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Marine & Wildlife
Policy & Risk
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Validating citizen science for community-driven microplastic monitoring and marine protection in Northeast Iceland's Hope Spot
Marine Pollution Bulletin2025
3 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 48
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Belén García Ovide,
Belén García Ovide,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Eleonora Barbaccia,
Erica Cirino,
Erica Cirino,
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Charla J. Basran,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Charla J. Basran,
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Erica Cirino,
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Erica Cirino,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Marianne H. Rasmussen,
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Kristian Syberg
Claudia Lorenz,
Kristian Syberg
Summary
Researchers ran a 5-year citizen science program (2019–2023) in Northeast Iceland's Hope Spot using low-tech sampling devices aboard whale-watching and expedition vessels to monitor meso- and microplastic pollution. MPs were present in 86% of trawl samples at an average density of 0.02 particles/m², validating citizen science as a viable tool for monitoring MP pollution in under-sampled Arctic waters.
Governments are increasingly monitoring meso- and microplastic (M/MP) pollution in surface waters to develop cost-effective solutions. While citizen science is widely used in programs like the EU's Marine Litter Watch and NOAA's sampling in the U.S., these efforts primarily focus on macro litter, leaving gaps in M/MP data, especially in under-sampled regions like Icelandic waters. This study addresses this gap through a citizen science initiative (2019-2023) that monitored M/MP pollution in the "Northeast Iceland Hope Spot." Fifty-eight trawl samples were collected from whale-watching and expedition vessels using a low-tech aquatic debris instrument (LADI) or a high-speed AVANI trawl. M/MP were present in 86 % of samples, with an average density of 0.02 ± 0.03 particles/m. Concentrations varied significantly between sites (p = 0.005), peaking in Grímsey (0.070 ± 0.03 particles/m), followed by Eyjafjörður (0.006 ± 0.04 particles/m) and Skjálfandi Bay (0.004 ± 0.03 particles/m). Mesoplastics comprised 44 % and microplastics 56 %, primarily polyethylene (47 %) and polypropylene (39 %)-common materials in fishing gear and household plastics. These findings suggest that local currents and fishing activities influence M/MP distribution. Comparison with previous studies validates the use of the presented citizen science methods for tracking floating M/MP in coastal waters and highlights their value in shaping marine conservation policies, particularly in vulnerable subarctic ecosystems.