Microplastic pollution: Freshwater & Marine Research perspectives Dr Anne Marie Mahon Dr Roisin Nash Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Galway-Mayo Institute of technology
Microplastic pollution:Freshwater &
Marine Research perspectivesDr Anne Marie Mahon
Dr Roisin NashMarine and Freshwater Research Centre,
Galway-Mayo Institute of technology
Microplastic pollution: a FreshwaterperspectiveDr Anne Marie Mahon
2015 Desk-Top study
Mahon et al., 2016
• Potential sources of microplastic pollution in Irish freshwater environments
• Identifies catchments with high risk of microplastics pollution
• Describes sources of MPs
Process sector On-site treatment
Microplastics Per m3
Polymerisation Medical devices company (IPPC-licensed)
Yes 51,400
Plastic machining Recycling company Yes 661,000
modified from Mahon et al., 2015
Discharges of microplastics to sewer from Industry
Accidental discharges
Allowable discharges
In all plastics industries (including IPPC-licensed facilities), a suspended solids (SS) limit is in place (mg/L). This can equate to high MP loadings.
Problem flagged internationally in a study of an Austrian company by Lechner and rambler (2015).
Discharges of microplastics to sewer from Industry
Potential pathways of microplastics from industry
Waste water treatment plants
Storm water drain
Direct input to freshwater systems (via run off)
emissions to atmosphere
Accidental spillages
Accidental emissions to sewer
Allowable emissions to sewer
Plastics Industries
Storm water
Sources, Pathways and Environmental fate of MPs
Storm water Direct input
Pathways of MPs from discharges to sewer
Wastewater Treatment Plants
?
Receiving waters
90% MPs
10% MPs
Impact ?
modified from Mahon et al., 2017
Sources-Landfill -Industry-Storm
- Domestic
Characterise microplastics sources
Sources, Pathways and Environmental fate of MPs
Construction Artificial pitches
Quantify microplastics at 3 waste water treatment plants
Preliminary results show aspects of construction design dramatically reduce the leakage of microplastics from Astro-turf pitches
Receptorsmicro-plastic Source
Pathways
Potential points of potential Intervention
Legislation/regulation to reduce production/use
• Awareness for consumers
Effective waste management
Change of industrial processes
Capture and effective management
Technological upgrades
Capture devices
Clean-ups
Sources, Pathways and Environmental fate of MPs
Pathways of MPs from sources to aquatic receptors (rivers)
Overland flow/run-off Vertical migration
Sources, Pathways and Environmental fate of MPs
Potential for tropic transfer and suitable bioindicators
Otter (spraints)
Grey Heron (pellets)
Salmonidae
Minnow
Macroinvertebrates feeding groups MPs Present in
macroinvertebrates
Preliminary results show MPs present in river water samples within the Slaney catchment
Project Team
Dr Ian O’ Connor Dr Roísín NashDr Heather LallyDr Anne Marie Mahon James O Connor PhD candidateDr Sinead Murphy
Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, GMIT
Dr John O SullivanProf. Michael BruenLinda Heerey PhD candidate
Prof. Albert Keolmans
UCD Earth Institute & UCD Dooge Centre
for Water Resources Research
Wageningen University & Research Centre
Sources, Pathways and Environmental fate of MPs
Commenced January 2017
Microplastic pollution: A marine
perspectiveDr Roisin Nash
An Irish Context
Adapted form the Marine Institute 2018
GMIT – Experienced marine MP scientists analytical methods including the Identification and quantification of MPs in seawater, sediments and biota
• Build a knowledge base (Ireland)• Comparative/standardised
methodologies
• (Irish) Commercial species• Ecosystem based approach(Irish case
studies)
PhD – Building on MP Knowledge baseDr Amy Lusher
Microplastics m−3
(470 samples - 2000 L of seawater)
True's beaked whale(Mesoplodon mirus)
North Atlantic mesopelagic fish
Implementation of OSPAR EcoQo for marine litter
• Beach bird and colony surveys – citizen science
• Bird necroscopy - methodologies• Led to policy change – EcoQo
applicability in Ireland• Evolved into investigation of seabird egg
EcoQo
Dr Heidi Acampora
PhD – Building on MP Knowledge basepolicy relevant
Andrew Power PhD candidate
PhDs – Building on MP Knowledge base (Seabirds)Niall Keogh PhD Candidate
Offshore – interactions seabirds and marine litter
Dr La Daana Kanhai
Microplastic abundance, distribution and composition along a latitudinal gradient in the Atlantic Ocean
PhD – Building on MP Knowledge base
Microplastic abundance in the Arctic Central Basin
Comparing methodologies in surface Seawater sampling
Dr Anne Marie Mahon
Guiseppe Suaria PhD Candidate
Manta net vrs.Neuston net
Dr Róisín Nash
Sampling
Processing
Identification
Quantification
Characterisation and quantification of microplastics ingested by pelagic fish
Sprat (Sprattus sprattus)
Atlantic Herring (Clupea harengus)
Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
Marine Pyl MSc
Dublin Bay Prawn(Nephrops norvegicus)
Jenevieve Hara MSc Candidate
Research on MPs in Commercial species
Research on MPs in Commercial species
Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea)
Darragh Doyle PhD Candidate
Lugworm (Arenicola marina)
Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)
Anna RafertyMSc Candidate
Undergraduate thesis
Microplastics in Galway Bay: an ecosystem based approach
Elena Pagter MSc
IMP.actManaging for Microplastics: A Baseline to Inform Policy Stakeholders
An ecosystem-based approach of Galway Bay and its environs:
• Intertidal & Subtidal• Water• Sediment• Biota
Galway Bay – Case study
Dr João Frias
Thank you to all our funders and research partners without them this research would
not be possible
Dr Anne Marie Mahon & Dr Róisín NashMarine and Freshwater Research Centre,
Galway-Mayo Institute of [email protected]
GMIT - Relevant publications on MPsLusher, A.L., Burke, A., O’Connor, I., Officer, R., 2014. Microplastic pollution in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean: Validated and opportunistic
sampling. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 88, 325–333.
Lusher, A.L., O’Donnell, C., Officer, R., O’Connor, I.,2015a. Microplastic interactions with North Atlantic mesopelagic fish. ICES J. Mar. Sci. J. du Cons .
Lusher, A.L., Tirelli, V., O’Connor, I.,Officer, R., 2015b. Microplastics in Arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples. Sci. Rep. 5, 14947.
Lusher, A.L., Hernandez-Milian, G., O'Brien, J., Berrow, S., O'Connor, I. and Officer, R., 2015. Microplastic and macroplastic ingestion by a deep diving, oceanic cetacean: The True's beaked whale Mesoplodon mirus. Environmental Pollution, 199, pp.185-191.
Acampora, H., Lyashevska, O., Van Franeker, J.A. and O'Connor, I. (2016). The use of beached bird surveys for marine plastic litter monitoring in Ireland. Marine Environmental Research, 120, pp.122-129.
Acampora, H., Berrow, S.D., Newton, S. and O'Connor, I. (in review). Presence of plastic litter in pellets from Great Cormorant (Phalacrocoraxcarbo) in Ireland
La Daana, K.K., Officer, R., Lyashevska, O., Thompson, R.C. and O'Connor, I., 2016. Microplastic abundance, distribution and composition along a latitudinal gradient in the Atlantic Ocean. Marine Pollution Bulletin.
Frias, J.P.G.L, Nash, R., (2019). Microplastics: Finding a consensus on the definition. Marine Pollution Bulletin 138, pp. 145-147
Frias, J. P.G.L, Nash, R., O’Connor, I., et al., (2018). Standardised protocol for monitoring microplastics in sediments. JPI-Oceans BASEMAN project.
Frias, J. P.G.L, Nash, R., O’Connor, I., et al., (2018). Standardised protocol for monitoring microplastics in seawater. JPI-Oceans BASEMAN project.
Pagter, E., Frias, J., Nash, R., (2018). Microplastics in Galway Bay: A comparison of sampling and separation methods. Marine Pollution Bulletin 135, pp. 932-940.
Mahon, A.M., Officer, R., Nash, R., O'Connor, I., (2017). Scope, fate, risks and impacts of microplastic pollution in Irish Freshwater Systems (2014-HW-DS-2) EPA Final Report. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Mahon, A.M., O’Connell, B., Healy, M.G., O’Connor, I., Officer, R., Nash, R., Morrison, L., (2016). Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: Effects of Treatment. Environmental Science & Technology 51, 810-818.