Analysis of microplastics in ships ballast water and its ecological risk assessment studies from the Persian Gulf

Atefeh Zendehboudi; Azam Mohammadi; Sina Dobaradaran; Gabriel E De-la-Torre; Bahman Ramavandi; Seyed Enayat Hashemi; Reza Saeedi; Emran Moradpour Tayebi; Ahmad Vafaee; AmirHossein Darabi

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115825

Analysis of microplastics in ships ballast water and its ecological risk assessment studies from the Persian Gulf

Mar Pollut Bull. 2024 Jan:198:115825. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115825. Epub 2023 Nov 28.

Affiliations

¹ Student Research Committee, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
² Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
³ Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry and Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, 45141, Germany. Electronic address: s.dobaradaran@bpums.ac.ir.
⁴ Grupo de Investigación de Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Sociedad, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Peru.
⁵ Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
⁶ Workplace Health Promotion Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Health and Safety, and Environment (HSE), School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁷ Department of Bushehr Ports & Maritime Authority, Iran.
⁸ The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.

PMID: 38029669
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115825

Abstract

Transport of ballast water is considered a significant vector for dispersion of different pollutants, including microplastics (MPs), throughout the world's oceans. However, there is limited information on MPs in ballast water. Size distribution, polymer type, and ecological risks of MPs in ballast water were investigated for the first time in this study. The mean levels of MPs in ballast water and seawater samples were 12.53 and 11.80 items/L, respectively. MPs with a size category of 50-300 μm was the most abundant. Fiber, black, and polycarbonate (PC) were the predominant shape, color, and polymer type of identified MPs in ballast water and seawater, respectively. The pollution load index (PLI), hazard index (HI), and risk quotient (RQ) indicated high levels of MP pollution, potentially indicating an ecological risk. These findings increase our understanding of the major sources (such as ballast water), transportation routes, and related ecological risks of MPs to marine ecosystems.

Keywords: Ballast tank; Hazard index; Marine environment; Persian gulf; Plastic particles; Pollution load index.

MeSH terms

Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
Indian Ocean
Microplastics* / analysis
Plastics / analysis
Polymers / analysis
Risk Assessment
Ships
Water / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Microplastics
Plastics
Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Polymers