海洋中微塑料的环境行为和生态影响

微塑料一般指直径小于5 mm的微小型塑料颗粒或碎片,海洋中常见的微塑料类型主要包括聚乙烯、聚丙烯、聚苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯等。由于形状、颜色多变,分子量大,结构稳定,粒径范围与浮游植物相近,海洋中的微塑料很容易对浮游植物、浮游动物和其他海洋动物等产生影响。微塑料还可以为病毒、细菌提供附着载体,影响浮游植物分布,进入海洋生物消化道或进一步转移到组织中对机体产生毒性效应,甚至通过捕食作用沿食物链传递,对高等动物及人类健康造成威胁。此外,微塑料可以作为海水中痕量化学物质的吸附载体,对生物产生联合毒性。根据目前对微塑料的研究进展情况,未来应加强对海洋微塑料分离、鉴定技术的研发以及海洋微塑料的生物毒性效应和生物传递效应机制等问题的研究。

Environmental Behavior and Ecological Effects of Microplastics in the Ocean

Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles or debris in the environment that are generally smaller than 5 mm in diameter.The main types of microplastics in ocean are polyethylene,polypropylene,polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride,etc.It is easy to have effects on phytoplankton,zooplankton and other marine animals related to its varied color and shape,high molecular weight,stable structure,similar size to phytoplankton.Microplastics can provide habitats to viruses and bacteria,affect the distribution of phytoplankton,enter the digestive tract or further transfer to the tissues of marine life and lead to toxic effects,and even threat human health through the food chain.In addition,microplastics can adsorb trace chemicals in seawater,resulting in combined toxic effects on organisms.Based on current research progress of microplastics,the following research fields should be focused on:1) building highly efficient and accurate separation and identification techniques,2) exploring mechanisms of biological toxicity and biological transportation effects on marine life.