We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Potential Micro-Plastics Dispersal and Accumulation in the North Sea, With Application to the MSC Zoe Incident
AI summary Read the abstract
Ocean particle tracking models were used to simulate the dispersal of microplastics following the MSC Zoe container ship accident, which spilled thousands of containers off the Netherlands in 2019. The study provides insights into how major plastic spills spread through marine environments and where particles accumulate.
The fate and effects of microplastics in the marine environment are an increasingly important area of research, policy and legislation. To manage and reduce microplastics in the seas and oceans, and to help understand causes and effects, we need improved understanding of transport patterns, transit times and accumulation areas. In this paper, we use a particle tracking model to investigate the differences in dispersal and accumulation of microplastics with different properties (floating and sinking) in the North Sea. In these simulations, particles were released with a uniform horizontal distribution, and also from rivers at rates proportional to the river runoff. The results showed that floating particles can accumulate temporarily on salinity fronts and in gyres, and are deposited predominantly on west-facing beaches. Sinking particles moved more slowly and less far, accumulated in deeper areas associated with fine sediments, and were deposited more on west- and north-facing beaches. The model was also applied to the MSC Zoe incident of 1 January 2019, in which 342 containers were lost north of the Dutch Wadden islands in the southern North Sea, tracking two types of microplastics with similar properties (∼5mm floating HDPE pellets and ∼0.6mm sinking PS grains) to identify release locations and potential accumulation areas. We used field observations collected by a citizen science initiative ( waddenplastic.nl ) to constrain the model results. For these simulations, particles were released along the ship’s trajectory and at locations on the trajectory where debris was found. The simulations of the MSC Zoe incident showed that over 90% of floating (∼5mm) HDPE pellets beached within 3–7 weeks, and predominantly on the more eastern Dutch Wadden Islands in agreement with the field observations, and that most of the sinking (∼0.6mm) PS grains were still at sea after 6 weeks, and a large proportion may have been deposited on German shores. The work is relevant to Descriptor 10 (Marine Litter) of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
More Papers Like This
Model results of particle tracking model simulating microplastics dispersal in the North Sea, including runs representing the MSC Zoe accident.
AI summary Read the abstract
This data repository contains output files from a particle tracking model simulating how floating HDPE pellets and sinking polystyrene grains dispersed in the North Sea, including scenarios representing the 2019 MSC Zoe accident. The model tracked tens of thousands of simulated particles across generic and incident-specific scenarios.
Statistical analysis of effects of MSC Zoe incident on populations of protected species in Wadden Sea and North Sea.
AI summary Read the abstract
Following the 2019 cargo ship accident that spilled plastic pellets near the Dutch Wadden Sea, researchers assessed the impact on protected marine species and habitats. The spill highlighted how plastic pellet accidents can rapidly contaminate sensitive coastal ecosystems with microplastic precursors.
Meetrapport verzamelen van plastics van MSC Zoe: zeevogels, vissen, zeebodem, stranden : Beknopt verslag van werkzaamheden in 2019
AI summary Read the abstract
This Dutch report describes field research conducted in 2019 to document plastics and other debris deposited along Dutch coastlines and seabed following the MSC Zoe container ship accident, in which 342 containers were lost in the North Sea. Researchers monitored impacts on seabirds, fish, seafloor, and beaches. The study documents the environmental consequences of a large-scale accidental plastic spill event.
Spreading of floating marine microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Lagrangian particle trajectory simulations tracked how microplastics released anywhere in the North Sea are ultimately transported into the Norwegian Coastal Current and advected northward. The modeling results provide insight into long-range transport pathways for microplastics in European shelf seas.
Modelling the accumulation and transport of floating marine micro-plastics around South Africa.
AI summary Read the abstract
Numerical particle tracking models were used to simulate the pathways, transport, and accumulation of floating microplastics around the South African coastline. The model provides the first quantitative estimates of how different plastic densities and sizes distribute around South Africa's marine environment, identifying accumulation hotspots.
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.