Large-scale Lagrangian Transport of Microplastics Derived from Four Major Rivers in the South China Sea Analyzed with a Climatological HYCOM-ROMS Model

Summary

This Japanese-language study used a climate hydrodynamic model with Lagrangian particle tracking to simulate how microplastics from four major rivers enter the South China Sea and disperse. Researchers found seasonal monsoon patterns control transport, with particles from southern Chinese rivers reaching the East China Sea in spring and summer, suggesting the South China Sea is a significant source of microplastic contamination in Japanese coastal waters.