PEGG: Recent Research

Potential for Microplastics to Cause Harm in the Marine Environment
Adil Bakir^1,2, Steve Rowland², Tamara Galloway³, Stephanie Wright² and Richard Thompson¹
¹	Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science and Engineering, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA
²	Petroleum and Environmental Geochemistry Group, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA
³	School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter EX4 4QJ
Presented at: How Can We Manage Our Seas in the Real World? Organised by Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership in collaboration with the Marine Management Organisation, Plymouth, U.K., 13-14th September 2011
Download: Poster as an A4 pdf file.

Brief Summary

The Directive aim, as defined in Article 1(1), is to establish "a framework within which Member States shall take the necessary measures to achieve or maintain good environmental status in the marine environment by the year 2020"
Good environmental status (GES) was defined in Article 3(5) as "the environmental status of marine waters where these provide ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas which are clean, healthy and productive within their intrinsic conditions and the use of the marine environment is at a level that is sustainable, thus, safeguarding the potential for uses and activities by current and future generations..."
GES is determined on the basis of 11 quality Descriptors, of these Descriptors 8 and 10 both relate to microplastics:
- (8) Concentrations of contaminants are at levels not giving rise to pollution effects:
- (10) Properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment:
This research, funded by DEFRA (06/2011-06/2014), will specifically consider the following objectives in order to give a better understanding of the potential for plastics to cause "harm" in the marine environment:
- To establish whether plastic microparticles sorb contaminants present in the marine environment, which contaminants are of concern, and whether they are made bioavailable at levels which may cause significant "harm" above background concentrations
- To establish whether common chemical additives in plastics persist after ageing in the marine environment and whether they are made bioavailable on ingestion and as such have the potential to cause significant "harm"
- To establish whether and how microplastics are passed on through food web interactions and what the implications are for populations and ecosystems
- Research to determine the extent to which the physical presence of microplastics can cause significant "harm" and in what quantities
- To establish whether new "biodegradable plastics" differ in their potential "harm" impacts.

Download the complete poster as an A4 pdf file.

Top of Page	Recent PEGG Posters	PEGG Home Page

Potential for Microplastics to Cause Harm in the Marine Environment

Adil Bakir1,2, Steve Rowland2, Tamara Galloway3, Stephanie Wright2 and Richard Thompson1

Brief Summary

Adil Bakir^1,2, Steve Rowland², Tamara Galloway³, Stephanie Wright² and Richard Thompson¹