We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
How small is the big problem? Small microplastics ¡300 µm abundant in marine surface waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
AI summary Read the abstract
Using a modified manta net capable of collecting smaller particles than standard equipment, researchers found that microplastics smaller than 300 micrometers were the most abundant size in marine surface water samples. These small particles are in the size range of plankton, raising concerns about their availability for ingestion by planktivorous organisms. The results suggest that standard sampling methods using coarser nets substantially underestimate the concentration of ecologically relevant microplastics in the ocean.
Particle size plays an important role in determining the behaviour, fate and effects of microplastics (MPs), yet little is known about MPs in-situ. Using a modified manta net, we demonstrate that MPs were present in all marine surface water samples, with a mean sea surface concentration of 0.23 ± 0.03 particles m-3. Microplastics were mainly blue, clear and black fibres and fragments, consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene and polypropylene plastic polymers. Tourism and marine recreation were considered the major contributing sources of MPs to surface waters around the Whitsunday Islands. Between 10 and 124 times the number of MPs exist in the 50 um – 300 um size class, compared with the 1 mm – 5 mm size range, indicating the global abundance of small MPs in marine surface waters is grossly underestimated and warrants further investigation. Research into the occurrence, characteristics and environmental fate of MPs Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/426057/document
More Papers Like This
How small is the big problem? Small microplastics <300 μm abundant in marine surface waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in all surface water samples from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and demonstrated that small microplastics under 300 micrometers are 10 to 124 times more abundant than larger size classes, meaning global estimates of marine microplastic pollution are substantially underestimated.
Are we underestimating microplastic abundance in the marine environment? A comparison of microplastic capture with nets of different mesh-size
AI summary Read the abstract
By sampling marine water simultaneously with 333 µm and finer nets, researchers demonstrated that standard 333 µm sampling nets miss the majority of microplastics present, with finer nets capturing orders of magnitude more particles and revealing severe underestimation in existing abundance data.
Assessing diversity, abundance, and mass of microplastics (~ 1–300 μm) in aquatic systems
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed improved methods for quantifying very small microplastic particles (roughly 1 to 300 micrometers) in freshwater systems, showing that conventional sampling dramatically underestimates plastic particle counts. Accurately measuring this smaller size fraction is critical for understanding real-world microplastic concentrations and their biological impacts.
Are smaller microplastics missing?
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined the size distribution of marine microplastics to determine whether small fragments below a certain size threshold are genuinely missing or simply undetected by current methods. The analysis suggests that the apparent decline in very small microplastics may reflect sampling and detection limitations rather than an actual absence.
Size and shape matter: A preliminary analysis of microplastic sampling technique in seawater studies with implications for ecological risk assessment
AI summary Read the abstract
This study showed that sampling with coarse-mesh towed nets significantly underestimates microplastic concentrations in seawater, particularly for fibrous particles, raising concerns about the accuracy of published abundance estimates.
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.