Marine plastics

Plastic pollution is a growing threat to the world’s oceans, posing a serious risk to the health of marine life, ecosystems and potentially human health.

The properties of plastic that make it such an attractive material, such as durability, strength and low cost, also make it a lasting problem once it reaches the end of its useful life. Oceanic plastic pollution consists of large pieces of debris, including discarded fishing gear, bottles and plastic bags, but the most ubiquitous type of plastic debris by number are small pieces of plastic, known as microplastics.

Sources of microplastics include fibres from synthetic textiles, microbeads from cosmetics and industrial applications and larger items that have broken down over time. Microplastics are ingested by a wide range of marine organisms, including commercially exploited species destined for human consumption. Our research has highlighted that these microplastics can adversely affect the health of organisms by limiting their capacity to feed upon natural prey.

PML scientists are at the forefront of developing techniques to monitor, assess bioavailability and investigate the effects of marine microplastics on marine organisms and ecosystems.

Making a difference

plastic_bottle_(1).pngPML scientists have contributed comprehensive evidence to the UK House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee's inquiry into "Microplastics and the Marine Environment" and provided input into the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POSTNote) on "Marine Microplastic Pollution".

One of PML's scientists, Dr Penelope Lindeque gave a presentation to the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee on "The problem of microplastics in our Marine Environment?" to raise awareness of the threat that microplastics pose to the marine environment. The Committee informs members of the Houses of Parliament, scientific bodies, industry and academia on issues where science and politics meet. It also demonstrates the relevance of scientific and technological developments on matters of public interest and to the development of national policy.

The UK government has now proposed a ban on microbeads in personal care products due to come in 2018.

 

Current research topics include:

Air-sea gas exchange Aquaculture Biodiversity Capacity development Carbon and nutrient cycles Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Earth Observation Food security Invasive species Marine spatial planning Modelling the Marine Environment New technologies Ocean acidification Renewable energy Valuing the marine environment

 

Key staff

Dr Pennie Lindeque
Dr Pennie Lindeque
Head of Marine Microplastics Group

Dr Matt Cole
Dr Matt Cole
Lord Kingsland Fellow - Marine Plastics

Training

An international training workshop on microplastic debris was held in Callao, Perú in October 2018 and organised by Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Instituto del Mar del Perú.

Media coverage

The work of the plastics team has received much national and international media coverage, click here for further details.

Projects

Removing marine microplastics with mussel power
Completed

Removing marine microplastics with mussel power

Contact: Dr Matthew Cole

Removing marine microplastics with mussel power is a one-year feasibility study funded by Waitrose Plan Plastic to develop an ecological solution...

Bioavailability and biological effects of microscopic plastic debris in the ocean
Completed

Bioavailability and biological effects of microscopic plastic debris in the ocean

Contact: Dr Pennie Lindeque

Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic are discarded as waste, and marine plastic litter is emerging as both a threat to the oceans and a...

OPTIMAL
Completed

Optical Methods for Marine Litter detection (OPTIMAL)

Contact: Dr Victor Martinez-Vicente

Marine litter consists predominantly of plastics and is an increasing global concern because of its worldwide distribution and its impacts on the...

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Other recent news articles

News

First successful study to detect marine plastic pollution using satellites

A pioneering technique to detect plastics floating on the sea surface, led by scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, has been published this week in Scientific Reports .

News

Proof of fish larvae eating plastics at sea

PML scientists and colleagues from Plymouth University have verified and pictured examples of fish larvae ingestion of microplastics, including fibres, in the ocean.

News

First evidence that seals can consume microplastics via their prey

​Microplastics can transfer up the food chain from fish to top predators, such as seals, reveals new research by Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), University of Exeter and the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.

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Selected key publications

   

Duncan, E.M., Botterell, Z.L.R., Broderick, A.C., Galloway, T.S., Lindeque, P.K., Nuno, A, Godley, B.J. 2017 A global review of marine turtle entanglement in anthropogenic debris: a baseline for further action. Endangered Species Research 34, 431-448. doi: 10.3354/esr00865

   

Galloway, T.S., Cole, M., Lewis, C. 2017. Interactions of microplastic debris throughout the marine ecosystem. Nature Ecology and Evolution 1, art:0116. doi: 10.1038/s41559-017-0116

   

Steer, M., Cole, M., Thompson, R.C., Lindeque, P.K. 2017. Microplastic ingestion in fish larvae in the western English Channel. Environmental Pollution, 226, 25-259. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.03.062

   

Cole, M. 2016. A novel method for preparing microplastic fibers. Scientific Reports 6, 34519; doi: 10.1038/srep34519
 

   

Cole, M., Webb, H., Lindeque, P.K., Fileman, E. Halsband, C., Galloway, T.S. 2014. Isolation of microplastics in biota-rich seawater samples and marine organisms. Scientific Reports, 4 (4528). doi: 10.1038/srep04528

   

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

   

Cole, M., Lindeque, P.K., Halsband, C., Galloway, T.S. 2011. Microplastics as contaminants in the marine environment: a review. Marine Pollution Bulletin 62 (12), 2588-2597. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.09.025

Related recent publications

  1. Abate, TG; Borger, T; Aanesen, M; Falk-Andersson, J; Wyles, KJ; Beaumont, NJ. 2019 Valuation of marine plastic pollution in the European Arctic: Applying an integrated choice and latent variable model to contingent valuation. Ecological Economics, 169. 106521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.106521
    View publication

  2. Jones-Williams, K; Galloway, T; Cole, MJ; Stowasser, G; Waluda, CM; Manno, C. 2020 Close encounters - microplastic availability to pelagic amphipods in sub-antarctic and antarctic surface waters. Environment International, 140. 105792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105792
    View publication

  3. Lindeque, PK; Cole, MJ; Coppock, RL; Lewis, CN; Miller, RZ; Watts, AJR; Wilson-McNeal, A; Wright, SL; Galloway, TS. 2020 Are we underestimating microplastic abundance in the marine environment? A comparison of microplastic capture with nets of different mesh-size. Environmental Pollution. 114721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114721
    View publication

  4. Biermann, L; Clewley, D; Martinez-Vicente, V; Topouzelis, KN. 2020 Finding Plastic Patches in Coastal Waters using Optical Satellite Data. Scientific Reports, 10 (1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-62298-z
    View publication

  5. McCoy, SJ; Widdicombe, S. 2019 Thermal plasticity is independent of environmental history in an intertidal seaweed. Ecology and Evolution, 9 (23). 13402-13412. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5796
    View publication

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