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Natural sorting of sediments in the wave run-up zone works for microplastics as well
Summary
A 14-month monitoring study at a Baltic Sea beach found that the wave run-up zone naturally sorts and concentrates microplastic fibers in the 0.5–2 mm size range in a relatively stable way, independent of wind, wave height, or sediment grain size. This consistent behavior suggests that sampling this beach zone for fibers of this specific size could serve as a reliable and reproducible method for long-term microplastic pollution monitoring.
The distribution of plastic pollution in the marine environment is highly variable in time and space, making it difficult to assess pollution levels. This study shows that mixing and natural sorting of material in the wave run-up zone of a sandy beach results in a relatively stable abundance of microplastics in the size range 0.5-2 mm (S-MPs). Based on 175 samples collected over 14 months during 42 monitoring surveys at 6 stations along the shore of the Vistula Spit (Baltic Sea), the mean abundance of S-MPs was found to be 64 ± 36 items/kg DW (98.6 % fibers), with a coefficient of variation of only 56 % over more than one year. Statistical tests confirmed its independence from current wind speed, significant wave height, mean sediment grain size, sediment sorting, percentage of certain sand fractions, month, season, or location along the shore. It can therefore be used as a suitable indicator for long-term monitoring of increasing plastic pollution in the marine environment.