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Plastic debris (> 500µm) concentration gradient detected across the Southwest Indian Ocean

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Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Philippe Jourand, Philippe Jourand, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Alexandra ter Halle Matthias Egger, Margot Thibault, Margot Thibault, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Matthias Egger, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Adrian Fajeau, Adrian Fajeau, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Matthieu Le Corre, Adrian Fajeau, Adrian Fajeau, Matthieu Le Corre, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Aina Ramanampananjy, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Aina Ramanampananjy, Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Aina Ramanampananjy, Matthias Egger, Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Aina Ramanampananjy, Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Matthias Egger, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Alexandra ter Halle Matthias Egger, Laurent Lebreton, Matthias Egger, Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Gwennaïs Fustemberg, Gwennaïs Fustemberg, Alexandra ter Halle Gwennaïs Fustemberg, Gwennaïs Fustemberg, Laurent Lebreton, Matthias Egger, Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Vyctoria Marillac, Vyctoria Marillac, Laurent Lebreton, Vyctoria Marillac, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Margot Thibault, Alexandra ter Halle Vyctoria Marillac, Alexandra ter Halle Margot Thibault, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Julie Gindrey, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Julie Gindrey, Julie Gindrey, Matthias Egger, Matthias Egger, Julie Gindrey, Anjara Saloma, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Anjara Saloma, Alexandra ter Halle Anjara Saloma, Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Anjara Saloma, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Manon Condet, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Manon Condet, Manon Condet, Laurent Lebreton, Manon Condet, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Perrine Mangion, Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Perrine Mangion, Laurent Lebreton, Perrine Mangion, Perrine Mangion, Laurent Lebreton, Matthias Egger, Alexandra ter Halle Philippe Jourand, Philippe Jourand, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Matthias Egger, Laurent Lebreton, Matthias Egger, Maxime Amy, Maxime Amy, Alexandra ter Halle Alexandra ter Halle Maxime Amy, Maxime Amy, Sébastien Jaquemet, Laurent Lebreton, Sébastien Jaquemet, Philippe Jourand, Philippe Jourand, Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Thierry Mulochau, Matthieu Le Corre, Philippe Jourand, Sarah‐Jeanne Royer, Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle Philippe Jourand, Matthieu Le Corre, Alexandra ter Halle Thierry Mulochau, Laurent Lebreton, Laurent Lebreton, Matthieu Le Corre, Matthieu Le Corre, Matthias Egger, Alexandra ter Halle Laurent Lebreton, Alexandra ter Halle

Summary

Researchers investigated plastic debris concentration and composition across the Southwest Indian Ocean using 19 oceanographic campaigns and 153 uninhabited beach surveys, identifying a gradient in floating macroplastic distribution and characterizing the sources and polymer types of 101,055 litter items.

Polymers
Study Type Environmental

<title>Abstract</title> Marine plastic pollution is increasing. The Indian Ocean is understudied compared to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This study investigates plastic pollution in the Southwest Indian Ocean using a multi-faceted approach that includes both floating (visual survey and manta trawls) and beach-collected plastics, assessing their concentration, composition, and origin. Through 19 oceanographic campaigns and 153 uninhabited beach surveys, a total of 101,055 pieces of marine litter were identified, with 95% being plastics. Floating macroplastics were predominantly found near remote island waters, particularly at Glorieuses (10<sup>3</sup> items.km<sup>-2</sup>). Meanwhile, an increasing gradient of floating microplastic concentrations was observed from 40°E (10<sup>3</sup> items.km<sup>-2</sup>) to 65°E (10<sup>5</sup> items.km<sup>-2</sup>) along 30°/33°S. High concentration of beached macroplastics where observed on the east coast of Madagascar and Tromelin. Mesoplastics were more abundant than macroplastics, on remote islands. Floating and beached plastic debris were mainly hard fragments, mostly made of polyethylene (floating, beached: 72%, 57%) or polypropylene (26%, 34%). The majority of macroplastics identified in the brand audit, was mainly mineral water food packaging (81%) from Southeast Asian manufacturers. Our results will inform national management and provide evidence to support international plastic treaty negotiations on legacy plastics.

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