Environmental and biological consequences of microplastic within marine habitats
Abstract
Large pieces of plastic greater than a millimetre in diameter contaminate marine habitats worldwide and the associated environmental problems are well documented. In addition tiny fragments of plastic debris less than a millimetre in size have recently been reported. This thesis examines the distribution and environmental consequences of microscopic particles of plastic within marine habitats. To quantify the relative influence of wind and depositional environment on the accumulation of plastic debris, a mensurative experiment was conducted in a macrotidal Estuary. The overall trend was that material accumulated in down-wind sites. However, the relative importance of wind as a transport agent depended on the size and density of the plastic. Natural sediments are transported according to their size; but the extent to which models of sediment dynamics could be applied to the transport of plastic debris remains untested. I examined relationships between the abundance of microplastic debris and sediment particle size, latitude and human population density using samples from sandy shores worldwide. Microplastic was found at every location, showing the global extent of this contamination and there was a significant positive correlation between human population density and microplastic abundance. Sewage sludge disposal grounds were examined as potential sources of microplastic. Replicate sediment grab samples showed that disposal grounds near Plymouth and Newcastle (UK) had greater…
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