Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada
Volume 22, Issue 3, September 2022, Pages 193-205

DOI: 10.5894/rgci-n436
* Submission: 11 MAR 2021; Peer review: 24 MAR 2021; Revised: 27 JUL 2022; Accepted: 29 NOV 2022; Available on-line: 27 MAR 2023

Establishing a standard-basis for the characterization of marine microp lastic-pellets

Clara Cabral Almeida^{@ 1}, Willame de Araújo Cavalcante², Camila Dourado Alves Brito^{1, 3}, Lucas Nogueira Guerra Silva^{1, 4}, Mathias Bochow⁵, Sandra Tédde Santaella^{1, 6}

---

@ Corresponding author: claracabralalmeida@hotmail.com
¹ Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). Institute of Marine Science (Labomar)
² Instituto Federal de Ciência e Tecnologia (IFCE) Email: willame.cavalcante@ifce.edu.br
³ Email: camila_drd@live.com
⁴ Email: lukas_guerra_@hotmail.com
⁵ Helmholtz Centre Potsdam German Research Centre for Geosciences Email: Mathias.bochow@gfz-potsdam.de
⁶ Email: sandrats@gmail.com

---

ASBTRACT
Plastic pellets are small granulated microplastics (diameter ranging from 1-5 mm), which are considered as emerging pollutant in aquatic environment. Currently, the literature provides a poor database for classification and standardization of plastic pellets, impairing the comparison of environmental impacts assessed by several studies. Thus, in this work, a classification related to pellet characteristics was proposed in order to establish a standard of identification. Four sampling surveys were carried out in the Pecém-CE port area in the year of 2017 (northeastern coast of Brazil). The pellets were characterized according to its size, shape, transparency, and color. From the characterization of the 1,411 pellets collected, granules with different morphologies were observed. Most classes of pellets had light colors (white 37%, yellow 22% and amber 12%). The classification of the granules resulted in a catalog with 155 classes, divided into four blocks. The standardization of the characteristics of the pellets in classes, provided a documentation of the types of granules produced and found near the port area, making it possible to quantify and characterize the granules manually and with the naked eye. This type of classification can be used anywhere in the world as a tool to assist research on the presence of pellets in the marine environment and the impacts caused by them.

Keywords: beach survey, environmental pollution, plastic pellets, standardized characterization.

RESUMO
Pellets de plástico são pequenos microplásticos granulados (diâmetro variando de 1-5 mm), que são considerados como poluentes emergentes no ambiente aquático. No entanto, a literatura fornece um banco de dados insuficiente para classificação e padronização de pellets plásticos, dificultando a comparação dos impactos ambientais avaliados por diversos estudos. Assim, neste trabalho, foi proposta uma classificação relacionada às características do pellet a fim de estabelecer um padrão de identificação. Quatro coletas foram realizadas na área do porto de Pecém-CE (litoral nordeste do Brasil) em 2017. Os pellets foram caracterizados quanto ao tamanho, forma, transparência e cor. A partir da caracterização dos 1.411 pellets coletados, foram observados grânulos com diferentes morfologias. A maioria das classes de pellets apresentou cores claras (branco 37%, amarelo 22% e âmbar 12%). A classificação dos grânulos resultou em um catálogo com 155 classes, divididas em quatro blocos. A padronização das características dos pellets em classes, permitiu a documentação dos tipos de grânulos produzidos e encontrados junto à zona do porto, permitindo quantificar e caracterizar os grânulos manualmente e à olho nu. Este tipo de classificação pode ser utilizado em qualquer parte do mundo como ferramenta para auxiliar nas pesquisas sobre a presença de pellets no meio marinho e os impactos causados por eles.

Palavras-chave: Pellets plásticos, pesquisa de praia, caracterização padronizada.

 

Acampora, H.; Berrow, S.; Newton, S.; O’Connor, I. (2017) - Presence of plastic litter in pellets from Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) in Ireland - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 117(1–2): 512–514. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.02.015

Andrady, A. L.; Neal, M. A. (2009) - Applications and societal benefits of plastics. - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526): 1977–1984. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2008.0304

Andrady, Anthony L. (2011) - Microplastics in the marine environment - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62(8): 1596–1605. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.030

Avio, C. G.; Gorbi, S.; Regoli, F. (2017) - Plastics and microplastics in the oceans: From emerging pollutants to emerged threat - Marine Environmental Research, 128: 2–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.05.012

Barnes, D. K. A.; Galgani, F., Thompson, R. C.; Barlaz, M. (2009) - Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526): 1985–1998. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2008.0205

Bellas, J.; Martínez-Armental, J.; Martínez-Cámara, A.; Besada, V.; Martínez-Gómez, C. (2016) - Ingestion of microplastics by demersal fish from the Spanish Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 109(1):55–60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.06.026

Bhuyan, M. S., Venkatramanan, S., Selvam, S., Szabo, S., Hossain, M. M., Rashed-Un-Nabi, M., ... & Islam, M. S. (2021). Plastics in marine ecosystem: A review of their sources and pollution conduits. Regional Studies in Marine Science, (41), 101539. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2020.101539

Browne, M. A.; Galloway, T.; Thompson, R.; Chapman, P. M. (2007) - Learned discourses - Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 3(2): 297–297. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.5630030215

Cai, L.; Wang, J.; Peng, J.; Wu, Z.; Tan, X. (2018) - Observation of the degradation of three types of plastic pellets exposed to UV irradiation in three different environments - Science of the Total Environment, 628–629: 740–747. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.079

Choong, W. S., Hadibarata, T., Yuniarto, A., Tang, K. H. D., Abdullah, F., Syafrudin, M., ... & Al-Mohaimeed, A. M. (2021). Characterization of microplastics in the water and sediment of Baram River estuary, Borneo Island. Marine pollution bulletin, (172), 112880. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112880

Choy, C. A.; Drazen, J. C. (2013) - Plastic for dinner? Observations of frequent debris ingestion by pelagic predatory fishes from the central North Pacific- Marine Ecology Progress Series, 485: 155–163. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10342

Cole, M.; Lindeque, P.; Fileman, E.; Halsband, C.; Goodhead, R.; Moger, J.; Galloway, T. S. (2013) - Microplastic ingestion by zooplankton - Environmental Science and Technology, 47(12): 6646–6655. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es400663f

Cole, M., Lindeque, P., Fileman, E., Halsband, C., & Galloway, T. S. (2015). The impact of polystyrene microplastics on feeding, function and fecundity in the marine copepod Calanus helgolandicus. Environmental science & technology, 49(2), 1130-1137. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es504525u.

Corcoran, P. L.; Haan, J. De, Arturo, I. A.; Belontz, S. L.; Moore, T.; Hill-svehla, C. M.; Robertson, K.; Wood, K.; Jazvac, K. (2020) - Science of the Total Environment A comprehensive investigation of industrial plastic pellets on beaches across the Laurentian Great Lakes and the factors governing their distribution - Science of the Total Environment, 747: 141227. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141227

Costa, M. F.; Ivar Do Sul, J. A.; Silva-Cavalcanti, J. S.; Araújo, M. C. B.; Spengler, Â.; Tourinho, P. S. (2010) - On the importance of size of plastic fragments and pellets on the strandline: A snapshot of a Brazilian beach - Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 168(1–4): 299–304. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-1113-4

Costa, P.; Duarte, A. C;, Rocha-santos, T.; Prata, J. C. (2019) - Methods for sampling and detection of microplastics in water and sediment : A critical review Density separation – Trends in Analytical Chemistry. 110: 150–159. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2018.10.029

Dris, R.; Imhof, H.; Sanchez, W.; Gasperi, J.; Galgani, F.; Tassin, B.; Laforsch, C. (2015) - Beyond the ocean : Contamination of freshwater ecosystems with (micro-) plastic particles - Environmental Chemistry, 12(5): 539–550. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/EN14172

Endo, S.; Takizawa, R.; Okuda, K.; Takada, H.; Chiba, K.; Kanehiro, H.; Ogi, H., Yamashita, R.; Date, T. (2005) - Concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in beached resin pellets: Variability among individual particles and regional differences - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 50(10): 1103–1114. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2005.04.030

Epa. (1992). Plastic Pellets in the Aquatic Environment: Sources and Recommendations. United States Environmental Protection Agency, 68: 56. DOI: https://doi.org/EPA 842-S-93-001

Fernandino, G.; Elliff, C. I.; Silva, I. R.; Bittencourt, A. C. S. P. (2015) - How many pellets are too many ? The pellet pollution index as a tool to assess beach pollution by plastic resin pellets in Salvador , Bahia , Brazil - Journal of Integrated costal zone management. 15(3): 325–332. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5894/rgci566

Fred-Ahmadu, O. H., Ayejuyo, O. O., & Benson, N. U. (2020). Microplastics distribution and characterization in epipsammic sediments of tropical Atlantic Ocean, Nigeria. Regional Studies in Marine Science, (38), 101365. DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2020.101365

Fotopoulou, K. N.; Karapanagioti, H. K. (2012) - Surface properties of beached plastic pellets - Marine Environmental Research, 81: 70–77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2012.08.010

Galloway, T. S.; Cole, M.; Lewis, C. (2017) - Interactions of microplastic debris throughout the marine ecosystem - Nature Ecology and Evolution, 1(5): 1–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0116

Holmes, L. A.; Turner, A.; Thompson, R. C. (2012) - Adsorption of trace metals to plastic resin pellets in the marine environment - Environmental Pollution, 160(1): 42–48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.08.052

Hidalgo-Ruz, V., Luna-Jorquera, G., Eriksen, M., Frick, H., Miranda-Urbina, D., Portflitt-Toro, M., ... & Thiel, M. (2021). Factors (type, colour, density, and shape) determining the removal of marine plastic debris by seabirds from the South Pacific Ocean: Is there a pattern?. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 31(2), 389-407. DOI: doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3453

Ismail, A.; Adilah,. N. M. B.; Nurulhudha. M. J. (2009) – Plastic pellets along Kuala Selangor-Sepang coastline - Malaysian Application Biology., 38: 85–88.

Ivar Do Sul, J. A.; Costa, M. F. (2014) - The present and future of microplastic pollution in the marine environment - Environmental Pollution, 185: 352–364. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.10.036

Izar, G. M., Morais, L. G., Pereira, C. D. S., Cesar, A., Abessa, D. M. S., & Christofoletti, R. A. (2019). Quantitative analysis of pellets on beaches of the São Paulo coast and associated non-ingested ecotoxicological effects on marine organisms. Regional Studies in Marine Science, (29), 100705. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2019.100705

Karapanagioti, H. K.; Klontza, I. (2007) - Investigating the properties of plastic resin pellets found in the coastal areas of Lesvos Island - Global NEST Journal (ISSN 1790-7632), 9(1): 71–76.

Kershaw, P.; Rochman, C. M. (2016) - Sources, fate and effects of microplastics in the marine environment: part 2 of a global assessment. Reports and Studies -IMO/FAO/Unesco-IOC/WMO/IAEA/UN/UNEP Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP), London. ISBN:1020-4873

Le, D. Q.; Takada, H., Yamashita, R.; Mizukawa, K.; Hosoda, J.; Tuyet, D. A. (2016) -Temporal and spatial changes in persistent organic pollutants in Vietnamese coastal waters detected from plastic resin pellets - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 109(1): 320–324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.05.063

Lebreton, L. C. M.; van der Zwet, J.; Damsteeg, J.W.; Slat, B., Andrady, A.; Reisser, J. (2017) - River plastic emissions to the world’s oceans - Nature Communications, 8: 15611. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15611

Li, Y.; Zhang, H.; Tang, C. (2020) - A review of possible pathways of marine microplastics transport in the ocean - Anthropocene Coasts, 3(1): 6–13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/anc-2018-0030

Lippiatt, S., Opfer, S., & Arthur, C. (2013). Marine debris monitoring and assessment: recommendations for monitoring debris trends in the marine environment

Lithner, D.; Larsson, A.; Dave, G. (2011) - Environmental and health hazard ranking and assessment of plastic polymers based on chemical composition - Science of the Total Environment, 409(18): 3309–3324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.04.038

Lippiatt, S., Opfer, S., & Arthur, C. (2013). Marine debris monitoring and assessment: recommendations for monitoring debris trends in the marine environment.

Lozoya, J. P.; Teixeira de Mello, F.; Carrizo, D.; Weinstein, F.; Olivera, Y.; Cedrés, F.; Pereira, M.; Fossati, M. (2016) - Plastics and microplastics on recreational beaches in Punta del Este (Uruguay): Unseen critical residents? - Environmental Pollution, 218, 931–941. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.041

Lusher, A. L.; McHugh, M.; Thompson, R. C. (2013) - Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English Channel - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 67(1–2): 94–99. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.11.028

Lusher, A. (2015). Microplastics in the marine environment: distribution, interactions and effects. In Marine anthropogenic litter (pp. 245-307). Springer, Cham.

Mato, Y.; Isobe, T.; Takada, H.; Kanehiro, H.; Ohtake, C.; Kaminuma, T. (2001) -Plastic resin pellets as a transport medium for toxic chemicals in the marine environment - Environmental Science and Technology, 35(2),:318–324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ES0010498

Miranda, D. de A.; de Carvalho-Souza, G. F. (2016) - Are we eating plastic-ingesting fish? - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 103(1–2): 109–114. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.035

Moreira, F. T.; Balthazar-Silva, D.; Barbosa, L.; Turra, A. (2016) - Revealing accumulation zones of plastic pellets in sandy beaches - Environmental Pollution, 218: 313–321. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.07.006

Neves, D.; Sobral, P.; Ferreira, J. L.; Pereira, T. (2015) - Ingestion of microplastics by commercial fish off the Portuguese coast - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 101(1): 119–126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.11.008

Ogata, Y.; Takada, H.; Mizukawa, K.; Hirai, H.; Iwasa, S.; Endo, S.;Mato, Y.; Saha, M.; Okuda, K.; Nakashima, A.; Murakami, M.; Zurcher,N.; Booyatumanondo, R.; Zakaria, M. P.; Dung, L. Q.; Gordon, M.;Miguez, C.; Suzuki, S.; Moore, C.Thompson, R. C. (2009) - International Pellet Watch: Globalmonitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in coastal waters.1. Initial phase data on PCBs, DDTs, and HCHs- Marine PollutionBulletin, 58(10): 1437–144. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.06.014

Plasticseurope, 2010. Plastics–The Facts 2010—An Analysis of European Plastics Production, Demand and Waste Data.

Plasticseurope, 2020. Plastics–The Facts 2020—An Analysis of European Plastics Production, Demand and Waste Data.

Richard, H., Carpenter, E. J., Komada, T., Palmer, P. T., & Rochman, C. M. (2019). Biofilm facilitates metal accumulation onto microplastics in estuarine waters. Science of the total environment, (683), 600-608. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.331

Rios, L. M.; Moore, C.; Jones, P. R. (2007) - Persistent organic pollutants carried by synthetic polymers in the ocean environment - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54(8): 1230–1237. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.03.022

Sivadas, S. K., Mishra, P., Kaviarasan, T., Sambandam, M., Dhineka, K., Murthy, M. R.& Hoehn, D. (2022). Litter and plastic monitoring in the Indian marine environment: A review of current research, policies, waste management, and a roadmap for multidisciplinary action. Marine Pollution Bulletin, (176), 113424. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113424 Takada, H. (2006) - Call for pellets! International Pellet Watch Global Monitoring of POPs using beached plastic resin pellets - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 52(12): 1547–1548. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2006.10.010

Talsness, C. E.; Andrade, A. J. M.; Kuriyama, S. N.; Taylor, J. A.; Vom Saal, F. S. (2009) - Components of plastic: experimental studies in animals and relevance for human health - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526): 2079–2096. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2008.0281

Tavares, F.; Lívio, A.; Martini, B.; Alves, M.; Abreu, D.; Biato, S.; Turra, A. (2016) - Small-scale temporal and spatial variability in the abundance of plastic pellets on sandy beaches : Methodological considerations for estimating the input of microplastics – Marine Pollution Bulletin, 102(1): 114–121. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.11.051

Thompson, R. C.; Swan, S. H.; Moore, C. J.; vom Saal, F. S. (2009) - Our plastic age. -Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526): 1973–1976. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2009.0054

Turner, A.; Holmes, L. (2011) - Occurrence, distribution and characteristics of beached plastic production pellets on the island of Malta (central Mediterranean) - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62(2): 377–381. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.09.027

Turra, A.; Manzano, A. B.; Dias, R. J. S.; Mahiques, M. M.; Barbosa, L.; Balthazar-Silva, D.; Moreira, F. T. (2014) - Three-dimensional distribution of plastic pellets in sandy beaches: shifting paradigms- Scientific Reports, 4: 1–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep04435

Underwood, A. J. ;Chapman, M. G.; Browne, M. A. (2017) - Some problems and practicalities in design and interpretation of samples of microplastic waste. -Anal. Methods, 9(9): 1332–1345. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C6AY02641A

Veerasingam, S.; Saha, M., Suneel, V.; Vethamony, P.; Rodrigues, A. C.; Bhattacharyya, S.; Naik, B. G. (2016) - Characteristics, seasonal distribution and surface degradation features of microplastic pellets along the Goa coast, India - Chemosphere, 159: 496–505. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.06.056

Vezhnevets, V., Sazonov, V., & Andreeva, A. (2003). A Survey on Pixel-Based Skin Color Detection Techniques. Proceedings of GraphiCon 2003, 85 (ISSN 08966273).

Wagner, M.; Scherer, C.; Alvarez-Muñoz, D.; Brennholt, N.; Bourrain, X.; Buchinger, S.; Fries, E.; Grosbois, C.; Klasmeier, J.; Marti, T.; Rodriguez-Mozaz, S.; Urbatzka, R.; Vethaak, A. D.; Winther-Nielsen, M.; Reifferscheid, G. (2014) - Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems: what we know and what we need to know. - Environmental Sciences Europe, 26(1): 12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-014-0012-7

Wessel, C. C.; Lockridge, G. R.; Battiste, D.; Cebrian, J. (2016) - Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in beach sediments: Insights into microplastic accumulation in northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries - Marine Pollution Bulletin, 109(1): 178–183. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.06.002

Wilcox, C.; Van Sebille, E.; Hardesty, B. D. (2015) - Threat of plastic pollution to seabirds is global, pervasive, and increasing - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112(38): 11899–11904. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1502108112

Worm, B.; Lotze, H. K.; Jubinville, I.; Wilcox, C.; Jambeck, J. (2017) - Plastic as a persistent marine pollutant - Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 42(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-102016-060700.

Wright, S. L.; Thompson, R. C.; Galloway, T. S. (2013) - The physical impacts of microplastics on marine organisms: A review -Environmental Pollution, 178: 483–492. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.02.031.

 

em constru��o