An emerging concern among environmental toxicologists and natural resource managers is the risks that manmade particles, such as nanomaterials, microplastics, and titanium dioxide, pose to marine ecosystems. It is still largely unknown how these particles will behave relative to that of naturally-occurring particles. Particle pollution may have direct adverse effects on organisms and indirect effects through delivery of adsorbed contaminants. In the water, particles can adsorb and change the behavior of organic contaminants such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). While some collection and characterization of plastic debris has occurred throughout the world, no study has been reported for estuaries. Further, little work has been performed characterizing the direct and indirect adverse effects of particles on estuarine organisms. The researchers will quantify the direct effects of anthropogenic particulate contaminants on aquatic invertebrates and characterize the influence of these particles on the bioavailability and toxicity of a model organic contaminant, fluoranthene.
The researchers plan to (1) collect and characterize microplastics in South Carolina estuaries, (2) characterize the adsorption of a model PAH, fluoranthene, to microplastic debris and to two nanoparticles, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and titanium dioxide in the presence of dissolved organic carbon, (3) quantify the innate toxicity of microplastics and nanoparticles on grass shrimp and copepods, and (4) quantify the bioavailability of adsorbed fluoranthene to shrimp and copepods.
Research Results
Au SY, Bruce TF, Bridges WC, and Klaine SJ. 2015. “Responses of Hyalella azteca to acute and chronic microplastic exposures.” November 2015. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
Weinstein JE, Crocker BK, Gray AD. “From plastic to microplastic: degradation of high density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene in a salt marsh habitat.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. July 2016.
Gray, AD, Weinstein JE. “Size- and shape-dependent effects of microplastic particles on adult daggerblade grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio),” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. November 2017.
Gray, AD, Wertz H, Weinstein JE. “Microplastic in two South Carolina Estuaries: Occurrence, distribution, and composition,” Marine Pollution Bulletin, February 2018.
Au, Sarah. Doctoral dissertation, “Influence of Microplastics on Aquatic Organisms,” May 2015, Clemson University.
Wertz, Hope. Master’s thesis, “Marine debris in Charleston Harbor: characterizing plastic particles in the field and assessing their effects on juvenile clams (Mercenaria mercenaria),” August 2015, College of Charleston.