Date of Award

Spring 5-28-2025

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Environmental Sciences

First Advisor

Juanita Urban-Rich

Second Advisor

Michael Tlusty

Third Advisor

Jesse Farmer

Abstract

Marine environments have been affected greatly over the last 50 years by anthropogenic marine waste, particularly plastic. Plastic waste in the oceans comes from many sectors, such as textiles, shipping, and the fishing industry. As plastic litter degrades, it produces microplastics, including five major forms: foam, films, fragments, beads, and fibers. Fibers are the most prevalent microplastic type and are often formed from marine ropes, which are frequently discarded or lost at sea. These ropes contribute to entanglement, ingestion hazards, and microplastic pollution. While the shedding of microplastic fibers from ropes during active use has been studied, much less is known about fiber production from stationary or beached ropes. Additionally, the toxicity of microplastics and their environmental impacts are growing concerns. In this study, I investigated fiber production and associated toxicity from four commonly used marine ropes in a six-month passive sand environment on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Monthly sand samples were analyzed for microplastic fiber content, while rope subsamples were evaluated at months 0, 3, and 6 for toxicity using Vibrio fischeri bacteria bioassays. Polyester rope produced the highest number of fibers and caused the strongest and most prolonged inhibition of bacterial luminescence throughout the study. In contrast, polypropylene rope produced the fewest fibers and showed minimal toxicity, including stimulatory effects on bacterial luminescence, suggesting it may pose a lower environmental risk among the ropes tested.

Comments

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