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Research vessel survey & assessment of surface marine microplastics: a comparative study between international water and the united arab emirates
Summary
A research vessel surveyed microplastic abundance and diversity in surface seawater from Vigo, Spain to Abu Dhabi, collecting 42 samples from international waters and 58 from UAE waters between November and December 2022. Particles in the 5-50 micrometer range dominated in both regions, constituting over 93% of detected microplastics.
Microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5mm in size, have emerged as a global environmental concern due to their ubiquity and potential adverse effects on marine ecosystems and human health. This survey aims to assess the diversity and the abundance of microplastics in surface seawater across International & the United Arab Emirates waters during the Research vessel cruise from Vigo, Spain to Abu Dhabi. The study employed a systematic sampling approach, collecting 42 water samples from international waters and 58 from UAE waters during the period of Nov to Dec 2022 to test the presence of microplastic. The results were categorized by size and type of polymers, using advanced analytical techniques, including Flow cam and FTIR spectroscopy with attached Microscope. The predominant size range of microplastics in both waters was found to be ¿5 to 50μm, constituting over 93 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/543468/document
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