论文标题：The vertical distribution and biological transport of marine microplastics across the epipelagic and mesopelagic water column

期刊：

作者：C. Anela Choy, Bruce H. Robison, Tyler O. Gagne, Benjamin Erwin, Evan Firl, Rolf U. Halden, J. Andrew Hamilton, Kakani Katija, Susan E. Lisin, Charles Rolsky, Kyle S. Van Houtan

发表时间：2019/06/06

数字识别码： 10.1038/s41598-019-44117-2

原文链接：

微信链接：

根据《app手机版》本周发表的一项研究The vertical distribution and biological transport of marine microplastics across the epipelagic and mesopelagic water column，加州蒙特雷湾深海区内可能存在一个大型海洋塑料微粒“库”，这可能是现在最大的塑料微粒库之一，但目前未得到充分重视。

图1：在蒙特雷湾深海区，塑料微粒浓度最高的位置是200-600米间。图源：Choy等

美国加州大学圣迭戈分校的C. Anela Choy及同事运用远程操作工具和特制的取样器收集并检查了蒙特雷湾深海区的塑料微粒分布情况。他们采集了5–1,000米深的26,239升海水以及远洋红蟹和巨型幼形海鞘——这两种动物直接以和塑料微粒同样大小的微粒为食。

作者发现，包含在一次性塑料瓶和包装中的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（PET）是各种深度的水柱样本中最常见的塑料，同时也是远洋红蟹胃肠道中和幼形海鞘废弃的粘质网筛内最常见的塑料。幼形纲动物的网筛又被称为住囊，每次进食后便被废弃，沉入海底。以上发现表明，幼形海鞘的住囊相当于一种载体，将塑料微粒从浅水区运输到海底。在阳光照射区的底部，塑料微粒的浓度最高，塑料种类最多。

图2：PET和PA是水柱中和海洋生物体内的主要塑料种类。图源：Choy等

这些发现表明，塑料微粒污染向深海水域、沉积物和动物群落蔓延的深度和广度超过此前预期。作者认为需要采取大规模的保护和缓解措施，从空间和生态层面评估问题的严重性。

摘要：Plastic waste has been documented in nearly all types of marine environments and has been found in species spanning all levels of marine food webs. Within these marine environments, deep pelagic waters encompass the largest ecosystems on Earth. We lack a comprehensive understanding of the concentrations, cycling, and fate of plastic waste in sub-surface waters, constraining our ability to implement effective, large-scale policy and conservation strategies. We used remotely operated vehicles and engineered purpose-built samplers to collect and examine the distribution of microplastics in the Monterey Bay pelagic ecosystem at water column depths ranging from 5 to 1000 m. Laser Raman spectroscopy was used to identify microplastic particles collected from throughout the deep pelagic water column, with the highest concentrations present at depths between 200 and 600 m. Examination of two abundant particle feeders in this ecosystem, pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) and giant larvaceans (Bathochordaeus stygius), showed that microplastic particles readily flow from the environment into coupled water column and seafloor food webs. Our findings suggest that one of the largest and currently underappreciated reservoirs of marine microplastics may be contained within the water column and animal communities of the deep sea.

阅读论文全文请访问：

期刊介绍： () is an online, open access journal from the publishers of Nature. We publish scientifically valid primary research from all areas of the natural and clinical sciences.

The 2017 journal metrics for Scientific Reports are as follows:

•2-year impact factor: 4.122

•5-year impact factor: 4.609

•Immediacy index: 0.576

•Eigenfactor® score: 0.71896

•Article Influence Score: 1.356

•2-year Median: 2

（来源：明升手机版(明升中国)）