The presence and danger of microplastics in the oceans

Since the environmental pollution by microplastics is a relatively new area of research, the main problem is the lack of appropriate rules, regulations and parameters globally. Therefore, the sources of primary and secondary microplastics particles vary from source to source, and due to this the difference in the division of microplastic particles by size arises too. Moreover, various techniques and technologies are used when testing seawater and sediment as well. Ultimately, with different qualities of the obtained results, it leads to difficult and/or inadequate comparison. Furthermore, the research has been mainly conducted on smaller marine organisms, which needs to be extended to other larger organisms as well as to the human population to create a complete image of the negative effects of contamination of the marine food chain and the marine environment with microplastic particles in general.

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SMFC as a tool for the removal of hydrocarbons and metals in the marine environment: a concise research update

Environmental Science and Pollution Research ◽

10.1007/s11356-021-13593-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Edvige Gambino ◽

Kuppam Chandrasekhar ◽

Rosa Anna Nastro

Keyword(s):

Marine Environment ◽

Microbial Fuel Cells ◽

Energy Production ◽

Marine Pollution ◽

Future Perspectives ◽

Sediment Remediation ◽

Marine Food Chain ◽

Marine Food ◽

Accumulation Of Pollutants ◽

Insight Into

AbstractMarine pollution is becoming more and more serious, especially in coastal areas. Because of the sequestration and consequent accumulation of pollutants in sediments (mainly organic compounds and heavy metals), marine environment restoration cannot exempt from effective remediation of sediments themselves. It has been well proven that, after entering into the seawater, these pollutants are biotransformed into their metabolites, which may be more toxic than their parent molecules. Based on their bioavailability and toxic nature, these compounds may accumulate into the living cells of marine organisms. Pollutants bioaccumulation and biomagnification along the marine food chain lead to seafood contamination and human health hazards. Nowadays, different technologies are available for sediment remediation, such as physicochemical, biological, and bioelectrochemical processes. This paper gives an overview of the most recent techniques for marine sediment remediation while presenting sediment-based microbial fuel cells (SMFCs). We discuss the issues, the progress, and future perspectives of SMFC application to the removal of hydrocarbons and metals in the marine environment with concurrent energy production. We give an insight into the possible mechanisms leading to sediment remediation, SMFC energy balance, and future exploitation.

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Potential Use of Biomarkers in Zooplankton as Early Warning Signals of Ecotoxicological Risk in the Marine Food Chain

Marine Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1439-0485.2002.tb00027.x ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 23 (s1) ◽

pp. 291-296 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Roberta Minutoli ◽

Maria Cristina Fossi ◽

Letterio Guglielmo

Keyword(s):

Food Chain ◽

Early Warning ◽

Warning Signals ◽

Early Warning Signals ◽

Ecotoxicological Risk ◽

Marine Food Chain ◽

Marine Food ◽

Potential Use

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The transfer of65Zn and 59Fe along a Fucus serratus (L.)→ Littorina obtusata (L.) food chain

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315400017276 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

pp. 583-610 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

M. L. Young

Keyword(s):

Trace Metals ◽

Radiation Exposure ◽

Marine Environment ◽

Food Chain ◽

Sea Water ◽

Food Chains ◽

Fresh Weight ◽

Littorina Obtusata ◽

Fucus Serratus ◽

Marine Food

In marine organisms the fresh-weight concentrations of the trace metals zinc and iron are 102–105 times the concentrations in sea water. Study of the transfer of these metals along marine food chains is of interest because of the possibility of their being pollutants of the marine environment. Also65Zn and 65Fe are released to the marine environment and have been found, in many instances, to be the predominant radionuclides in food chains leading to man (Lowman, Palumbo & South, 1957; Lowman, 1960; Osterberg, Pearcy & Curl, 1964; Preston, 1967). The transfer of these metals along marine food chains is thus of interest also in the context of human radiation exposure.

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