tissues.

Modelling seasonal and geographical n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid contents in marine fish from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean.

Demand for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) exceeds supply. Large-scale studies on effects of season and geography of n-3 PUFAs in marine fish from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean (NEAO) may be used to optimize utilization and improve nutrition security. Using a sinusoid model, seasonal cycles of n-3 PUFAs were determined and found to be species-specific and clearly pronounced for the pelagic zooplankton feeding species.

The "Microplastome" - A Holistic Perspective to Capture the Real-World Ecology of Microplastics.

Microplastic pollution, an emerging pollution issue, has become a significant environmental concern globally due to its ubiquitous, persistent, complex, toxic, and ever-increasing nature. As a multifaceted and diverse suite of small plastic particles with different physicochemical properties and associated matters such as absorbed chemicals and microbes, future research on microplastics will need to comprehensively consider their multidimensional attributes. Here, we introduce a novel, conceptual framework of the "microplastome", defined as the entirety of various plastic particles (<5 mm), and their associated matters such as chemicals and microbes, found within a sample and its overall environmental and toxicological impacts.

Climate change dynamics and mercury temporal trends in Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Barents Sea ecosystem.

The Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) is the world's northernmost stock of Atlantic cod and is of considerable ecological and economic importance. Northeast Arctic cod are widely distributed in the Barents Sea, an environment that supports a high degree of ecosystem resiliency and food web complexity. Here using 121 years of ocean temperature data (1900-2020), 41 years of sea ice extent information (1979-2020) and 27 years of total mercury (Hg) fillet concentration data (1994-2021, n = 1999, ≥71% Methyl Hg, n = 20) from the Barents Sea ecosystem, we evaluate the effects of climate change dynamics on Hg temporal trends in Northeast Arctic cod.

Extractability and phytotoxicity of heavy metals and essential elements from plastics in soil solutions and root exudates.

Plastic waste is increasing and is a serious environmental problem. Among the threats associated with plastics is the release of contaminants into the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of metals release from plastics (low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polypropylene (PP)) as affected by different soil solution types, artificial root exudates, and distilled water.

Congener-specific accumulation of persistent organic pollutants in marine fish from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean.

Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine fish may pose a health risk to human consumers. Using data from ∼8400 individuals of 15 fish species collected in the North-East Atlantic Ocean (NEAO), we assessed concentrations of individual POP congeners, including dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). POPs analyses were performed with accredited methods using high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry, gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and GC/MS.

Macro- and microplastics as complex threats to coral reef ecosystems.

The impacts of macroplastics (macro-), microplastics (MPs, <5mm), and nanoplastics (NPs, <100 nm) on corals and their complex reef ecosystems are receiving increased attention and visibility. MPs represent a major, contemporary, sustainability challenge with known and unknown effects on the ocean, and coral reef ecosystems worldwide. However, the fate and transport processes of macro-, MPs, and NPs and their direct and indirect impacts on coral reef ecosystems remains poorly understood.

Plastic-Rock Complexes as Hotspots for Microplastic Generation.

Discarded plastics and microplastics (MPs) in the environment are considered emerging contaminants and indicators of the Anthropocene epoch. This study reports the discovery of a new type of plastic material in the environment─plastic-rock complexes─formed when plastic debris irreversibly sorbs onto the parent rock after historical flooding events. These complexes consist of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or polypropylene (PP) films stuck onto quartz-dominated mineral matrices.

Effects of Platinum Nanoparticles on Rice Seedlings ( L.): Size-dependent Accumulation, Transformation, and Ionomic Influence.

Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) are increasing in the environment largely due to their wide use and application in automobile and medical industries. The mechanism of uptake behavior of different-sized PtNPs and their association with PtNPs-induced phytotoxicity to plants remains unclear. The present study investigated PtNP uptake mechanisms and phytotoxicity simultaneously to further understand the accumulation and transformation dynamics.

Embrace complexity to understand microplastic pollution.

Environmental cycling of microplastics and nanoplastics is complex; fully understanding these pollutants is hindered by inconsistent methodologies and experimentation within a narrow scope. Consistent methods are needed to advance plastic research and policy within the context of global environmental change.