We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
TARA Mediterranean Expedition: Assessing the Impact of Microplastics on Mediterranean Ecosystem
AI summary Read the abstract
The 2014 TARA Mediterranean expedition sampled floating microplastics across the entire Mediterranean Sea, finding plastic fragments in all 124 samples at an average of 260,000 items per square kilometer, with concentrations highest in the western basin and near urban coastal areas. The survey provides the most comprehensive spatial picture of Mediterranean surface microplastic distribution to date.
TARA-Mediterranean expedition crossed the entire Mediterranean Sea in 2014 to study the distribution and concentration of floating microplastics and zooplankton. Surface samples were collected with a 330 µm Manta net, plastics were sorted from 124 samples and digitally imaged with the ZoosCan system. Results showed that plastic fragments were present in all samples with an average of 2.6 x 105 items/km2 and values varying from 2 x 103 items/km2 in the Eastern basin, to more than 2 x 106 items/km2 in the Western basin. Coastal zones of Naples, Corsica and Marseille were clearly identified as areas of particularly high plastic concentration.
More Papers Like This
An integrative assessment of the plastic debris load in the Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed over 75,000 plastic pieces collected across the Mediterranean Sea during the Tara expedition, estimating roughly 650 billion plastic particles float on its surface, with the highest concentrations near northwestern coastal regions, and found that most plastics are in an advanced state of fragmentation from repeated stranding and resuspension.
Floating plastic debris in the Central and Western Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers collected 71 floating plastic debris samples across Central and Western Mediterranean waters during two voyages in 2011 and 2013, estimating a total of approximately 1,455 tonnes of floating plastic in the region with microplastics present in all samples and average concentrations of 147,500 items per km2.
An evaluation of surface micro- and mesoplastic pollution in pelagic ecosystems of the Western Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that micro- and mesoplastic debris were widely and uniformly distributed across the Western Mediterranean Sea, with average surface concentrations of approximately 130,000 microplastic particles per km2 and 5,700 mesoplastic particles per km2. Fragment morphology and polymer composition analysis indicated a predominantly land-based origin for the debris.
Chemical composition of microplastics floating on the Mediterranean Sea surface
AI summary Read the abstract
Surface water samples from the 2014 Tara Mediterranean expedition revealed that the Mediterranean Sea's microplastic composition was relatively homogeneous at large scales, dominated by polyethylene (67%), polypropylene (21%), and polystyrene (3%). Some regional variation was observed, with the North Tyrrhenian Sea showing lower polyethylene proportions.
Microplastics Spatiotemporal Distribution and Abundance in Water and Sediments from the Bay of Marseille
AI summary Read the abstract
A two-year study of the Bay of Marseille found microplastics in both surface waters and sediments across all seven sampling stations, with concentrations varying by season and location. Urban runoff and proximity to the coastline were associated with higher microplastic levels. The Mediterranean Sea, heavily bordered by dense populations, continues to show widespread and persistent microplastic 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.