Microplastics and accumulated heavy metals in restored mangrove wetland surface sediments at Jinjiang Estuary (Fujian, China)

Jun Deng; Peiyong Guo; Xiaoyan Zhang; Haitao Su; Yuxuan Zhang; Yanmei Wu; Yanqi Li

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111482

Microplastics and accumulated heavy metals in restored mangrove wetland surface sediments at Jinjiang Estuary (Fujian, China)

Mar Pollut Bull. 2020 Oct:159:111482. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111482. Epub 2020 Jul 27.

Authors

Jun Deng¹, Peiyong Guo², Xiaoyan Zhang³, Haitao Su¹, Yuxuan Zhang¹, Yanmei Wu¹, Yanqi Li¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, China; Institute of Environmental and Resources Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China.
² Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, China; Institute of Environmental and Resources Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China. Electronic address: guopeiyong@sina.com.
³ Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, China.

PMID: 32892917
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111482

Abstract

Microplastics have received widespread attention as an emerging contaminant, but limited information was available during wetland restoration. The occurrence and characteristics of microplastics and their interaction with heavy metals in surface sediments from the Jinjiang Estuarine restored mangrove wetland were investigated. The abundance of microplastics ranged from 490 ± 127.3 to 1170 ± 99.0 items/500 g dry sediment, and the restored regions were much higher than mudflats, indicating mangrove restoration promoted its accumulation. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) were the main materials of microplastics after Raman spectroscopy identification. SEM-EDS images illustrated the mechanical erosion and chemical weathering on microplastics' surface, and Cr, Zn, Pb, and Cd were observed in elemental composition. The contents of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, As, and Cd accumulated in microplastics were not correlated with their total concentrations in sediments except for Hg, indicating that they might not be derived from sediments.

Keywords: Heavy metals; Mangrove restoration; Microplastics; Planting patterns; SEM/EDS.

MeSH terms

China
Environmental Monitoring
Estuaries
Geologic Sediments
Metals, Heavy / analysis*
Microplastics
Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*
Wetlands

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Microplastics
Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical