Are macro and micro-plastics impacting mediterranean marine organisms? - M. Cristina Fossi - University of Siena
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Are macro and micro-plastics
impacting mediterranean
marine organisms?
M. Cristina Fossi - University of Siena - Fossi@unisi.it
Impact of marine litter on Mediterranean
marine organisms
Plastic production
Annual plastic production has
increased dramatically from
1.5 million tonnes in the 1950s
to approximately
280 million tonnes in 2011
(PlasticsEurope, 2012).
Long time life in sea
Emerging Issue of Microplastics
Microplastics Microplastics have a range of compositions and can be demarcated by usage and origin as (Arthur et al. 2009). i) Primary - pellets used as a feedstock in the plastics industry, and in certain applications such as abrasives; ii) Secondary - fragments resulting from the degradation and breakdown of larger items.
Spatial distribution of
Microplastics
They have been accumulating in oceans worldwide over the last four decades
(Carpenter et al., 1972) are present on beaches, in surface waters, throughout the
water column and within the benthos, microplastics have pervaded even the most
remote marine environments
.
Gyres are particular
hotspots for microplastic
accumulation
Microplastics increase
A significant relationship between microplastic abundance and
human population-density was found (Browne et al., 2011)
Thus as the human population continues to increase, the prevalence
of microplastics will also most probably increase (Wright et al 2013)
Impact of Microplastics on marine organisms Recent studies have identified potential effects of plastic particles in invertebrates and fish, including: 1- transport of persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic (PBT) substances from plastics 2- leaching of additives from the plastics such as phthalates 3- physical harm (Wright, et al. 2013)
Marine Litter: a Global Challenge
The main legal and institutional frameworks affecting
the Mediterranean on this topic are:
(1) Local Agendas 21;
(2) national legislation on waste management and environmental protection;
(3) the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols;
(4) the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD);
(5) MEDPOL of UNEP;
(6) the EU Environmental Strategy for the Mediterranean and Horizon 2020;
(7) the EU Marine Strategy Directive;
(8) the EU Thematic strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste;
(9) the IMO MARPOL 73/78 Convention – Annex V;
(10) the GPA and the Regional Seas Programme of UNEP;
(11) the Basel Convention
GAP
There is a general lack of
available data on marine wildlife
affected by marine litter in the
Mediterranean.Gap
Information are required about macro-plastic and
micro-plastic inputs, Mediterranean distribution and
the potential effects on marine organisms.
? BEST INDICATOR SPECIES ?How can the effects of Macro and Micro-plastics be detected?
The Solution: PLASTIC-BUSTERS
To evaluate the presence and effects of marine debris,
particularly microplastics, in Mediterranean environment using
marine organisms as sentinel speciesMarine organisms as sentinel
species: micro-plastic
Case studies: Mediterranean fin whale and basking shark
Aim: exploring the toxicological effects of micro-plastics in large filter
feeders species
Further implication: indicators of micro-plastics in the pelagic
environment in the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy
Framework Directive (Descriptor 10)Aim of the Project Do microplastics threat the Mediterranean Sea ? Are baleen whales exposed to microplastic threat?
Balaenoptera physalus
300 liters of water daily
70,000 liters of water
with each mouthfulMicroplastics and contaminants
Adsorption of POPs on
microplastics surface
Plastic additives released in
the environmentExperimental work
The work is implemented through four steps:
Step 1- collection/count of microplastics in Pelagos
Sanctuary (Mediterranean Sea);
Step 2- detection of phthalates in superficial
neustonic/planktonic samples;
Step 3 - detection of phthalates in stranded
Mediterranean fin whale;
Step 4 - detection of phthalates and biomarkers
responses (CYP1A1, CYP2B, lipid peroxidation) in skin
biopsies of fin whales collected in the Pelagos
Sanctuary (n=18) and Sea of Cortez (n=7).Do Microplastics threat
the Mediterranean Sea? Yes!
LIGURIA
Microplastics
(Items/m3)
Microplastic particles in
MPM14 MPM15
0-0.1 MPM13 superficial neustonic/planktonic
MPM16
0.11-1 MPM12
MPM11
Ligurian Sea samples (items/m3) collected in
MPM8
1.01-5
MPM7 MPM5 the Pelagos Sanctuary (Ligurian
5.01-10 MPM9 MPM6
MPM10
MPM3 Sea and Sardinian Sea) and mean
MPM4
DEPH and MEPH concentrations
MPM18
(ng/g).
MPM23 Sardinian Sea
MPM24
MPM25
MPM17
MPM26 Phthalates concentration in superficial neustonic/planktonic samples
MPM19
MPM21
DEHP (ng/g) MEHP (ng/g)
MPM20
SARDINIA AREA
n mean s.d. n mean s.d.
Ligurian Sea 14 18.38 44.39 14 61.93 124.26
Sardinian Sea 9 23.42 32.46 9 40.30 41.55Are baleen whales exposed
to microplastics threat?
Yes!
MEHP concentration in stranded fin whales DEHP concentrations (ng/g) in
blubber samples of five stranded
SPECIES TISSUE Mean MEHP (ng/g) fin whales collected along the
Italian coasts during the period
Balaenoptera physalus Blubber 57.97 July 2007 – June 2011 in five
different locations.
San Rossore PI (Male)
MEPH 53.98 ng/g
Orbetello GR (Male)
MEPH 51.84 ng/g
Castelsardo SS (nd)
MEPH 1.00 ng/g
Amalfi SA (Female)
MEPH 99.93 ng/g
Palinuro SA (nd)
MEPH 83.12 ng/gPresence and effects of contaminants in fin whale skin biopsies
Contaminants in fin whale
skin biopsies
90 MEHP 30000
OCs
80 25000
70
60 20000
ng/g d.w.
ng/g d.w.
50
15000
40
30 10000
20
5000
10
0 0
Pelagos Sanctuary Sea of Cortez Pelagos Sanctuary Sea of CortezEndocrine interference
in fin 12whale skin biopsies
Normalized fold expression
10 **
8 Estrogen Receptor α Males
Females
6
(** = p< 0.05)
4
**
2
0
Pelagos Sanctuary Gulf of California
Undesirable Biological EffectAre other
large filter feeders
exposed to
microplastics threat?BASKING SHARK Approx. 12600 items/day!
MEHP concentration in basking sharks
SPECIES TISSUE Mean MEHP (ng/g)
Basking sharks muscle 12.97
Phthalate as plastic tracerMarine organisms as sentinel
species: macro-plastic
Case study: the Mediterranean Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
Aim: exploring the toxicological effects of macro-plastics
Further implication: indicators of macro-plastics in the marine
environment in the implementation of the Descriptor 10 of MSFDfound 483 pieces of marine litter with a total mass of 62.37g 22 loggerhead turtles out of 31 animals had ingested marine debris (71%)
MSFD objective: to achieve the Good Environmental status for
the marine environment for 2020
Caretta caretta has been proposed as a target species in the Mediterranean sea in
the MSFD (Descriptor 10) to evaluate indicator IV of GES: trends in the amount
and composition of litter ingested by marine animals (e.g stomach analysis)
2020
Stomach content in Plastic items = ?
Stomach content in
sea turtles in 2013
sea turtles in 20XX
Time scaleTake Home Message
The workshop recommended that baleen whales and other large filter feeders should be considered in national and international marine debris strategies (e.g. Descriptor 10 (marine litter) in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive) as critical indicators of the presence and impact of microplastics in the marine environment.
The Solution: PLASTIC-BUSTERS
To evaluate the presence and effects of marine debris,
particularly microplastics, in Mediterranean environment using
marine organisms as sentinel species
Mitigate and reduce
the impact of marine
litter in the
Mediterranean Sea
Harmonize
monitoring and
mitigation activities
in the entire basin
Implementation of
Descriptor 10 (marine
litter) of the EU Marine
Strategy Framework
Directive (MSFD)PLASTIC-BUSTER expedition: the route and the towns
_________________________________________________________
Marselle Venice
Leghorn
Barcelona
Naples Dubrovnik
Algiers
Antalya
Gibraltar
Athens Larnaca
La Valletta
Tunis
Beirut
Heraklion
Tripoli Tel Aviv
AlexandriaNetworking establishment _________________________________________________________
Thank you for your attention!
Welcome in Siena!Acknowledgements This project was supported by the Italian Ministry for Environment and Territory
Assessing the Impacts of Marine Debris
Woods Hole, 13-17 May 2013…The workshop also commended the work of
researchers at the University of Siena and
encouraged further work of this kind….
…Therefore, the workshop encouraged further
non-lethal research on the individual and potential
population-level impacts of ingestion of debris and,
noting the promising research on biomarker
development, the group recommended
further work in this field….By Cristina Panti
Skin biopsy – organotypic cultures
Organotypic cultures of skin biopsy and treatment with
BPA/Phthalates
Incubation 24 h with:
Ethanol/methanol 0,1% 0,1 µg/ml 1 µg/ml 10 µg/ml 100 µg/ml
controlBy Cristina Panti
Gene expression in organotypic cultures
Phthalates treatment
Fin whale
HKGs: YWHAZ, GAPDH, SDHA (Spinsanti et al., 2008)By Cristina Panti
Gene expression in organotypic cultures
BPA and Phthalates treatment
HKGs: YWHAZ, GAPDH (Spinsanti et al., 2008)Effects of litter in free-ranging turtles?
Comet assay (Frenzilli et al., 1999)
ENA assay (Pacheco & Santos 1997)
Diffusion assay (Singh et al., 1988)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Marsili et al., 1997)
Organochlorines (Marsili & Focardi, 1996)
WHOLE BLOOD
EXCRETA
Porphyryns (Grandchamp et al., 1980)
Plastic fragments
PLASMA
LPO, Lipid peroxidation (Bird & Draper, 1984)
γGT, ALT, AST (commercial kits, Polymed)
VTG, Vitellogenin (Goksoyr et al., 1991)
EST, Estradiol (Abraham, 1969)
BChE, Butyrylcholinesterase (Ellman et al., 1961)
CARAPACE
AChE, Acetylcholinesterase (Ellman et al., 1961)
Trace elements (Hg, Pb, Cd)
(Stoeppler & Backhaus, 1978)
SKIN BIOPSY
Protein expression of CYP1A (Fossi et al., 2008, modified)
Biopsy slices treated with PAHs and PBDEs (Fossi et al., 2009)You can also read
