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Citizen science reveals microplastic hotspots within tidal estuaries and the remote Scilly Islands, United Kingdom
Marine Pollution Bulletin2020
44 citations
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Score: 35
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Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Rogan Harmer,
Rogan Harmer,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Rebecca Sykes,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Rebecca Sykes,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Iseult Lynch,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Holly Nel
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Uwe Schneidewind,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Rogan Harmer,
Stefan Krause,
Rogan Harmer,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Rogan Harmer,
Iseult Lynch,
Rogan Harmer,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Gregory H. Sambrook Smith,
Iseult Lynch,
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Iseult Lynch,
Holly Nel
Summary
This citizen science project mapped microplastic hotspots in tidal estuaries and remote island environments in the UK, finding elevated concentrations near population centers and in accumulation zones. Citizen science significantly increased geographical coverage and revealed that microplastic distribution is highly patchy, with hotspots shaped by local currents and human activity.
The identification of microplastic hotspots is vital to our long-term understanding of their environmental fate and distribution. Although case studies have increased globally, sampling campaigns are often restricted geographically, with poor spatial resolution. Here, we use citizen science to increase our geographical reach, which improved our understanding of microplastic distribution in estuarine and beach sediment along the south-west coast of England. Hotspots (>700 particles per kg dry sediment) were identified on the Scilly Islands and in close proximity to major metropolitan hubs (i.e. Falmouth and Plymouth). Particles extracted from the Scilly Island sites were composed of polyethylene and polypropylene. With low population density on the Isle of Scilly, hotspots may suggest that microplastics originate from distant sources, while Falmouth and Plymouth, on mainland UK, are locally supplied. This information supports the design of future campaigns and targeted mitigation strategies in areas of highest concentrations.