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Occurrence and identification of microplastics along a beach in the Biosphere Reserve of Lanzarote
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Researchers documented microplastic accumulation on a remote beach in the Chinijo Archipelago of the Canary Islands, finding an average density of 36.3 grams per square meter with particles preferentially depositing in rock-sheltered areas, composed largely of polypropylene and polyethylene fragments.
This work studied the accumulation of plastic debris in a remote beach located in La Graciosa island (Chinijo archipelago, Canary Islands). Microplastics were sampled in the 1-5 mm mesh opening range. An average plastic density of 36.3 g/m was obtained with a large variability along the 90 m of the beach (from 8.5 g/m to 103.4 g/m). Microplastic particles preferentially accumulated in the part of the beach protected by rocks. A total number of 9149 plastic particles were collected, recorded and measured, 87% of which corresponded to fragments. Clear colours and microscopic evidence of weathering corresponded to aged plastics wind-driven by the surface Canary Current. The chemical composition of plastics particles corresponded to PE (63%), PP (32%) and PS (3%). Higher PE/PP ratios were recorded in the more protected parts of the beach, suggesting preferential accumulation of more aged fragments.
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Microplastic debris in beaches of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)
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Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance and composition at six beaches on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, finding widespread contamination with pellets and fragments dominated by polyethylene and polypropylene, with higher concentrations on exposed north-coast beaches.
Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics on insular beaches in the Western Tropical Atlantic Ocean
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Researchers found microplastics on beaches of three remote Atlantic islands — Fernando de Noronha, Abrolhos, and Trindade — with plastic fragments predominating over fibers, demonstrating that even isolated island beaches far from population centers accumulate ocean plastic debris.
Estudio de la abundancia de microplásticos en doce playas de la isla de Tenerife (Islas Canarias)
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Researchers conducted a systematic survey of microplastic abundance on 12 beaches across Tenerife in the Canary Islands, finding particles at all sites with highest concentrations in tourist and urban beach areas. The results confirm that even the beaches of a popular Atlantic island tourist destination are contaminated with microplastics.
Plastic occurrence in Macaronesia: Three years of monitoring on forty-six beaches across nineteen islands in an Atlantic region
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Researchers conducted a three-year seasonal monitoring campaign across 46 beaches on 19 Macaronesian islands, collecting over 271,000 plastic items and documenting average microplastic concentrations of 1,760 items/m2, with the Canary Islands showing the highest contamination, polyethylene and polypropylene fragments dominating, and five new plastic accumulation hotspots identified.
Protected areas in the Atlantic facing the hazards of micro-plastic pollution: first diagnosis of three islands in the Canary Current.
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Microplastic concentrations were measured at 125 beaches on three Atlantic islands (Lanzarote, La Graciosa, and Fuerteventura) in the Canary Current using partnerships with local communities. The study found substantial microplastic pollution in protected Atlantic coastal areas, raising concerns about the adequacy of marine protected areas in the face of plastic contamination.
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.