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Comment on “The missing ocean plastic sink: Gone with the rivers”
Summary
This commentary challenges the methodology used by Weiss et al. to calculate a residence time of approximately 2.4 years for floating microplastic stock at the ocean surface, arguing the estimate is fundamentally flawed due to an unreliable river microplastic flux input used as the divisor. Researchers contend that dividing a published oceanic plastic stock by a questionable river flux estimate yields a residence time figure that does not accurately reflect ocean surface plastic dynamics.
Weiss et al . (Reports, 2 July 2021, p. 107) incorrectly conclude that the residence time for floating microplastic stock at the ocean surface is ~2.4 years. We contend that this conclusion is fundamentally flawed, because the residence time is obtained through dividing a published oceanic stock of plastic debris by a doubtable river microplastic flux estimated by the authors.