We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics in Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean (2018-2021)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers sampled microplastics across Portuguese coastal waters, estuaries, inland waterways, and open Atlantic Ocean transects between 2018 and 2021 through three scientific projects. Higher concentrations were consistently found near urban, agricultural, and industrial areas, with elevated levels detected close to Cape Verde, Rio de Janeiro, and South Africa, highlighting human activity as a primary driver of distribution.
Microplastics are any synthetic solid particle or polymeric matrix with the size ranging from 1 µm to 5 mm. Due to their reduced size, microplastics easily enter in the trophic chain since they are misunderstood with food or adsorbed, causing serious and dangerous effects in the marine ecosystems. The Instituto Hidrográfico has participated and conducted scientific projects – AQUIMAR, Sagres 2020 and Mar Aberto – to sample for microplastics in distinct areas. This work is framed in the efforts to understand the impacts of microplastics in the several aquatic systems and matrices, thus contributing to assess and improve ocean health. In the context of the AQUIMAR project, surface water and seafloor sediment samples were collected in three coastal areas and four inland waters in Portugal between 2018 and 2020. A correlation between higher microplastics concentrations and higher human activity (urban areas, agricultural and industrial activitites) was found in the coastal areas, particularly in the southern coast, and in the estuaries. For the Sagres project (between January and May 2020) and the Mar Aberto project (between December 2020 and February 2021), subsurface water samples from the Atlantic Ocean and between Lisbon and Cape Verde were collected. The places where higher microplastics concentrations were found are close to urban areas in Cape Verde, Rio de Janeiro, and to South Africa. These results are helpful for future studies on identifying possible sources and ecotoxicological risks from microplastics, particularly in areas with higher concentrations. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/426882/document
More Papers Like This
Microplastics in coastal sediments from Southern Portuguese shelf waters
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were found in coastal sediments collected from southern Portuguese shelf waters, with the highest concentrations near river mouths and populated coastal areas. The study provides baseline data for this Atlantic European coastline and reinforces the pattern that proximity to human settlements drives sediment microplastic loading.
Microplastics contamination along the coastal waters of NW Portugal
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across four coastal sites in northwest Portugal — including a marine protected area, an estuary, a shipwreck, and a marina — finding microplastics everywhere, with higher concentrations near fishing and shipping activities. Polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and films dominated, highlighting the widespread reach of plastic pollution even in protected areas.
Microplastics on the Portuguese coast
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analysed marine litter across 11 Portuguese beaches over two years and found that 99% of all collected items were plastic, with 68% classified as microplastics under 5 mm and resin pellets comprising 79% of microplastics near industrial areas. Higher concentrations were observed in winter and autumn, near industrial zones and ports, suggesting a predominantly land-based origin.
Abundance, distribution and characteristics of microplastics in the North and South Atlantic Ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance across six major ocean current regions in the Atlantic Ocean, from the Netherlands to Uruguay, using 50 surface trawls. They found an overall concentration of 0.011 particles per cubic meter, with abundance significantly correlated to distance from the coast, and high-density polyethylene and polypropylene fragments being the dominant types. The study provides valuable baseline data from consistently under-sampled regions, particularly the South Atlantic.
Anthropogenic sources and oceanographic dynamics control the microplastic distribution in the Atlantic Ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers continuously sampled ocean water along a 1,600-nautical-mile transect from Norway to the Arctic, finding microplastic concentrations up to 491 particles per cubic meter, with elevated levels near the Norwegian coast linked to wastewater and ship greywater discharges. The highest concentrations near remote Bear Island were tied to oceanographic features like the Polar Front that trap and concentrate floating plastics.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.