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A baseline for microplastic particle occurrence and distribution in Great Bay Estuary
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Researchers extracted and analyzed microplastics from archived sediment cores from Great Bay Estuary in the Gulf of Maine, finding an average of 116 particles per gram of sediment across depths of 0-30 cm. Historical data suggested microplastic accumulation increased over several decades but may have recently begun to level off.
We extracted and analyzed microplastics (MP) in archived sediment cores from Great Bay Estuary (GBE) in the Gulf of Maine region of North America. Results indicated that MP are distributed in GBE sediments, 0–30 cm, at an average occurrence of 116 ± 21 particles g−1 and that morphology varies by site and depth. Analysis by sediment depth and age class indicated that MP accumulation increased over several decades but recently (5–10 years) has likely begun to decrease. Hydrodynamic and particle transport modeling indicated that bed characteristics are a more controlling factor in MP distribution than typical MP properties and that the highest accumulation likely occurs in regions with weaker hydrodynamic flows and lower bed shear stress, e.g., eelgrass meadows and along fringes of the Bay. These results provide a baseline and predictive understanding of the occurrence, morphology, and sedimentation of MP in the estuary.
More Papers Like This
A baseline for microplastic particle occurrence and distribution in Great Bay Estuary
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed archived sediment cores from Great Bay Estuary in the Gulf of Maine and found microplastics distributed throughout sediments at an average of 116 particles per gram, with accumulation increasing over several decades before showing signs of a recent decrease.
A deposition baseline for microplastic particle distribution in an estuary
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Researchers extracted and analyzed microplastics from archived sediment cores in the Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire, finding that microplastic accumulation increased over time in proportion to national plastic production trends. The sediment record provides direct evidence linking plastic pollution to the trajectory of industrial plastic production since the 1950s.
Microplastic Distribution at Different Sediment Depths in an Urban Estuary
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Researchers sampled sediment cores from an urban estuary to map how microplastic particles are distributed at different depths over time. The study found that microplastic density varied with sediment depth, reflecting historical changes in plastic pollution and urban runoff.
Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in beach sediments: Insights into microplastic accumulation in northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries
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Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance in beach sediments across seven locations in Mobile Bay, a northern Gulf of Mexico estuary. The study found microplastics were ubiquitous at concentrations 66 to 253 times higher than reported for the open ocean, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common polymers, highlighting the extent of microplastic accumulation in estuarine environments.
The distribution of sediment microplastics assemblages is driven by location and hydrodynamics, not sediment characteristics, in the Gulf of Maine, USA
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Microplastics were extracted and characterized from 20 sediment samples across the Gulf of Maine and 27 polymer types were identified, with spatial distribution driven more by location and hydrodynamics than by local sediment grain size or composition.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.