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Global measurement of surface water microplastics using a unified size threshold
Summary
A globally deployable measurement approach was developed for monitoring microplastics on water surfaces using a unified protocol applicable across different geographic regions. Standardized global measurement methods are critical for generating comparable data needed to assess the scale of ocean plastic pollution.
Extensive studies have documented microplastics in global surface waters, but varying particle size thresholds compromise data reliability. To address this, we compiled microplastic abundance data and conducted a comprehensive analysis to establish a unified threshold. Our findings showed a significant correlation between microplastic abundance and population density (p < 0.05). Using a 100 μm threshold, we estimated global surface water microplastic abundance at 1.81 × 10 items/m³, notably lower than previous reports. Estuarine environments had the highest abundance (5.56 × 10 items/m³), exceeding freshwater (1.79 × 10 items/m³) and marine environments (8.47 × 10 items/m³). Additionally, surface water microplastic levels were about 13 times higher in developing countries (2.30 × 10 items/m³) compared to developed countries (1.73 × 10 items/m³). Therefore, we recommend using a 100 μm threshold for assessing microplastic pollution to enhance understanding globally while addressing the need for standardized protocols in future research.