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 technologyannemarie.mahon@gmit.ie

roisin.nash@gmit.ie

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.