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Provencher JF, Liboiron M, Borrelle SB, Bond AL, Rochman C, Lavers JL, Avery-Gomm S, Yamashita R, Ryan PG, Lusher AL, Hammer S, Bradshaw H, Khan J, Mallory ML. A Horizon Scan of research priorities to inform policies aimed at reducing the harm of plastic pollution to biota. Sci Total Environ 2020; 733:139381. [PMID: 32446089 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution in the oceans is a priority environmental issue. The recent increase in research on the topic, coupled with growing public awareness, has catalyzed policymakers around the world to identify and implement solutions that minimize the harm caused by plastic pollution. To aid and coordinate these efforts, we surveyed experts with scientific experience identified through their peer-reviewed publications. We asked experts about the most pressing research questions relating to how biota interact with plastic pollution that in turn can inform policy decisions and research agendas to best contribute to understanding and reducing the harm of plastic pollution to biota. We used a modified Horizon Scan method that first used a subgroup of experts to generate 46 research questions on aquatic biota and plastics, and then conducted an online survey of researchers globally to prioritize questions in terms of their importance to inform policy development. One hundred and fifteen experts from 29 countries ranked research questions in six themes. The questions were ranked by urgency, indicating which research should be addressed immediately, which can be addressed later, and which are of limited relevance to inform action on plastics as an environmental pollutant. We found that questions relating to the following four themes were the most commonly top-ranked research priorities: (i) sources, circulation and distribution of plastics, (ii) type of harm from plastics, (iii) detection of ingested plastics and the associated problems, and (iv) related economies and policy to ingested plastics. While there are many research questions on the topic of impacts of plastic pollution on biota that could be funded and investigated, our results focus collective priorities in terms of research that experts believe will inform effective policy and on-the-ground conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Provencher
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 351 Boulevard Saint-Joseph, Gatineau, Quebec J8Y 3Z5, Canada.
| | - M Liboiron
- Department of Geography, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - S B Borrelle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2, Canada; David H. Smith Conservation Research Program, Society for Conservation Biology, Washington, DC, USA
| | - A L Bond
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 6AP, United Kingdom; Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia.
| | - C Rochman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2, Canada.
| | - J L Lavers
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia.
| | - S Avery-Gomm
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada; School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - R Yamashita
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
| | - P G Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - A L Lusher
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349 Oslo, Norway.
| | - S Hammer
- Environment Agency, Traðagøta 38, FO-165 Argir, Faroe Islands.
| | - H Bradshaw
- Program in Environmental Sciences, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - J Khan
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 351 Boulevard Saint-Joseph, Gatineau, Quebec J8Y 3Z5, Canada
| | - M L Mallory
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Ave, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada.
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Provencher JF, Avery-Gomm S, Liboiron M, Braune BM, Macaulay JB, Mallory ML, Letcher RJ. Are ingested plastics a vector of PCB contamination in northern fulmars from coastal Newfoundland and Labrador? Environ Res 2018; 167:184-190. [PMID: 30032001 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
While marine animals are exposed to environmental contaminants via their prey, because plastic pollution in the aquatic environment can concentrate some chemicals, ingested plastics are thought to increase the exposure of biota to contaminants. Currently, in the literature there are contradictory results relating to how higher levels of ingested plastics by birds may lead to higher levels of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs). To date none of these have incorporated known Toxic Equivalency Factors (TEFs) for non-ortho and mono-ortho congeners of PCB which is critical to assessing the potential effects from PCBs. We examined northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from the Labrador Sea region Canada, and the ingested plastics from these same birds for comparative PCB concentrations. We found no significant correlations between the PCB concentrations in the birds and the mass or number of retained ingested plastic pieces in the stomach, this held true when PCBs were considered by a number of different ways, including ∑4PCB, ∑PCB, lower-chlorinated, high-chlorinated, non-ortho PCB, and mono-ortho congeners. PCB concentrations were lower in plastics as compared with livers. We found significant differences in congener profiles between the ingested plastics and seabird livers suggesting that while plastics do not contribute to the PCB concentrations, there may be some interactions between plastics and the chemicals that the birds are exposed to via ingested plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Provencher
- Biology Department, Acadia University, 15 University Drive, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4P 2R6.
| | - S Avery-Gomm
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4103, Australia
| | - M Liboiron
- Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1B 3X9
| | - B M Braune
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0H3
| | - J B Macaulay
- Research and Productivity Council, Fredericton, NB, Canada E3B 6Z9
| | - M L Mallory
- Biology Department, Acadia University, 15 University Drive, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4P 2R6
| | - R J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0H3
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