We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Zonal Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics in the Southern Indian Ocean and the Influence of Ocean Current
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastic concentrations were measured in seawater across the southern Indian Ocean along transects influenced by major ocean currents, finding that plastic distribution was shaped by circulation patterns with higher concentrations in convergence zones. The study provides baseline data on microplastic pollution in a relatively understudied and remote ocean region.
As a new type of pollutant, microplastics widely exist in the marine environment and have attracted a lot of attention from the international community. In order to study the distribution of microplastics and the influence of ocean current, microplastic samples in seawater of the southern Indian Ocean were collected using a peristaltic pump equipped on-board and concentrated on site. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of microplastics were performed using a stereo-microscope and a micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscope attenuated total reflection. The results showed that the average abundance of microplastics in seawater of the southern Indian Ocean was 2.3 ± 2.1 items/m3, which was consistent with that in other oceans. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), Rayon, polyamide (PA), and polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) were the main polymers of microplastics in the southern Indian Ocean. The size range of all detected microplastics was 108.2–4703.0 µm. All microplastics had different colors, such as black, red, yellow, gray, blue, green, purple, and transparent. Fiber was the dominant shape of microplastics. The abundance distribution of microplastics fluctuated in the latitudinal direction. The abundance of microplastics from the present study area was higher in the coastal region of the South Africa continent and the Indian Ocean garbage patch, with an average abundance of 4.0 items/m3. The average abundance of microplastics was relatively high in the convergence area of the circulation, which revealed that the ocean current facilitated the agglomeration and transportation of microplastics.
More Papers Like This
Pelagic microplastics in surface water of the Eastern Indian Ocean during monsoon transition period: Abundance, distribution, and characteristics
AI summary Read the abstract
Pelagic microplastic concentrations were measured in surface water of the eastern Indian Ocean at 36 stations during monsoon and non-monsoon seasons. The study found spatial variation linked to ocean circulation patterns, expanding knowledge of open-ocean microplastic distribution in one of the least-studied major ocean regions.
Concentration gradient of plastic debris larger than 500 μm detected across the Southwest Indian ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed plastic pollution across 19 oceanographic campaigns in the Southwest Indian Ocean using visual surveys and manta trawls, finding a concentration gradient from near-shore areas to open ocean with over 70% of litter being plastic and offshore accumulation zones influenced by ocean circulation.
Plastic debris (> 500µm) concentration gradient detected across the Southwest Indian Ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated plastic debris concentration and composition across the Southwest Indian Ocean using 19 oceanographic campaigns and 153 uninhabited beach surveys, identifying a gradient in floating macroplastic distribution and characterizing the sources and polymer types of 101,055 litter items.
Fate of microplastics in deep-sea sediments and its influencing factors: Evidence from the Eastern Indian Ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
Surface sediments from 26 sites in the deep basin of the Eastern Indian Ocean were analyzed for microplastics, finding concentrations ranging widely and influenced by water depth, distance from land, and ocean current patterns. The study extends deep-sea microplastic monitoring to the Indian Ocean and identifies oceanographic transport as a key control on plastic distribution.
Cross-oceanic distribution and origin of microplastics in the subsurface water of the South China Sea and Eastern Indian Ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were sampled from subsurface waters across the South China Sea and Eastern Indian Ocean using large-volume pumps, revealing cross-oceanic distribution patterns driven by current systems including the South China Sea throughflow and consistent dominance of polypropylene and polyethylene fragments.
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.