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Characterization of microplastics in the surface seawater of the South Yellow Sea as affected by season
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Surface seawater in the South Yellow Sea contained higher microplastic concentrations in winter than spring or summer, with fibers making up about 90% of particles and polyethylene and polypropylene as the dominant polymers. Seasonal variation in plastic characteristics, especially in summer, reflected greater terrestrial inputs during warmer months.
Microplastic pollution in global marine environments has attracted significant concerns; however, the environmental factors that influence the distribution and characteristics of microplastics are still unclear. In this study, 100 L of surface seawater samples collected from 16 different stations of the South Yellow Sea in January, April, and August 2018 were analyzed to investigate the relationship between spatio-temporal distribution of microplastics and environment variables. Results showed that the abundance of microplastics in January (6.5 ± 2.1 items/L) was higher than that in April (4.9 ± 2.1 items/L) and August (4.5 ± 1.8 items/L). On the whole, 78% of the total microplastics were <500 μm, ~90% were fibers, 73.2%-81.7% were transparent, and the two most abundant polymer types were polyethylene and polypropylene. The highest variability of microplastic characteristics (colour, size, and shape) and composition were observed in August, thereby showing the apparent features of terrestrial sources of microplastic pollution. Principal components analysis distinguished the spatio-temporal distribution of the microplastics, and significant difference in plastic sizes was found between microplastics in January and those in the other two months, which could be attributed to the Yellow Sea Warm Current and/or winter monsoon. Additionally, the abundance of microplastics, especially small-sized microplastics (<500 μm), was positively correlated with seawater salinity. These results suggest that microplastic pollution in surface waters of the South Yellow Sea varies with seasons owing to differences in the terrestrial sources and marine hydrological dynamics.
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in the mudflats of the South Yellow Sea and found plastic particles in both the water and sediment at all sampling locations. Areas near estuaries and ports had higher levels of microplastics in the water, while purely coastal mudflats accumulated more in their sediments. Although overall pollution levels were rated as low, the types of plastic polymers present indicated the potential for significant ecological risk.
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