Fate of Microplastics in the Northwest Pacific Region and their Implications for Marine Ecosystems

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基本資料

Project title

Code/計畫編號

MOST109-2611-M019-019

Translated Name/計畫中文名

西北太平洋中海洋微型塑膠之傳輸宿命及其對生態的效應

Project Coordinator/計畫主持人

Ruei-Feng Shiu

Funding Organization/主管機關

National Science and Technology Council

Department/Unit

Institute of Marine Environment and Ecology

Website

https://www.grb.gov.tw/search/planDetail?id=13609796

Year

2020

Start date/計畫起

01-11-2020

Expected Completion/計畫迄

31-10-2021

Bugetid/研究經費

1923千元

ResearchField/研究領域

海洋科學

塑膠廢棄物在海洋環境中普遍存在，已被認為是一全球性問題，文獻估計海洋裡已有約50,000億片的漂浮塑膠，並以每年500萬噸的量藉由河川輸入海洋。經由風化、降解或侵蝕成微米/奈米等級的微型塑膠，具有攜帶微生物、有機物和污染物的能力。這些塑膠、微生物和污染物在長程跨境傳輸的過程中相互影響，可造成外來生物物種與污染物的跨境傳輸的結果並有進入食物鏈之風險，進而破壞了生態系統的功能。研究海洋微生物、海洋膠體、微型塑膠和污染物傳輸之間的相互作用，才有機會釐清此一棘手的環境問題。臺灣之東有北赤道洋流(黑潮)經過，最終進入西北太平洋，是一研究微型塑膠於西北太平洋地區傳輸宿命的樞紐位置。然而，目前微型塑膠在大洋中的分布也多限於模式數據且臺灣至今尙未有大洋塑膠相關期刊論文發表。有鑑於此，本研究將為首例以黑潮估算微型塑膠與污染物的通量和臺灣對西北太平洋塑膠微粒的濃度貢獻並結合實驗室模擬微型塑膠對海洋生態系之干擾。研究內容包含: (1)西北太平洋之微型塑膠材質與濃度，以了解台灣對西北太平洋地區的貢獻與傳輸；(2)解析海洋塑膠、微生物（細菌或浮游植物）、膠體和有機污染物(塑化劑及阻燃劑等)之間的相互作用；(3)確定控制塑膠宿命之關鍵因子。 The pervasive presence of plastic waste in aquatic environments is widely viewed as one of the most serious challenges currently facing oceanographers and environmental researchers. Current estimates indicate that 50,000 billion pieces of plastic are floating in the oceans, and 5 million tons of plastics are transported into ocean areas from rivers ever year. These fresh plastics and debris that enter natural systems are broken down by mechanical fragmentation, chemical (oxidative and thermal) degradation, and biodegradation, into smaller fragments, i.e., micro- and nano-plastics. Contaminants on plastic can include persistent organic and emerging pollutants that interact with each other during transboundary transport and that can disrupt ecosystem functionality. Similarly, at different water depths, the mobility, stability, and distribution of plastics in a water column may be affected by organic colloids and microorganisms. However, plastic pollution remains poorly studied in the ocean surrounding Taiwan. Previous studies predominately focused on the toxicity of plastics in relation to water, while overlooking the biochemical interactions and potentially far-reaching consequences of plastics in ocean systems. Most of this previous work also consisted of laboratory-based experiments that simulated the fates of various plastics. The aim of the work proposed here will be to combine laboratory simulations and field observation to identify the roles and mechanisms of plastics in organic pollutant mobility and ecosystem functionality. The findings may enable prediction of necessary general responses and mediating measures, as well as the changes in ecosystems due to anthropogenic impacts. The ultimate goal is to advance the current knowledge of the interactions between plastics fate, the global carbon cycle, and microbial loops in ecosystem pollution.The research objectives include: (1) estimating fluxes of plastics through seasonal surveys surrounding the Kuroshio Current to understand the plastics contribution from Taiwan to the Northwest Pacific region and its relation to regional ocean circulation and river inputs; (2) revealing the interaction between plastics, microbes (bacteria, phytoplankton), marine colloids, and organic pollutants (especially plasticizers and flame retardants); and (3) determining key environmental factors that control the fate of microplastics.

Keyword(s)

西北太平洋
黑潮
海洋微型塑膠
有機污染物
宿命
有機膠體
Northwest Pacific Ocean
Kuroshio Current
Microplastics
Organic Pollurants
Fates
Organic Colloids

DSpace CRIS

Fate of Microplastics in the Northwest Pacific Region and their Implications for Marine Ecosystems

基本資料

Description