Distribution and ecological risks of microplastics in a tropical tourism island area in Hainan, China

Weijie BIAN; Rui SUN; Yurui LI; Shuguo LÜ; Dongwei YANG; Hongbo LI; Yingxu ZENG; Min LIU

doi:10.1007/s00343-024-4027-7

Your Location：

Home >

Browse articles >

Distribution and ecological risks of microplastics in a tropical tourism island area in Hainan, China

Micro- and nano-plastics in marine environments | Updated：2025-03-21

- Distribution and ecological risks of microplastics in a tropical tourism island area in Hainan, China
- Distribution and ecological risks of microplastics in a tropical tourism island area in Hainan, China
- 海洋湖沼学报(英文) 2025年43卷第2期页码：433-445
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan Province/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572022, China
  2.Hainan Academy of Environmental Science, Haikou 571126, China
  3.Key Laboratory of Island Tourism Resource Data Mining and Monitoring, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572022, China
  4.National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, China
- Author bio：
  
  minliu@hntou.edu.cn
- Funds：
  
  the Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. ‍422MS082), the Hainan Provincial Joint Project of Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City(2021CXLH0009);the Funding Scheme for High-level Overseas Chinese Students’ Return of Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China and Science, Open Project Program of Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University(2022RHDKFKT08);the Technology Project of Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University(2022CXYZD002)
- DOI：10.1007/s00343-024-4027-7
  中图分类号：
- 收稿：2024-01-24，
  
  网络首发：2024-07-15，
  
  纸质出版：2025-03-01
- Accepted：
Scan QR Code
Distribution and ecological risks of microplastics in a tropical tourism island area in Hainan, China[J]. 海洋湖沼学报(英文), 2025,43(2):433-445.

BIAN Weijie,SUN Rui,LI Yurui,et al.Distribution and ecological risks of microplastics in a tropical tourism island area in Hainan, China[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2025,43(02):433-445.
Distribution and ecological risks of microplastics in a tropical tourism island area in Hainan, China[J]. 海洋湖沼学报(英文), 2025,43(2):433-445. DOI： 10.1007/s00343-024-4027-7.

BIAN Weijie,SUN Rui,LI Yurui,et al.Distribution and ecological risks of microplastics in a tropical tourism island area in Hainan, China[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2025,43(02):433-445. DOI： 10.1007/s00343-024-4027-7.

摘要

Abstract

Microplastics are a widely distributed pollutant that threatens the growth and health of marine organisms. Compared to the mainland

island ecosystems with unique characteristics are fragile and sensitive to natural and human interference. We investigated the characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics in the soils of Wuzhizhou Island

Hainan

China

and its surrounding nearshore sediments affected by human activities. Results show that the microplastic abundance in soil was 1 116.67 items/kg; the particles were fragmented in size of less than 2 mm

the main polymer types were polypropylene (PP)

polyethylene (PE)

and polybutylene (PB)

in transparent

gray

green

or white. The microplastic abundances in nearshore sediments of Wuzhizhou Island and the surrounding Haitang Bay were 274.67 and 755.17 items/kg

respectively; the particles were mainly fibrous

less than 1 mm in size

the main polymer types were rayon and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

mostly transparent. The abundance of microplastics showed a decreasing trend from shore to sea. Microplastics in the supratidal and intertidal zones differed in mainly the abundance and size. The microplastics in land soil were from tourism activities and infrastructure while the those in nearshore sediments came from not only tourism but also domestic sewage and fishing activities. The ecological risk of microplastics in the terrestrial soils of Wuzhizhou Island was higher than that in its surrounding nearshore sediments. These findings help to gain a deeper understanding of microplastic pollution in the island subjected to intensive human activities

and provide a scientific basis for subsequent in-situ toxicology research on microplastics and plastic pollution control.

关键词

Keywords

references

Al Nahian S , Rakib M R J , Haider S M B et al . 2022 . Occurrence, spatial distribution, and risk assessment of microplastics in surface water and sediments of Saint Martin Island in the Bay of Bengal . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 179 : 113720 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113720 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113720 .

Andrady A L . 2017 . The plastic in microplastics: a review . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 119 ( 1 ): 12 - 22 , https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.082 https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.082 . https://do 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.082 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.082

Bergmann M , Sandhop N , Schewe I et al . 2016 . Observations of floating anthropogenic litter in the Barents Sea and Fram Strait, Arctic . Polar Biology , 39 ( 3 ): 553 - 560 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1795-8 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1795-8 .

Bleszynski M , Clark E . 2023 . Preliminary assessment into the prevalence and distribution of microplastics in North and South Pacific Island beaches . Microplastics , 2 ( 3 ): 219 - 229 , https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics2030018 https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics2030018 .

Cai M G , He H X , Liu M Y et al . 2018 . Lost but can't be neglected: huge quantities of small microplastics hide in the South China Sea . Science of the Total Environment , 633 : 1206 - 1216 , https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.‍scitotenv.‍2018.03.‍197 https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.‍scitotenv.‍2018.03.‍197 . https://do 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.197 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.197

De-la-Torre G E , Dioses-Salinas D C , Castro J M et al . 2020 . Abundance and distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches of Lima, Peru . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 151 : 110877 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110877 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110877 .

Ding J F , Jiang F H , Li J X et al . 2019 . Microplastics in the coral reef systems from Xisha Islands of South China Sea . Environmental Science & Technology , 53 ( 14 ): 8036 - 8046 , https://doi.‍org/10.1021/acs.est.9b01452 https://doi.‍org/10.1021/acs.est.9b01452 . https://do 10.1021/acs.est.9b01452 http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b01452

Eriksen M , Cummins A , Maximenko N et al . 2013 . Plastic pollution in the South Pacific subtropical gyre . Plastics Engineering , 69 ( 5 ): 38 - 44 , https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.12.021 https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.12.021 . https://do 10.1002/j.1941-9635.2013.tb01006.x http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1941-9635.2013.tb01006.x

Fuller S , Gautam A . 2016 . A procedure for measuring microplastics using pressurized fluid extraction . Environmental Science & Technology , 50 ( 11 ): 5774 - 5780 , https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b00816 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b00816 .

Gao L , Wang Z Z , Peng X Z et al . 2022 . Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics, and their correlation with petroleum in coastal waters of Hainan Island, China . Environmental Pollution , 294 : 118636 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118636 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118636 .

Hakanson L . 1980 . An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach . Water Research , 14 ( 8 ): 975 - 1001 , https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(80)90143-8 https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(80)90143-8 .

Hurley R , Woodward J , Rothwell J J . 2018 . Microplastic contamination of river beds significantly reduced by catchment-wide flooding . Nature Geoscience , 11 ( 4 ): 251 - 257 , https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0080-1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0080-1 .

Jeyasanta K I , Laju R L , Patterson J et al . 2023 . Microplastic pollution and its implicated risks in the estuarine environment of Tamil Nadu, India . Science of the Total Environment , 861 : 160572 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160572 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160572 .

Kaposi K L , Mos B , Kelaher B P et al . 2014 . Ingestion of microplastic has limited impact on a marine larva . Environmental Science & Technology , 48 ( 3 ): 1638 - 1645 , https://doi.org/10.1021/es404295e https://doi.org/10.1021/es404295e .

Khaleel R , Valsan G , Rangel-Buitrago N et al . 2022 . Hidden problems in geological heritage sites: the microplastic issue on Saint Mary's Island, India, Southeast Arabian Sea . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 182 : 114043 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114043 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114043 .

Kirstein I V , Kirmizi S , Wichels A et al . 2016 . Dangerous hitchhikers? Evidence for potentially pathogenic Vibrio spp. on microplastic particles . Marine Environmental Research , 120 : 1 - 8 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.07.004 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.07.004 .

Law K L , Morét-Ferguson S , Maximenko N A et al . 2010 . Plastic accumulation in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre . Science , 329 ( 5996 ): 1185 - 1188 , https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1192321 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1192321 .

Lei X M , Cheng H , Luo Y et al . 2021 . Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in seawater and corals from reef region of Sanya Bay, China . Frontiers in Marine Science , 8 : 728745 , https://doi.‍org/10.‍3389/fmars.2021.728745 https://doi.‍org/10.‍3389/fmars.2021.728745 . https://do 10.3389/fmars.2021.728745 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.728745

Li C J , Zhu L X , Wang X H et al . 2022 . Cross-oceanic distribution and origin of microplastics in the subsurface water of the South China Sea and Eastern Indian Ocean . Science of the Total Environment , 805 : 150243 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150243 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150243 .

Li Y Z , Zhang Y D , Chen G L et al . 2021 . Microplastics in surface waters and sediments from Guangdong coastal areas, South China . Sustainability , 13 ( 5 ): 2691 , https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052691 https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052691 .

Lithner D , Larsson Å , Dave G . 2011 . Environmental and health hazard ranking and assessment of plastic polymers based on chemical composition . Science of the Total Environment , 409 ( 18 ): 3309 - 3324 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.04.038 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.04.038 .

Liu K , Zhang Z W , Wu H et al . 2021 . Accumulation of microplastics in a downstream area of a semi-enclosed bay: implications of input from coastal currents . Science of the Total Environment , 791 : 148280 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148280 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148280 .

Liu Y , Zhang J D , Cai C Y et al . 2020 . Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in the Haihe River: an investigation of a seagoing river flowing through a megacity in northern China . Environmental Pollution , 262 : 114261 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114261 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114261 .

Lombardo J , Solomando A , Cohen-Sánchez A et al . 2022 . Effects of human activity on markers of oxidative stress in the intestine of Holothuria tubulosa , with special reference to the presence of microplastics . International Journal of Molecular Sciences , 23 ( 16 ): 9018 , https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23169018 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23169018 .

Luo Y D , Sun C Z , Li C G et al . 2022 . Spatial patterns of microplastics in surface seawater, sediment, and sand along Qingdao coastal environment . Frontiers in Marine Science , 9 : 916859 , https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.916859 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.916859 .

Machendiranathan M , Hu Y Q , Chen W C et al . 2022 . Consequences of anthropogenic activities and beach dynamics on vertical distribution of microplastics in the mid-intertidal sediments of Donghai Island, China . Water Science and Technology , 86 ( 6 ): 1342 - 1357 , https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2022.276 https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2022.276 .

Mazurais D , Ernande B , Quazuguel P et al . 2015 . Evaluation of the impact of polyethylene microbeads ingestion in European sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) larvae . Marine Environmental Research , 112 : 78 - 85 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.09.009 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.09.009 .

Mendrik F M , Henry T B , Burdett H et al . 2021 . Species-specific impact of microplastics on coral physiology . Environmental Pollution , 269 : 116238 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116238 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116238 .

Osswald T A . 2006 . International Plastics Handbook: the Resource for Plastics Engineers . Hanser Gardner Publications, Cincinnati, Ohi, USA . 1 - 877 , ISBN: 3446229051 .

Patterson J , Jeyasanta K I , Laju R L et al . 2022 . Microplastic in the coral reef environments of the Gulf of Mannar, India—characteristics, distributions, sources and ecological risks . Environmental Pollution , 298 : 118848 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.‍envpol.2022.118848 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.‍envpol.2022.118848 .

Peng G Y , Xu P , Zhu B S et al . 2018b . Microplastics in freshwater river sediments in Shanghai, China: a case study of risk assessment in mega-cities . Environmental Pollution , 234 : 448 - 456 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.‍envpol.2017.11.034 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.‍envpol.2017.11.034 .

Peng G Y , Zhu B S , Yang D Q et al . 2017 . Microplastics in sediments of the Changjiang Estuary, China . Environmental Pollution , 225 : 283 - 290 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.12.064 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.12.064 .

Peng X T , Chen M , Chen S et al . 2018a . Microplastics contaminate the deepest part of the world's ocean . Geochemical Perspectives Letters , 9 : 1 - 5 , https://doi.‍org/10.7185/geochemlet.1829 https://doi.‍org/10.7185/geochemlet.1829 .

Rangel-Buitrago N , Arroyo-Olarte H , Trilleras J et al . 2021 . Microplastics pollution on Colombian Central Caribbean beaches . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 170 : 112685 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112685 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112685 .

Rhodes C J . 2018 . Plastic pollution and potential solutions . Science Progress , 101 ( 3 ): 207 - 260 , https://doi.org/10.3184/003685018X15294876706211 https://doi.org/10.3184/003685018X15294876706211 .

Sánchez-García N , Sanz-Lázaro C . 2023 . Darwin's paradise contaminated by marine debris. Understanding their sources and accumulation dynamics . Environmental Pollution , 324 : 121310 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.‍envpol.2023.121310 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.‍envpol.2023.121310 .

Seeruttun L D , Raghbor P , Appadoo C . 2023 . Mangrove and microplastic pollution: a case study from a small island (Mauritius) . Regional Studies in Marine Science , 62 : 102906 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2023‍.‍1‍02906 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2023‍.‍1‍02906 .

Sui Q , Zhang L J , Xia B et al . 2020 . Spatiotemporal distribution, source identification and inventory of microplastics in surface sediments from Sanggou Bay, China . Science of the Total Environment , 723 : 138064 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138064 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138064 .

Sun X M , Wang T , Chen B J et al . 2021 . Factors influencing the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in coastal sediments: from source to sink . Journal of Hazardous Materials , 410 : 124982 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124982 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124982 .

Syakti A D , Jaya J V , Rahman A et al . 2019 . Bleaching and necrosis of staghorn coral ( Acropora formosa ) in laboratory assays: immediate impact of LDPE microplastics . Chemosphere , 228 : 528 - 535 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.04.156 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.04.156 .

Tajwar M , Shreya S S , Gazi M Y et al . 2022 . Microplastic contamination in the sediments of the Saint Martin's Island, Bangladesh . Regional Studies in Marine Science , 53 : 102401 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2022.‍102401 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2022.‍102401 .

Thompson R C , Olsen Y , Mitchell R P et al . 2004 . Lost at sea: where is all the plastic? Science , 304 ( 5672 ): 838 - 838 , https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1094559 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1094559 .

Viršek M K , Lovšin M N , Koren Š et al . 2017 . Microplastics as a vector for the transport of the bacterial fish pathogen species Aeromonas salmonicida . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 125 ( 1-2 ): 301 - 309 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.08.024 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.08.024 .

Wang T , Zou X Q , Li B J et al . 2019 . Preliminary study of the source apportionment and diversity of microplastics: taking floating microplastics in the South China Sea as an example . Environmental Pollution , 245 : 965 - 974 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.10.110 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.10.110 .

Wang W F , Yuan W K , Chen Y L et al . 2018 . Microplastics in surface waters of Dongting Lake and Hong Lake, China . Science of the Total Environment , 633 : 539 - 545 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.211 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.211 .

Wu F R , Pennings S C , Tong C F et al . 2020 . Variation in microplastics composition at small spatial and temporal scales in a tidal flat of the Yangtze Estuary, China . Science of the Total Environment , 699 : 134252 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134252 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134252 .

Wu Z J , Chen S Q , Chen M et al . 2013 . Preliminary survey and analysis of the resources of hermatypic corals in Hainan Island . Transactions of Oceanology and Limnology , ( 2 ): 44 - 50 . (in Chinese with English abstract)

Xie S Q , Chen Y , Hu P F et al . 2012 . Research on the plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean . In: The 4th International Conference on Environmental Technology and Knowledge Transfer . Hefei . p. 427 - 433 .

Xu P , Peng G Y , Su L et al . 2018 . Microplastic risk assessment in surface waters: a case study in the Changjiang Estuary, China . Marine Pollution Bulletin , 133 : 647 - 654 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.06.020 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.06.020 .

Xue B M , Zhang L L , Li R L et al . 2020 . Underestimated microplastic pollution derived from fishery activities and "Hidden" in deep sediment . Environmental Science & Technology , 54 ( 4 ): 2210 - 2217 , https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b04850 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b04850 .

Yang H , Sun F H , Liao H Q et al . 2023 . The pollution of microplastics in sediments of the Yangtze River Basin: occurrence, distribution characteristics, and basin-scale multilevel ecological risk assessment . Water Research , 243 : 120322 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.120322 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.120322 .

Yu X B , Ladewig S , Bao S W et al . 2018 . Occurrence and distribution of microplastics at selected coastal sites along the southeastern United States . Science of the Total Environment , 613 - 614 : 298 - 305 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.100 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.100 .

Zhang Y L , Kang S C , Allen S et al . 2020 . Atmospheric microplastics: a review on current status and perspectives . Earth-Science Reviews , 203 : 103118 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103118 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103118 .

Zhou Z , Wan L , Cai W Q et al . 2022 . Species-specific microplastic enrichment characteristics of scleractinian corals from reef environment: insights from an in - situ study at the Xisha Islands . Science of the Total Environment , 815 : 152845 , https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152845 https://doi.‍org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152845 . https://do 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152845 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152845

浏览量

Downloads

CSCD

文章被引用时，请邮件提醒。

Submit

工具集

关联资源

Microplastics in the seawater of the Beibu Gulf, the northern South China Sea: occurrence, sources, and ecological risk

Distribution, source, and sink of microplastics in the nearshore-estuarine systems of the South China Sea basin

Combined toxicity effects of virgin/aged polyacrylonitrile microfibers and copper on fish Carassius auratus gibelio

齿轮传动对转桨扇发动机总体性能建模

双转子轴间滑油颗粒运动轨迹参数化模型