Microplastics in beach sediments of the Azores archipelago, NE Atlantic
Marine Pollution Bulletin2024
20 citations
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Score: 55
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Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Joao, Frias,
Clara F. Rodrigues,
Emily M. Duncan
Emily M. Duncan
Joao, Frias,
Emily M. Duncan
Joao, Frias,
Christopher K. Pham,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joao, Frias,
Emily M. Duncan
Emily M. Duncan
Joana Antunes,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Joana Antunes,
Joao, Frias,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Emily M. Duncan
Emily M. Duncan
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Christopher K. Pham,
Christopher K. Pham,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Christopher K. Pham,
Emily M. Duncan
Paula Sobral,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Joao, Frias,
Christopher K. Pham,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Joana Antunes,
Rita Carriço,
Rita Carriço,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joao, Frias,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Joao, Frias,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Joao, Frias,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joana Antunes,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Christopher K. Pham,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joao, Frias,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Emily M. Duncan
Emily M. Duncan
Emily M. Duncan
Christopher K. Pham,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joao, Frias,
Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Joana Antunes,
Joana Antunes,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Joao, Frias,
Paula Sobral,
Christopher K. Pham,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Yasmina Rodríguez,
Clara F. Rodrigues,
Emily M. Duncan
Summary
Researchers surveyed 19 beaches across eight islands of the Azores archipelago for microplastic contamination. Fibers, mostly polyester, made up over 80% of the particles found, with the highest concentrations on Terceira Island, showing that even remote oceanic islands in the Atlantic are not spared from widespread microplastic pollution.
Oceanic islands are exposed to plastic debris that has accumulated in the open ocean, particularly in the subtropical gyres. This study investigates the abundance and typology of microplastics (from 0.1 to 5 mm) on 19 sandy beaches spread across 8 oceanic islands of the Azores archipelago. Between January and April 2016, a total of 341 particles retrieved from all beaches, were identified as microplastics. The highest concentration (50.19 ± 21.93 particles kg<sup>-1</sup> dw) was found in Terceira Island. Beach morphology and grain size were important factors explaining microplastic concentration. Fibres were the most dominant morphology recovered (80.9 %), followed by fragments (12.3 %). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that 41 % of the fibres consisted of polyester and 60 % of the fragments were polyethylene. This research underlines the widespread contamination of microplastics in oceanic islands of the Atlantic Ocean.