Plastics in the Marine Environment

Law, Kara Lavender

doi:10.1146/annurev-marine-010816-060409

Cited by 1,059Microplastics and Plastic PollutionOil Spill Detection and MitigationMarine and Coastal Ecosystems

Plastics in the Marine Environment

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Law, Kara Lavender·2017·Annual Review of Marine Science

DOI 10.1146/annurev-marine-010816-060409

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Abstract

Plastics contamination in the marine environment was first reported nearly 50 years ago, less than two decades after the rise of commercial plastics production, when less than 50 million metric tons were produced per year. In 2014, global plastics production surpassed 300 million metric tons per year. Plastic debris has been detected worldwide in all major marine habitats, in sizes from microns to meters. In response, concerns about risks to marine wildlife upon exposure to the varied forms of plastic debris have increased, stimulating new research into the extent and consequences of plastics contamination in the marine environment. Here, I present a framework to evaluate the current understanding of the sources, distribution, fate, and impacts of marine plastics. Despite remaining knowledge gaps in mass budgeting and challenges in investigating ecological impacts, the increasing evidence of the ubiquity of plastics contamination in the marine environment, the continued rapid growth in plastics production, and the evidence—albeit limited—of demonstrated impacts to marine wildlife support immediate implementation of source-reducing measures to decrease the potential risks of plastics in the marine ecosystem.

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The relatively large mesh size (typically >300 mm) does not account for small microplastic particles which are probably more abundant, and it has been suggested that this may explain at least some of the discrepancy.
“The relatively large mesh size (typically >300 mm) does also not account for small micro plastic particles which are probably more abundant 51,65 and it has been suggested that this may explain at least some of the discrepancy.21”
From The fate of plastic in the ocean environment – a minireview (2021) · cites this paper as [21]

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by J. Jambeck, N.J. Mallos, C.R. Rochman, and R.C. Thompson. My work on this review was supported by the National Science Foundation (OCE-1260403).
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Authors: Law, K. L.
Affiliations: Sea Education Association (US)
Corresponding author: Law, Kara Lavender
ORCID: Law, Kara Lavender
Venue: Annual Review of Marine Science
Publisher: Annual Reviews
Published: 2017-01-03
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Pages: 205-229
ISSN: 1941-0611 (ISSN-L)
1941-1405
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-010816-060409
OpenAlex: W2764880863
Cited by: 1,059
References: 136
Citations by year: 2026: 55 · 2025: 102 · 2024: 136 · 2023: 145 · 2022: 136 · 2021: 170 · 2020: 142 · 2019: 105 · 2018: 54 · 2017: 12 · 2015: 2
FWCI: 3.27
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: hybrid
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
Locations: Annual Review of Marine Science (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: University of California, Santa Barbara
Topics: Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Oil Spill Detection and Mitigation
Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Marine and Coastal Ecosystems
Keywords: marine plastic pollution, plastic debris, marine litter
MeSH terms: Environment, Environmental Monitoring, Oceans and Seas, Plastics, Waste Products, Water Pollutants, Ecosystem

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