T8-2 | Plastic pollution: Impacts, fate, and innovations

T8-2

Plastic pollution: Impacts, fate, and innovations

Orals

| Tue, 03 Jun, 10:30–12:00 (CEST)|Room 7, Thu, 05 Jun, 16:00–17:30 (CEST)|Room 7

Posters on site

Further information on the theme is available at: https://one-ocean-science-2025.org/programme/themes.html#T8

Orals: Tue, 3 Jun, 10:30–12:00 | Room 7

Chairpersons: Daoji Li, Atsuhiko Isobe

10:30–10:40

OOS2025-107

Impact of micro-and nanoplastic contamination on reef-building corals

Eric Béraud, Léna Cannestrier, and Christine Ferrier Pagès

Hermatypic corals form the foundation of tropical reefs, which are considered biodiversity hotspots. The threats they face related to climate change have been extensively studied. However, new threats are emerging, particularly those posed by plastics. Their effects on coral species remain controversial and vary depending on the species studied, the type of plastics, and their size. This is why we focused on two species of tropical corals, Stylophora pistillata and Turbinaria reniformis, in the presence of different particles: micro and nanoplastics. We specifically examined the algal-coral symbiosis through the physiology of the corals and the photosynthetic capacities of their symbionts.

The results show that both the coral species and the size of the plastic particles play a significant role in the observed changes in parameters. Microplastics cause more pronounced effects, particularly on the symbiosis of S. pistillata, leading to the loss of dinoflagellates, a phenomenon known as bleaching. This results from the disruption of photosynthetic activity (decreased photosystem II activity, reduced chlorophyll content, etc.). The metabolism of the corals is also impacted, with a significant decrease in energy reserves (proteins, carbohydrates). Long-term exposure further exacerbates the observed deleterious effects. While nanoplastics seem to show fewer effects on the tested individuals, it is important to consider the concentration of particles used (2.5 x 10¹² particles L⁻¹), which, although higher than that of microplastics (1 x 10⁵ particles L⁻¹), remains lower compared to the actual fragmentation rate of microplastics into nanoplastics. It is crucial, through new studies, to test the effects of higher concentrations that are closer to environmental levels, in order to better understand the harmful effects that such small particles could have.

Hermatypic corals are the structural basis of tropical reefs, ecosystems known for their high biodiversity. While the effects of climate change on coral reefs are well documented, there are also newer threats, particularly from plastic pollution. The impact of plastics on corals remains controversial and varies by coral species, plastic type and particle size. This study investigates the effects of micro- and nanoplastics (1 × 10⁵ particles L^-¹ and 2.5 × 10¹² particles L^-¹ for micro-and nanoplastic respectively) on two tropical coral species, Stylophora pistillata and Turbinaria reniformis. We assessed the integrity of the coral-algal symbiosis by analyzing the physiology of the corals and the photosynthetic performance of their algal symbionts.

Our results show that both the coral species and the size of the plastic particles significantly influence the physiological responses. Microplastics caused greater effects than nanoplastics, particularly in S. pistillata, which suffered symbiont loss or "bleaching" following a decrease in photosystem II efficiency or in chlorophyll content. The coral metabolism was also impaired, as evidenced by reduced energy reserves (proteins, carbohydrates). Prolonged exposure exacerbated these effects. Although nanoplastics had less noticeable effects on the corals, the particle concentration used in this study is still below environmentally relevant levels resulting from the fragmentation rates of microplastics. Further research at higher nanoplastic concentrations is essential to assess the full extent of the impact of these small particles on coral health.

How to cite: Béraud, E., Cannestrier, L., and Ferrier Pagès, C.: Impact of micro-and nanoplastic contamination on reef-building corals, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-107, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-107, 2025.

10:40–10:50

OOS2025-474

ECOP

Evaluating the environmental impact of cleaning the North Pacific Garbage Patch

Matthias Egger and the co-workers

Ocean plastic pollution is a pressing environmental challenge and removal of legacy plastic pollution is needed to avoid long-term ecological damage in our oceans. At the same time, cleanups need to ensure that there is a net environmental benefit, i.e., that the harm reduction achieved by removing plastic pollution exceeds potential environmental damage caused by the cleanup. Here, we present a novel plastic pollution impact assessment framework and apply it to evaluate whether cleanups targeting legacy plastic pollution accumulated in the North Pacific Garbage Patch (NPGP) can provide a net environmental benefit to marine life and carbon cycling in the North Pacific subtropical gyre, using The Ocean Cleanup as a case study. Our findings suggest that cleaning the NPGP may have a net positive impact on marine life in the area, with largest benefits for seabirds, marine mammals and zooplankton. It may further mitigate possible long-term impacts on regional carbon cycling by avoiding the generation of secondary microplastics, which have the potential to modify carbon flows through food webs. However, the long-term benefits of plastics removal to ocean carbon sequestration remain uncertain and require improved estimation of the persistence of ocean plastic pollution and its influence on carbon fluxes. Our framework provides a critically needed tool to assess impacts of environmental remediations on marine ecosystems. Such frameworks will remain especially useful and timely to evaluate the outcomes of the United Nations Treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction and the Global Plastics Treaty.

How to cite: Egger, M. and the co-workers: Evaluating the environmental impact of cleaning the North Pacific Garbage Patch, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-474, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-474, 2025.

10:50–11:00

OOS2025-129

Rivers as conduits of microplastic emission from wastewater treatment plants to the sea

(withdrawn)

Yan Lin

11:00–11:10

OOS2025-220

Functional study of the ingestion and excretion of microplastics by marine coastal copepods

Emma Jalliffier-Merlon, Dominique Jamet, Jean-Louis Jamet, Léa Lambert, and Houssam Hajjoul

Zooplanktonic organisms, particularly copepods, play a critical role in marine food webs, linking primary producers to higher consumers and participating in the biogeochemical cycles of marine ecosystems. With increasing ocean pollution of microplastics, their ingestion by marine organisms as copepods is a growing problem of pollution in marine ecosystems and, indirectly and consequently, for human health. Copepods, as primary consumers, can be important vectors in the transfer and dispersion of these microplastics. Our study, conducted in Toulon Bay (NW Mediterranean Sea, France), targeted four dominant copepod genera: Oithona spp. (ambush feeding), Euterpina spp. (cruising filtration) and Acartia spp. and Centropages spp. (sweeping filtration), representing three different feeding behaviors. The study investigated how microplastic particles, size 5 and 10 μm diameter, influenced the ingestion, the excretion of these particles and the properties of faecal pellets. The results showed that microplastic ingestion in the presence of phytoplankton was more pronounced in filter-feeding and cruising copepods with 13 and 14 MP.cop^-1.d^-1, respectively, compared to ambush-feeding with 2 MP.cop^-1.d^-1. A preference for 10 μm microplastics in sweep-feeding copepods was shown with 9 MP.cop^-1d^-1 versus 3 MP.cop^-1.d^-1. Although no significant influence on faecal pellets production was observed, a decrease of the volume of fecal pellets produced by filter-feeding-cruising copepods was recorded with a decrease of 27.5%. These results highlight the importance of studying the impact of feeding behaviors on the incorporation of microplastics into trophic webs by copepods.

How to cite: Jalliffier-Merlon, E., Jamet, D., Jamet, J.-L., Lambert, L., and Hajjoul, H.: Functional study of the ingestion and excretion of microplastics by marine coastal copepods, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-220, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-220, 2025.

11:10–11:20

OOS2025-62

Separation of plastic degrading bacteria from biofilm using electromagnetic radiation by switch off quorum sensing

Harshal Jadhav and Abhay Fulke

Quorum sensing has used to achieve high cellular density by which a bacterial community makes biofilm on a substrate. Intensity of bioluminescence per microbial cell is constant at high culture density however it decreases considerably at low culture density. Based on this fact, it is hypothesized that bioluminescence switch off quorum sensing regulation among the microbial community once high cellular density was achieved; as bioluminescence requires energy and microbial systems are highly regulated, microbes does not spend energy for process which is of no use. Multispecies microbes involved in biofilm formation on plastic surface can be unsocialized by exposing to different energies (wavelength) of electromagnetic radiations in a novel experimental setup. Detailed output parameters that statistically performed include: (a) DNA quantity (85% to 98% more DNA was obtained in light treated samples compared to control), (b) total bacterial count using DAPI dye by epifluorescence (2.8×10⁵, 6.1×10⁵, 6.7×10⁵ for control, blue light treated, red light treated samples respectively after 48 hours of treatment) and (c) cultivation of plastic-degrading microbes on modified Bushnell Hass agar (obtained microbial growth for blue and red light treated samples but no growth for control samples). Metagenomics DNA sequencing analysis revealed that various microbial species respond to electromagnetic radiation of specific wavelength and compare it with control that is microbes recover in without light treatment setup that is loosely attached microorganisms from plastic biofilm which may not be directly involve in plastic degradation. These loosely attached microorganisms must show symbiotic relation with actual plastic degrading microorganisms (recover by electromagnetic radiation treatment). Based on experimental findings, microbial quorum sensing can successfully regulated and detach multispecies plastic-degrading biofilm to be used for further analysis or treatment by electromagnetic radiations.

How to cite: Jadhav, H. and Fulke, A.: Separation of plastic degrading bacteria from biofilm using electromagnetic radiation by switch off quorum sensing, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-62, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-62, 2025.

11:20–11:30

OOS2025-328

ECOP

Community-oriented implementation of interception booms for coastal protection against marine debris in Rio de Janeiro

Rodrigo Marques, Diego Fonseca, Cintya Sakamoto, Raphaela Bertolotti, and Susana Vinzon

Marine pollution from anthropogenic solid waste, particularly plastics, is a global issue exacerbated by the continuous increase in production and disposal of these materials into the ocean. Despite public policies over the past decade, planned mitigation mechanisms still seem insufficient for the protection of aquatic environments and coastal communities. In this context, the Orla Sem Lixo (OSL) Project proposes an integrated solution by creating a value chain from floating plastic waste through interception, collection, transport, and chemical recovery of these residues. This study aims to analyze the applicability of interception booms for protecting coastal environments. A 320-meter-long prototype, portraited in Figure 1, was built on Fundão Island, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was developed and is being operated in partnership with an artisanal fishing community, using reconditioned EPS residue was used as primary floating material. To evaluate its applicability, a cost analysis was conducted along with the observation of waste accumulation in a sampling area. During the monitoring period, the average waste input rate in the protected area decreased from 13.5 g/m² per day to 1.0 g/m² per day, as showed in Table 1. Low-cost materials led to implementation cost around USD 16.00 per meter of boom. Therefore, there appear to be promising prospects for the application of this type of technology as a viable tool for coastal ecosystem protection. This result supports the continued development of the integrated solution proposed by the project.

Figure 1: Portrait of floating waste interception boom, 21/10/2024.

Table 1: Summary of waste mass accumulation rate results

Prototype Version	Number of Collections	Average results (g/m²/day)	Median results (g/m²/day)	Standard Deviation (g/m²/day)
No version installed	10	13.52	7.76	18.20
Version 1	4	6.99	1.96	10.72
Version 2	17	3.42	1.89	6.40
Version 3	14	0.98	0.77	0.76

How to cite: Marques, R., Fonseca, D., Sakamoto, C., Bertolotti, R., and Vinzon, S.: Community-oriented implementation of interception booms for coastal protection against marine debris in Rio de Janeiro, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-328, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-328, 2025.

11:30–11:40

OOS2025-519

ECOP

Lanternfish as bioindicator of microplastics in the deep sea: A spatiotemporal analysis using museum specimens

Guilherme Ferreira, Anne Justino, Júlia Martins, Leandro Eduardo, Natascha Schmidt, Magali Albignac, Adriana Braga, Paulo Costa, Luciano Fischer, Alexandra ter Halle, Arnaud Bertrand, Flávia Lucena-Frédou, and Michael Mincarone

Microplastics (MPs: <5000 µm) represent the largest share of plastic waste on the ocean surface, with an estimated abundance of 5 to 51 trillion particles. Although the water column below 200 meters represents over 90% of the Earth's biosphere. This lack of research leaves substantial gaps in our understanding of the fate of MPs in the deep ocean and raises significant concerns about the sublethal effects of hazardous chemical compounds released by these particles. Here we investigated MP ingestion in lanternfishes (Myctophidae), one of the most abundant vertebrates in the world. Several quality assurance and quality control procedures were implemented for MP extraction (detection limit of 20 µm) in a robust sample design, encompassing 14 Myctophidae species. Using archived samples from museum collections (from 1999 to 2017), we present the earliest records of MP ingestion for this group in the Atlantic, considering biological and environmental aspects, enabling temporal comparisons across multiple sampling campaigns in the Southwestern Atlantic. Microplastics were detected in 55% of the 1167 specimens analysed, with an average of 0.95 ±1.22 MP individual^-1. Despite the relatively short chronological gap between the sampling years and the present, global plastic production has increased by about 53% during this period. Interestingly, almost half of the lanternfishes analysed contained at least one particle in the gastrointestinal tract in the earliest data, whereas the incidence increased to two-thirds in the latest data available (2017). Although the shape and colour compositions of MPs followed a similar proportion. General Linear Models indicated that specimens collected in 1999, 2000, and 2010 had a 44%, 23% and 20% lower probability of MP ingestion, respectively, than those collected in 2017. Notably, the migratory patterns and the depth at which fish were captured emerged as more robust predictors of MP ingestion than temporal variation, underscoring the importance of vertical distribution in assessing MP exposure in deep-pelagic species. Likewise, studies have consistently shown stable or minor increases in MP contamination in marine biota. Further analysis of specimens collected in 1999-2000 revealed a pronounced depth-related pattern in the number and size of MPs detected. Specimens captured in the bathypelagic zone (> 1000 m depth) had the lowest number of particles, while those from the upper mesopelagic zone had an eightfold higher probability of MP ingestion. Feeding activity also played a significant role, as evidenced by the slight positive correlation between the gastrointestinal tract weight of fish and the number of detected MPs. Specifically, each additional gram in gastrointestinal tract weight was associated with a 19% increase in the likelihood of MP ingestion. The total polymer concentration detected by Py-GM-MS/MS was at ppm levels, this concentration was one order of magnitude higher than the amount detected in M. edulis from the North Sea in the same period. Lanternfishes were generally more likely to ingest high-density polymers, although polyethylene had the highest concentration (445.5 ± 526.4 µg g^-1 gastrointestinal tract). Finally, lanternfishes are valuable bioindicators of deep-sea environments, and museum collections can serve as essential tools for monitoring plastic pollution.

How to cite: Ferreira, G., Justino, A., Martins, J., Eduardo, L., Schmidt, N., Albignac, M., Braga, A., Costa, P., Fischer, L., ter Halle, A., Bertrand, A., Lucena-Frédou, F., and Mincarone, M.: Lanternfish as bioindicator of microplastics in the deep sea: A spatiotemporal analysis using museum specimens, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-519, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-519, 2025.

11:40–12:00

Discussion

Orals: Thu, 5 Jun, 16:00–17:30 | Room 7

Chairpersons: Daoji Li, Alessandra Giorgetti

16:00–16:10

OOS2025-603

ECOP

Dispersion of Marine Plastic Debris in Southeast Asia: Contributions of Indonesian Riverine Inputs and Particle Buoyancy

Dava Amrina, Christophe Maes, Lisa Weiss, and Marine Hermann

The complex ocean circulation in Southeast Asia plays a significant role in the dispersion of marine plastic pollutants. Plastic pollution in South East Asian seas is critical environmental issues due to high coastal population and waste mismanagement, which contribute to degradation of marine ecosystem. A three-dimensional Lagrangian particle tracking model is used to analyze the advection mechanisms driving the dispersion and transfer of pollutants from major Indonesian river mouths into Indonesian Seas and broader Southeast Asian waters. To simulate the fate of marine pollution, particles with varying buoyancies were continuously released over four years with origins from 31 major rivers across Southeast Asia. The particle Lagrangian trajectories are calculated based on dynamic simulations at high horizontal resolution of 5 km currents from the SYMPHONIE model, integrating atmospheric, tidal and river forcing to represent coastal circulation dynamics accurately.

These Lagrangian simulations reveal that 5% of particles entered Indonesian waters, 22% exited from the open boundaries, 36.5% remained within, and 36.6% stayed outside Indonesia throughout the simulation period. This distribution indicates significant sub-basin connectivity of marine plastic debris, with more than one-fifth of the particles leaving Indonesian territorial waters, the impact of external oceanic forces on regional pollution dispersion. The vertical distribution of particles shows that 78.7% are concentrated in the upper 10 meters of the water column, primarily influenced by surface currents and wind-driven forces, enhancing their potential for coastal accumulation.

Further analysis demonstrates that particles with higher negative buoyancy tend to occupy shallower depths, while neutrally buoyant particles are more likely to sink to deeper layers. This vertical stratification highlights the critical role of buoyancy in determining the transport pathways and residence times of pollutants across different oceanic layers. These findings suggest that targeted pollution control efforts should focus on surface and deeper waters, adapting mitigation strategies to address the specific behavior of round particles based on their buoyancy characteristics and sizes. By advancing our understanding of pollutant dispersion and cross-boundary movement, this study provides essential insights for regional pollution management and collaborative efforts to mitigate marine pollution in Southeast Asia.

Keywords: plastic debris, particle dispersion, river, buoyancy effect, basin connectivity, Indonesian Seas, Southeast Asia.

How to cite: Amrina, D., Maes, C., Weiss, L., and Hermann, M.: Dispersion of Marine Plastic Debris in Southeast Asia: Contributions of Indonesian Riverine Inputs and Particle Buoyancy, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-603, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-603, 2025.

16:10–16:20

OOS2025-1202

ECOP

Flowing from land to sea: developing innovative strategies for detection, prevention and collection of land-based plastic waste in European rivers

Mariana N. Miranda, Ana Isabel Catarino, Daniel González-Fernández, Mercedes Vélez-Nicolás, Miguel J. Sánchez-Guerrero-Hernández, George Triantaphyllidis, Gaetano Bertino, Helen Dolinsek, Annamaria Vujanović, Joydeep Dutta, Liesbeth De Keukelaere, Els Knaeps, Ils Reusen, Lisa Devriese, Silke De Buyser, and Gert Everaert

Different sources and pathways contribute to the plastic waste inputs into rivers, such as inadequate waste management in the river basin, insufficient water treatment of urban wastewater and rural/industrial discharges, and stormwater runoff. The plastic polluting rivers can then be transported downstream and reach the ocean, expanding the impacts of the land-based sources of plastic pollution from riverine to marine environments. Thus, the detection and collection of plastics and other waste in the rivers is instrumental in mitigating the pressing marine litter issue. In parallel, preventing the current inputs of plastic waste into the river allows for a reduction of the pollution at the source and of its impact on the riverine environment. The Innovative Solutions for Plastic Free European Rivers (INSPIRE) project’s primary objective is to contribute to the reduction of plastic litter by implementing a holistic strategy that focuses on detecting, collecting, and preventing waste in river systems. For that, we are currently testing and evaluating 20 technologies and actions that enable us to: i) detect litter in rivers through sampling with different devices or through observations with monitoring apps, drones and bridge-mounted camaras; ii) collect litter from rivers (water surface/column, riverbed and riverbanks) using different cleanup technologies and manual cleanups organized with the engagement of local citizens; iii) prevent litter by removing it from the waste streams with different plastic removal technologies installed in urban infrastructure (e.g., in wastewater treatment plants); iv) develop sustainable alternatives for existing non-degradable polluting products (e.g., plastic packaging and agricultural films). The 20 technologies and actions are being implemented in 6 demo river sites across Europe and in other prevention sites to test agricultural applications and to reduce single-use plastic waste associated with events (e.g., music festivals). The data collected is being used to create a database of plastic pollution levels in the European rivers, and to feed riverine models that will be used to estimate the transported and accumulated plastic in the rivers and to support the selection of the optimal solutions through a decision-support tool. The sustainability of the solutions is evaluated with a techno-economic analysis, which will enable the creation of action plans towards upscaling and replication. Together, the cost-benefit sustainability analysis and tools created culminate in a master plan for achieving the project primary goal and to protect and restore the health of our ocean and waters through research, innovation, blue investments, and increased awareness with the involvement of local citizens and stakeholders.

How to cite: Miranda, M. N., Catarino, A. I., González-Fernández, D., Vélez-Nicolás, M., Sánchez-Guerrero-Hernández, M. J., Triantaphyllidis, G., Bertino, G., Dolinsek, H., Vujanović, A., Dutta, J., De Keukelaere, L., Knaeps, E., Reusen, I., Devriese, L., De Buyser, S., and Everaert, G.: Flowing from land to sea: developing innovative strategies for detection, prevention and collection of land-based plastic waste in European rivers, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1202, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1202, 2025.

16:20–16:30

OOS2025-1025

ECOP

Diving into the deep: unveiling small microplastics in Norwegian coastal sediment cores

Fangzhu Wu, Karin Zonneveld, Hendrik Wolschke, Robin von Elm, Sebastian Primpke, Gerard Versteegh, and Gunnar Gerdts

High concentrations of microplastics (MPs) have been documented in the deep-sea surface sediments of the Arctic Ocean, yet studies on the high-resolution vertical distribution of MPs in sediment from European waters to the Arctic are scarce. The European-wide project FACTS (Fluxes and Fate of Microplastics in Northern European Waters), funded by JPI Oceans, aimed to address the vertical transport of MPs in this study area. This study examines MPs in five sediment cores collected from the Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC), encompassing the water-sediment interface and sediment layers up to 19 cm depth. Advanced analytical methods for MP identification down to 11 μm in size were combined with radiometric dating and lithology observations. Our findings reveal the widespread presence of MPs across sediment cores, spanning layers predating the mass production and introduction of plastics. MP concentrations exhibit significant variation across the sediment cores with the smallest size class (11 μm) predominating most sediment layers. A total of 18 different polymer types were identified across all the sediment layers, with correlations between polymer diversity and depth showing high variability between stations. Our results suggest that differences in seafloor topography and the impact of anthropogenic activities (e.g. fishing) lead to varying environmental conditions at the sampling sites, influencing the vertical distribution of MPs. This calls into question the reliability of using environmental parameters to predict MP accumulation zones and MPs in sediment cores as indicators of the Anthropocene.

How to cite: Wu, F., Zonneveld, K., Wolschke, H., von Elm, R., Primpke, S., Versteegh, G., and Gerdts, G.: Diving into the deep: unveiling small microplastics in Norwegian coastal sediment cores, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1025, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1025, 2025.

16:30–16:40

OOS2025-589

13C-labeled nanoplastic model materials: Synthesis and evaluation of potential uses for experimental works through bioaccumulation test studies in aquatic crustaceans

Roxane Danquigny, Bruno Grassl, Javier Jimenez-Lamana, Séverine Le Faucheur, Marc Métian, François Oberhaensli, Khalil Sdiri, Karin Mattsson, Patrick Jame, Anthony Anchisi, Erik Bonjour, and Stéphanie Reynaud

Considerable advances have been made recently to quantify nanoplastics in the environment but complex matrices such as biota remains a challenge. We propose for the first time, a labeling strategy to quantify nanoplastics in complex matrices, without any interferences or extensive sample preparation, using an elemental analyzer coupled with an isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS) and compared to Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), to study the uptake of nanoplastics in aquatic crustacea.

¹³C-labeled nanoplastic model materials were synthetized mimicking naturally aged plastics and ensuring their stability in a wide range of media, from freshwaters to seawater. Aquatic crustaceans (Artemia sp.) were exposed to these nanoplastic model materials at different concentrations, including environmentally realistic ones. The uptake was directly related to the exposure time and concentration, with a tendency of higher accumulation in females. The depuration kinetics indicated a depuration in two steps. Our study demonstrates the potential of ¹³C-labeling, associated with EA-IRMS detection, and offers a new labeling strategy to quantitatively track nanoplastics in complex matrices, strategy that could be applied to a wide range of experiments and in the same way to other stable isotopes. This approach allows for an increased understanding of the impacts of nanoplastics on marine organisms under realistic exposure conditions, through the development of analytical protocols, with detection limits (LOD) and quantification limits (LOQ) reaching 2 mg.kg⁻¹ and 7 mg.kg⁻¹, respectively, in aquatic crustaceans.

How to cite: Danquigny, R., Grassl, B., Jimenez-Lamana, J., Le Faucheur, S., Métian, M., Oberhaensli, F., Sdiri, K., Mattsson, K., Jame, P., Anchisi, A., Bonjour, E., and Reynaud, S.: 13C-labeled nanoplastic model materials: Synthesis and evaluation of potential uses for experimental works through bioaccumulation test studies in aquatic crustaceans, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-589, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-589, 2025.

16:40–16:50

OOS2025-1029

Car tire particles and their additives: biomarkers for recent exposure in marine environments

Claudia Halsband, Fanny Hägg, Kristin Galtung, Dorte Herzke, Andy M. Booth, and Vladimir Nikiforov

Car tire particles represent an important category of microplastics that is difficult to alleviate. The particles stem from abrasion during driving, so-called tire wear particles (TWPs), down-cycled end-of-life tire granulate, popular as low-cost infill on sports fields, or degradation products from discarded tires. The material contains a variety of additives and chemical residues from the manufacturing process, including metals, especially high concentrations of zinc, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and benzothiazoles, but also para-phenylenediamines (PPDs) and numerous other organic chemicals. In urbanized areas, TWPs are emitted from roads, and granulates disperse from artifical sports fields and other urban surfaces to the environment, suggesting that runoff to coastal systems is likely and a route of exposure to marine organisms. Recent experimental studies show tire rubber particles in marine animals from different functional groups in addition to uptake of tire-related organic chemicals into biological tissues. These include bivalves, crabs, and fish, representing different body sizes, marine habitats, and feeding modes, and thus varying exposure scenarios. Our findings from GC-HRMS SIM chromatography demonstrate that different marine species ingest tire rubber particles, and that several tire additives are taken up into tissues post-ingestion. Although the organic chemicals do not seem to bioaccumulate, they are specific and bioavailable chemicals in tire materials. Mapping of tire rubber particle distributions in coastal systems, dose-response toxicity testing and risk assessments of environmental concentrations are thus warranted, also with a view to potential trophic transfer and implications for human health.

How to cite: Halsband, C., Hägg, F., Galtung, K., Herzke, D., Booth, A. M., and Nikiforov, V.: Car tire particles and their additives: biomarkers for recent exposure in marine environments, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1029, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1029, 2025.

16:50–17:00

OOS2025-1541

ECOP

Artisanal trawl fisheries as a sentinel of marine litter pollution

Josué Viejo, Andrés Cózar, Rocío Quintana, and Carmen Morales-Caselles

17:00–17:10

OOS2025-1585

Marine Plastic Monitoring, Assessment, and Policy

Daoji Li, Khalida Jabeen, Wei Nian, Muhan Su, and Xinyu Bu

Marine Plastic Monitoring, Assessment, and Policy

Khalida Jabeen,¹² Daoji Li,¹² Wei Nian,¹² Muhan Su,¹² Xinyu Bu¹²

¹State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China

² Regional Training and Research Center on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics, IOC-UNESCO, Shanghai 200241, China

Abstract

Marine plastic pollution is a significant global issue causing harm to marine ecosystems, economies, and human health. Millions of tons of plastic debris enter marine environments annually, originating from various sources such as land-based runoff, wastewater discharge, improper waste management practices, shipping, and aquaculture. Effective monitoring, assessment, and policy interventions are crucial to address this issue.

Monitoring involves collecting and analyzing data to determine the source, amount, and impacts of plastic debris. Techniques include oceanographic surveys, remote sensing, and citizen science initiatives. Assessment frameworks are essential for understanding the impacts of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems and informing stakeholders. Policy frameworks emphasize prevention, mitigation, and enforcement, with global initiatives based on global partnerships on marine litter providing strategic frameworks.

Preventing plastic pollution through a life-cycle approach, focusing on lowering plastic manufacturing and consumption, and investing in research and monitoring programs are vital for developing effective strategies for plastic pollution management. Governments and organizations should allocate resources to improve monitoring capabilities and expedite the global policy-making process, promoting innovative recycling technologies and alternative materials to support the circular economy.

In conclusion, addressing marine plastic pollution requires a multifaceted approach that combines monitoring, comprehensive assessment, and the development of robust policies to create sustainable solutions.

How to cite: Li, D., Jabeen, K., Nian, W., Su, M., and Bu, X.: Marine Plastic Monitoring, Assessment, and Policy, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1585, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1585, 2025.

17:10–17:30

Discussion

Posters on site | Poster area "La Baleine"

Display time: Tue, 3 Jun, 17:00–Thu, 5 Jun, 20:00

P523

OOS2025-37

Prevalence of Nanoplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: A Growing Environmental Concern

Alexandra Ter Halle, Magali Albignac, Marie Arnould, Carmen Alvarez, Patrick Deixonne, Yann Ourmières, and Jean François Ghiglione

The majority of our knowledge about plastic pollution is based on microplastics, defined as particles measuring between 500 µm and 5 mm. Due to technical limitations, our understanding of nanoplastics (smaller than 1 µm) remains limited. Nonetheless, it is widely accepted that nanoplastics are more abundant, more widely dispersed, and pose a potentially greater risk to ecosystems and human health than microplastics¹. Nanoplastics also differ from microplastics in terms of transport mechanisms, reactivity with other particles, interaction with light, and bioavailability.

Given these distinctions, since 2021, we have conducted several field campaigns to quantify nanoplastics in the Mediterranean Sea, using the research vessel Expedition 7th Continent. A rigorous methodology was developed, encompassing sampling, isolation, and quantification via Py-GC-MS/MS, to ensure highly reliable results^{2, 3}. Particular attention was paid to quality control, which is a critical concern in nanoplastic analysis.

We detected nanoplastic concentrations in the Mediterranean in the µg/L range. These high concentrations are notable and likely result from the fact that the semi-enclosed Mediterranean Sea serves as the ultimate sink for plastic pollution originating from coastal countries, where plastic waste degrades into nanoplastics. The presentation of these data will also address their impact on current ecological risk assessment thresholds for plastics in marine environments.

References cited :

Mitrano, D. M.; Wick, P.; Nowack, B., Placing nanoplastics in the context of global plastic pollution. Nat Nanotechnol 2021, 16, (5), 491-500.
Albignac, M.; de Oliveira, T.; Landebrit, L.; Miquel, S.; Auguin, B.; Leroy, E.; Maria, E.; Mingotaud, A. F.; ter Halle, A., Tandem mass spectrometry enhances the performances of pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for microplastic quantification. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol. 2023, 172, 105993.
Albignac, M.; Maria, E.; De Oliveira, T.; Roux, C.; Goudouneche, D.; Mingotaud, A. F.; Bordeau, G.; ter Halle, A., Assessment of nanoplastic extraction from natural samples for quantification purposes. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management 2023, 20, 100862.

How to cite: Ter Halle, A., Albignac, M., Arnould, M., Alvarez, C., Deixonne, P., Ourmières, Y., and Ghiglione, J. F.: Prevalence of Nanoplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: A Growing Environmental Concern, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-37, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-37, 2025.

P524

OOS2025-303

Towards uniform metrological processes for the characterization and analysis of microplastics?

Maria El Rakwe, Lena Thomas, Maud Diop, and Enora Prado

Plastic debris is a widespread pollutant of the marine environment. In the recent years, most research focused on small plastic particles, so-called microplastics “MP” (particle size: 1 µm–5 mm). The assessment of environmental MP pollution requires a multi-step analytical process beginning by a sampling, then a sample preparation to realize a particulate characterization. All the process needs to be adapted to each kind of samples (seawater, sediment, biota). Unfortunately, this analysis is subject to great qualitative and quantitative variabilities due to the absence of a regulatory framework from sample preparation to analysis. Moreover, the acquired data feed the development of numerical models of particle movement in large oceanographic flows regardless of their sizes, shapes and chemical natures. In consequent, the robustness and repeatability of the analyses are essential to validate and refine these models. Work requiring the optimization of preparation and analysis methods or the establishment of uniform metrological processes is becoming essential.

Nevertheless, to estimate uncertainties, it is necessary to establish models that allow working with particles similar to those found in the environment. However, only calibrated plastic microbeads are available on the market, which is far from being representative of current pollution. There is therefore a strong demand for standardized microplastic fragments of various polymers. Different teams are working on this purpose but they all encounter the difficulty of separating small fragments (<100 µm) in the calibrated size range and nanometric particles. This presentation will illustrate the production of MP standard solution and their morphological characterization and quantification by specific tools based on flow imaging. Those standards will be used for the estimation of the uncertainties (Reporting limit, recovery rate…) due to sample preparation and analysis. These uncertainties will be recalculated on real samples and the results will be presented.

How to cite: El Rakwe, M., Thomas, L., Diop, M., and Prado, E.: Towards uniform metrological processes for the characterization and analysis of microplastics?, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-303, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-303, 2025.

P525

OOS2025-444

The increase of sea water temperature up-regulate the expression of Vibrio parahaemolyticus virulence factors implicated in adhesion and biofilm formation on plastics

Dorota Czerucka, Mélanie Billaud, François Seneca, and Eric Tambutté

Climate change driven seawater temperature (SWT) increase results in greater abundance and geographical expansion of marine pathogens, among which Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) causes serious economical and health issues. In addition, plastic pollution in ocean constitutes a vector for harmful pathogens dissemination. We investigate the effect of elevated SWT on the expression of genes implicated in adhesion and biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces in the clinical Vp strain RIMD2210633, that express hemolysins. Among the gene studied, the multivalent adhesion molecule-7 (MAM-7) and the GlcNAc binding protein A (GpbA) were implicated in the adhesion of Vp to abiotic and biotic surface while the type IV pili, the mannose sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA) and chitin-regulated pilus (PilA) facilitate attachment and biofilm formation. Data presented here show that at 21°C Vp are still viable but didn’t proliferate nor express the virulence factors. Interestingly, at 27°C all the factors are transiently expressed only in free-living bacteria as early as 1 hour of incubation and they are significantly up-regulated at 31°C. These data clearly show that SWT have an impact on the adhesion properties of free-living Vp to plastic support and thus emphasize the importance of climate change on the spread of this pathogenic bacteria.

How to cite: Czerucka, D., Billaud, M., Seneca, F., and Tambutté, E.: The increase of sea water temperature up-regulate the expression of Vibrio parahaemolyticus virulence factors implicated in adhesion and biofilm formation on plastics, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-444, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-444, 2025.

P526

OOS2025-490

Microplastic and additive release into seawater from face masks and cigarette butts: A laboratory experiment and risk estimation

Melanie Ourgaud, Christos Panagiotopoulos, Laure Papillon, Philippe Kerhervé, and Richard Sempéré

Plastic waste in the environment gradually degrades into microplastics, while organic additives within these plastics, can leach out over time during plastic aging. Each year, approximately 5.4 trillion cigarettes are produced, leading to the disposal of 4.5 trillion of cigarette butts worldwide. Similarly, with mask production potentially reaching 34.5 billion units annually, as observed in 2022 during the pandemic, and 10-20% of plastic waste being inadequately managed globally—whether left uncollected, improperly disposed of, or released into natural environments—it’s estimated that between 0.69 and 1.04 billion masks may end up in marine ecosystems each year. Yet, the environmental impact of these plastics, especially in marine ecosystems covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface, is still poorly understood.

In this study cigarette butts and face masks, were incubated in natural seawater under laboratory-controlled conditions for 80 days. The generation of microplastics and the leaching of toxic organic additives, such as phthalates (PAEs) and organophosphate esters (OPEs), from these plastic items into the dissolved phase were closely monitored. Changes were tracked using LDIR for microplastics and GC/MS for additives, with bacterial conditions (biotic and abiotic) varied throughout the experiment. Our results showed that polypropylene (98.5%) was the primary polymer released from face masks, while modified cellulose acetate (91.5%) was predominant in cigarette butts. We found that that a single cigarette butt releases approximately 590 ± 310 microplastic particles (n = 6) per litter, while a single face mask contributes around 1 500 ± 1 000 particles into seawater (n = 6). Additionally, our findings revealed that these microplastic debris types (cigarette butts and masks) were composed of around 20% fibers and 80% fragments.

Our results also indicated that both cigarette butts and face masks released significant amounts of PAEs followed by OPEs into the surrounding seawater during the first month. Di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) were the primary PAEs leached from face masks, accounting for 31% and 21%, respectively, of the total PAEs released. In cigarette butts, diethyl phthalate (DEP) was the dominant PAE at 57%, followed by di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) at 11%. In both materials, 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDP) was the main OPE detected, contributing 19% and 18%, respectively. Finally, our results demonstrated that bacterial exposure had minimal impact on the average concentrations of additives released.

How to cite: Ourgaud, M., Panagiotopoulos, C., Papillon, L., Kerhervé, P., and Sempéré, R.: Microplastic and additive release into seawater from face masks and cigarette butts: A laboratory experiment and risk estimation, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-490, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-490, 2025.

P527

OOS2025-591

ECOP

Assessing Microplastic Presence in Juvenile Fish from the South China Sea: Laboratory Contamination Versus Natural Presence?

xinyu bu and daoji li

With the rapid increase in plastic production, microplastic pollution has become a critical concern in marine ecosystems. This study investigates the presence and potential impacts of microplastics within juvenile fish in the South China Sea, focusing on four economically significant species: Pennahia argentata, Larimichthys crocea, Sardinella melanura, and Butis koilomatodon. Juvenile fish samples were collected, and rigorous dissection and microscopic analyses were conducted to assess microplastic presence within their digestive tracts. The study incorporated stringent quality control measures, including multiple blank control groups, to minimize contamination from laboratory sources.

Contrary to initial expectations, the analysis revealed no microplastic particles within the digestive tracts of the juvenile fish examined. Instead, detected microplastics were exclusively from laboratory contamination, identified during control assessments. These results suggest that juvenile fish may actively avoid ingesting microplastics or that such particles do not readily accumulate in their digestive systems during early life stages. This finding is significant, as it challenges the common assumption of universal microplastic ingestion across marine species and highlights the importance of accounting for laboratory contamination in microplastic studies.

The study's innovation lies in its targeted focus on the early life stages of fish, a relatively underexplored area in microplastic research, and its implementation of meticulous contamination controls. Findings indicate that juvenile fish may face lower risks of microplastic ingestion in their natural habitats, potentially due to selective feeding behaviors or rapid egestion mechanisms. Additionally, the study underscores the critical need for standardized protocols to avoid laboratory-derived contamination in future research, which could otherwise lead to overestimated microplastic presence in biological samples.

This research holds implications for understanding microplastic exposure across different marine species and lifecycle stages, emphasizing the need for harmonized monitoring methods. It also contributes to ecological risk assessments and formulating policies to mitigate microplastic pollution, fostering a more accurate understanding of its ecological impacts. Future studies should further investigate the factors influencing microplastic interactions with marine organisms at early developmental stages, providing a foundation for sustainable marine ecosystem management and pollution control strategies.

How to cite: bu, X. and li, D.: Assessing Microplastic Presence in Juvenile Fish from the South China Sea: Laboratory Contamination Versus Natural Presence?, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-591, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-591, 2025.

P528

OOS2025-604

ECOP

Bioaccessibility of Trace Metals and Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Microplastic

Laís Araújo Souza, Allan Machado Oliveira Silva, and Vanessa Hatje

The ubiquity of microplastics on beaches worldwide is well-known and represents a global concern, as the durability of these materials is associated with potential risks to aquatic organisms and human health. When ingested by marine organisms, contaminants adsorbed onto microplastics can become bioavailable. However, there is a lack of data on the potential exposure of animals and humans to these contaminants through ingestion. Therefore, it is essential to understand how these contaminants behave in the digestive system. To address this, samples of virgin microplastic pellets—both ungrounded (UG) and grounded (G)—were separated into fractions >1 mm and <1 mm. These samples, made from four different types of plastics (linear low-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, polyethylene vinyl acetate, and high-density polyethylene), were contaminatedwith trace metals, including rare earth elements. Here, we evaluated whether the duration of exposure to contamination impacted the adsorption of metals. After this stage, all the samples underwent a simulation of the complete gastrointestinal tract using solutions containing salivary, gastric, duodenal, and biliary fluids, following the method of Versantvoort et al. (2005), which accounts for the individual's fed state. In this process, we added 3 mL of salivary fluid to the solids (V, G, and UG) for 5 minutes, 6 mL of gastric fluid for 2 hours, 6 mL of duodenal fluid, 3 mL of bile fluid, and 1 mL of HCO₃. All solutions were incubated at 37°C and 55 rpm. The extracts were then filtered; the supernatant was collected, and the residue underwent the optimized acid decomposition procedure. The method was validated using a mass balance approach, ensuring that the total content was equal to the sum of the supernatant and residue. Subsequently, all samples were analyzed, and the elements were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The main health risk posed by microplastics is not only related to the material itself but also to its additives and their potential to adsorb and release other contaminants. In this way, plastics can play a critical role in the long-distance transport of toxic chemicals. Our results show that the harmful effects of potentially contaminated solid environmental substrates may be linked to bioaccessible and orally bioavailable contaminant fractions.

How to cite: Araújo Souza, L., Machado Oliveira Silva, A., and Hatje, V.: Bioaccessibility of Trace Metals and Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Microplastic, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-604, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-604, 2025.

P529

OOS2025-619

Cleanup operations in the high seas as a valuable platform for environmental research

Maira Carneiro Proietti, Marjolein van Vulpen, Ahmad Damaj, Peter Puskic, Marleen Vintges, Laurent Lebreton, Yannick Pham, Thijs Bosker, Kaushar Kagzi, Kathryn Stewart, Krijn Trimbos, Hugh Gifford, Johanna Rhodes, Marina Zimmer Correa, Silvina Botta, and Matthias Egger

Subtropical gyres are hotspots for plastic pollution, and accumulation zones are found within the North Pacific gyre, in the North Pacific Garbage Patch (NPGP). Plastic debris in these offshore waters can persist for decades and mainly originate from fishing activities. The non-profit organization The Ocean Cleanup aims to remove this legacy plastic pollution, and since August 2021, has removed over 480,000kg of plastic from the area across 23 collection trips (6-7 weeks each). These cleanup operations create a unique opportunity to monitor and collect data on marine life and plastic impacts in this understudied region, enabling a better understanding of the local environment and maximizing the net benefit of cleanups for marine life. Here, we highlight some of the environmental research conducted during these cleanup operations. Data on marine megafauna was collected continuously through onboard observers in over 12,000 observational hours, allowing us to map the occurrence of these animals and their potential distribution overlap with plastic pollution hotspots at the NPGP. Incidental catch of marine life during plastic extractions was evaluated, providing data for understanding the organisms that occur with plastics and the potential plastic-driven transport of coastal animals on the high seas. Research collaborations have been established with academic institutes to conduct research on the ecological impacts of plastic pollution, via analyses of plastic ingestion by the NPGP food web, the distribution of multi-trophic marine communities at the region (through eDNA/eRNA), as well as the potential occurrence of pathogenic microorganisms on ocean plastics. Data on the local environment and the impacts of cleanup operations on marine life are fed back into management plans and impact assessments to form a continuous learning and improvement process for cleanups. Our work demonstrates that offshore cleanups can serve as a valuable research platform, enabling a better understanding of the environments where they are conducted and of the impacts of plastic pollution on marine systems, consequently contributing to the UN Ocean Decade Challenges to "understand and beat marine pollution" and "protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity".

How to cite: Carneiro Proietti, M., van Vulpen, M., Damaj, A., Puskic, P., Vintges, M., Lebreton, L., Pham, Y., Bosker, T., Kagzi, K., Stewart, K., Trimbos, K., Gifford, H., Rhodes, J., Zimmer Correa, M., Botta, S., and Egger, M.: Cleanup operations in the high seas as a valuable platform for environmental research , One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-619, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-619, 2025.

P530

OOS2025-1210

Microplastic exposure and effect on loggerhead turtle health

Jean-Christophe Auguet, Bosc Cécile, Provin Pauline, Quentin Schull, Bourjeat Jérôme, Charlery-Adèle Arnaud, Aubret Fabien, Miaud Claude, Lecompte Sophie, Blanvillain Gaëlle, Martinez-Silvestre Albert, Prado Enora, El Rakwe Maria, Crespo José-Lluis, Garrido Lucia, Sole Montserrat, and Legrand Arnaud

Plastic forms the majority (i.e. 75%) of marine waste with 14.5 million tons per year of dumped into the oceans. Once at sea, sunlight, wind, and wave action break down macroplastic waste into small particles. These microplastics (MPs, particles between 0.1 µm and 5 mm), which can also directly originate from industrial production are ubiquitous and are likely to persist in the marine environment for centuries. Recent studies show that the range of marine animals capable of ingesting these MPs spans the entire marine fauna. The effects of MP ingestion are diverse and vary between taxa: reduced food assimilation efficiency, delayed growth, negative effects on reproduction, reduced energy reserves due to reduced feeding activity, impaired cognitive abilities, decrease of the survival and fecundity rates, increase of the mortality rates, promotion of inflammatory, responses, and disruption of the endocrine system and fomites of pathogens. Due to the complexity of their life history traits (long lifespan, highly migratory species, oceanic or neritic lifestyle depending on life stage) and their feeding habits (visual feeders mistaking their prey for plastic waste), marine turtles appear to be highly vulnerable to plastic contamination. In loggerhead sea turtles, MPs are mostly localized in the intestine, compared to the esophagus and stomach. Despite their importance as key species for monitoring MP contamination and effects, the effect MPs concentratins and composition on the turtle gut microbiota and on their health has never been investigated.

The present study aims to i) quantify and characterize the MP contamination in loggerhead turtles, and ii) measure their impact on the gut microbiota and health indices of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) of the western Mediterranean. For this purpose, we collected stool, blood, saliva and scales samples from 112 live loggerhead turtles along the eastern Spanish coast and we related the abundance and composition of MPs to several turtle health indicators such as external parasitosis, nutritional efficiency, immuno-inflammatory response at the intestinal barrier, liver function and chronic stress as well as the diversity of the gut microbiota. Seventy-four percent of the loggerhead turtles in the study were contaminated with microplastics with an average of 7.90 ± 10.89 microplastics per gram of feces. The most common polymers are polyethylene, polyester, and polyamide (44.82%, 27.23% and 12.11% respectively). Several significant relationship between microplastics abundance and the microbial composition of the intestinal microbiota, the abundance of immune cells or glucose levels suggest that MPs have a potential impact on the health of loggerhead turtles, notably by modifying the structure of the bacterial communities of the intestinal microbiota (increase in specific richness) but also by disrupting the immune system and glucolipid metabolism.

How to cite: Auguet, J.-C., Cécile, B., Pauline, P., Schull, Q., Jérôme, B., Arnaud, C.-A., Fabien, A., Claude, M., Sophie, L., Gaëlle, B., Albert, M.-S., Enora, P., Maria, E. R., José-Lluis, C., Lucia, G., Montserrat, S., and Arnaud, L.: Microplastic exposure and effect on loggerhead turtle health, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1210, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1210, 2025.

P531

OOS2025-1318

New advances to assess biodegradation and toxicity of alternative environmentally friendly polymers

Anne-Leïla Meistertzheim, David Leistenscheider, Lena Philip, Isabelle Calves, Edouard Lavergne, Boris Eyheraguibel, Franck Lartaud, and Jean-Francois Ghiglione

The inherent toxicity linked to plastic ubiquitous presence in the environment has received a growing interest in the last decades. Even though laws, policies and scientific projects addressing plastic pollution and its impact have recently flourished, very few concerned plastic risk assessment (i.e. linking plastic exposition and their effects on ecosystems) taking into account conventional or biobased, recycled or biodegradable polymers. Our objective was to develop new methods to assess plastic end-of-life on marine environment based on biodegradability assays and toxicity tests on marine organisms in order to develop environmental impact indexes relevant for Life Cycle Analysis.

On the basis of field and laboratory experiments, we tested different conditions to follow the biodegradation of polymers by natural marine bacterial communities (named “plastisphere”). We tested several media and conditions to measure the biodegradability of biosourced and petroleum based polymers comparatively to cellulose standard, in real marine and aquatic conditions. On the other hand, we developed methods to measure the impacts of plastics at different trophic levels of the marine environment, based on ecotoxicological studies on communities in their natural environment at the molecular, cellular, organ, individual and population levels. The methodological limits of toxicity tests, generating a partial assessment of the impact of microplastics on marine organisms were tested including several limits such as concentration, size, shape, chemical composition of plastics. Finally, relevant standards were tested to evaluate plastic toxicity to assess the effective risk of alternative and conventional plastics in marine biodiversity.

How to cite: Meistertzheim, A.-L., Leistenscheider, D., Philip, L., Calves, I., Lavergne, E., Eyheraguibel, B., Lartaud, F., and Ghiglione, J.-F.: New advances to assess biodegradation and toxicity of alternative environmentally friendly polymers, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1318, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1318, 2025.

P532

OOS2025-1433

The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health : overview and outlooks

Hervé Raps, Philip Landrigan, and Sarah Dunlop and the The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health

Plastics have conveyed great benefits to humanity and made possible some of the most significant advances of modern civilization in fields as diverse as medicine, electronics, aerospace, construction, food packaging, and sports. It is now clear, however, that plastics are also responsible for significant harms to human health, the economy and the earth’s environment. These harms occur at every stage of the plastic life cycle: production, use, and disposal.

Plastics are complex, highly heterogeneous, synthetic chemical materials comprised of a carbon-based polymer backbone (derived from coal, oil, or gas) and thousands of additional chemicals. Many 16,000 chemicals used in plastic production are toxic, and they include carcinogens, neurotoxicants and endocrine disruptors. Current annual plastic production exceeds 400 Megatons globally, a 230-fold increase from 1950. Production is on track to treble by 2050, with greatest projected increases in manufacture of single-use, disposable plastics.

Workers in the fossil fuel industry suffer increased mortality from injuries, pulmonary and cardiovascular disease, and lung cancer. Plastic production workers are at increased risk of cancer, neurotoxic injury, and decreased fertility. Plastic recycling workers have increased rates of cardiovascular disease, toxic metal poisoning, neuropathy, and lung cancer. Residents of communities adjacent to plastic production and waste disposal sites experience increased risks of premature birth, low birthweight, asthma, and childhood leukemia.

The extraction, production of plastics and transport processes are responsible for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions equivalent to nearly 2 Gigatons of carbon dioxide annually. Plastics therefore also contribute to climate change, which also has direct and indirect consequences for human health.

During use, plastics release toxic chemicals including additives and residual monomers into the environment and into people. Plastic additives disrupt endocrine function and increase risk for premature births, neurodevelopmental disorders, male reproductive birth defects, infertility, obesity, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, and cancers. Emerging, albeit still incomplete evidence indicates that MNPs may cause toxicity due to their physical and toxicological effects as well as by acting as vectors that transport toxic chemicals and bacterial pathogens into tissues and cells.

Plastics and plastic chemicals are responsible for widespread pollution. They contaminate marine, freshwater, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments globally. Adverse impacts of plastic pollution occur at multiple levels from molecular and biochemical to population and ecosystem. MNP contamination of seafood results in direct, though not well quantified human exposure to plastics and plastic chemicals. Marine plastic pollution endangers the ocean ecosystems upon which all humanity depends for food, oxygen, livelihood, and well-being.

Plastics are both a boon to humanity and a stealth threat to human and planetary health. Plastics convey enormous benefits, but current linear patterns of plastic production, use and disposal with little attention to sustainable design and a near absence of recovery, reuse and recycling are responsible for grave harms to health, great economic costs, and deep societal injustices. These harms are rapidly worsening. Knowledge of plastics’ harms is still incomplete, but this Commission concludes there is sufficient evidence of plastics’ clear and present danger to require urgent intervention against the plastic crisis at global scale.

How to cite: Raps, H., Landrigan, P., and Dunlop, S. and the The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health: The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health : overview and outlooks, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1433, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1433, 2025.

P533

OOS2025-1435

ECOP

Evaluation of Testosterone-Sensitive Gene Alterations in Cyprinodon variegatus Larvae for Development of a Tool of Androgen Endocrine Disruptors

Raquel Abad, Alexandre M.Schonemann, and Ricardo Beiras

Evaluation of Testosterone-Sensitive Gene Alterations in Cyprinodon variegatus Larvae for Development of a Tool of Androgen Endocrine Disruptors

¹Raquel Abad Pérez, ¹Alexandre M. Schönemann, ¹Ricardo Beiras
¹Centro de Investigacion Mariña, University of Vigo (CIM-UVigo), Vigo, Galicia, Spain
raquel021x@gmail.com

The increase in plastic waste that appears in the seas has turned out to be an ecosystem problem. The additives contained in plastics have a very high toxic potential that makes it necessary to analyse substances that are potentially toxic and harmful to ecosystems. One of the consequences of some endocrine disruptors (ED), is the disruption of the hormonal system that causes an adverse effect on an organism, its progeny, or its population, having been classified as substances of "very high concern" and legislated by the European Union according to the "REACH Regulation". In addition, it is known that the presence of endocrine disrupting compounds can have a permanent impact on organisms, especially if they are in the development phase.
In order to be able to study these substances with endocrine disruptive potential and their effects on marine vertebrates we have added biomarkers of androgenicity to the molecular tool “CyVa test”, that was specialized only on estrogenicity up to date. An experiment was carried out to verify the reliability of selected androgenic biomarkers, thus being able to verify the molecular responses presented by the marine fish Cyprinodon variegatus to acute exposure to androgenic compounds. C. variegatus larvae were exposed to testosterone in three different concentrations (10, 100 and 1000 ng/L). Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to observe changes on expression of 11 β Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11HSD) and 17 β Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17HSD) when exposed to testosterone and have been integrated to “CyVa test” tool. Thus, demonstrating the efficacy of the selected biomarkers for future detection of androgenic endocrine disruptors.

How to cite: Abad, R., M.Schonemann, A., and Beiras, R.: Evaluation of Testosterone-Sensitive Gene Alterations in Cyprinodon variegatus Larvae for Development of a Tool of Androgen Endocrine Disruptors , One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1435, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1435, 2025.