Microplastics – the search for optimal solutions to preserve natural ecosystems and the habitats of aquatic organisms

The problem of microplastic pollution of the World Ocean’s water areas and its negative impact on aquatic organisms, commercial stocks of aquatic biological resources, and the socio-economic development of the fishing industry is examined. It is shown that global fishing has reached its maximum catch volumes (91.0 million tonnes in 2022), while aquaculture production (94.4 million tonnes) has exceeded industrial fishing catches for the first time. Among the factors determining this trend, along with climate change, is the pollution of marine ecosystems with microplastics, which leads to disruption of the reproduction of aquatic organisms, a decline in the quality of fish products, and reduced revenues for fishing organizations. It is noted that polyethylene from packaging materials and fishing nets is the most common type of microplastic found in the gastrointestinal tract of commercial fish. International initiatives to combat plastic pollution of the marine environment have been analysed, including the GloLitter project (IMO/FAO), the IMO Action Plan to Address Marine Plastic Pollution, and the international treaty on plastic pollution, which is being developed under the auspices of UNEP. The results of comprehensive studies conducted by the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “VNIRO” in 2019–2024 in the seas of the Russian Arctic (the Barents Sea, the Kara Sea, the Laptev Sea, the East Siberian Sea, and the Chukchi Sea), the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Azov, and the Black Sea, as well as in Lake Ilmen, are presented. A total of 391 samples of surface water and 2,777 samples of the gastrointestinal tract of commercial fish were collected. It has been established that the average concentrations of microplastics on the surface of Russia’s Arctic seas do not exceed 0.16 units/m3, which can be taken as baseline (“zero”) indicators on the eve of the active phase of development of the Northern Sea Route. The role of Atlantic and Pacific currents in transporting microplastics to the Arctic has been confirmed; an excess of concentrations has been identified in areas of ice melting. A repository has been formed consisting of more than 700 samples of microplastics and synthetic fibres. The necessity of interdisciplinary research to assess food safety risks, develop technologies for biodegradable materials, and improve the infrastructure for collecting and processing plastic waste has been substantiated