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Microplastics Baseline Surveys at the Water Surface and in Sediments of the North-East Atlantic

Frontiers in Marine Science 2017 308 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 45 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
H.A. Leslie, H.A. Leslie, Lisa Devriese, Thomas Maes, Lisa Devriese, Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, Lisa Devriese, Thomas Maes, Lisa Devriese, H.A. Leslie, Lisa Devriese, Arnaud Huvet, H.A. Leslie, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, H.A. Leslie, H.A. Leslie, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Laura Frère, A. Dick Vethaak, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, H.A. Leslie, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, Lisa Devriese, Laura Frère, Lisa Devriese, Laura Frère, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, H.A. Leslie, A. Dick Vethaak, H.A. Leslie, Thomas Maes, Laura Frère, H.A. Leslie, H.A. Leslie, M.D. van der Meulen, M.D. van der Meulen, A. Dick Vethaak, M.D. van der Meulen, M.D. van der Meulen, M.D. van der Meulen, M.D. van der Meulen, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, Thomas Maes, Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, Laura Frère, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, H.A. Leslie, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, H.A. Leslie, A. Dick Vethaak, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, Arnaud Huvet, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, H.A. Leslie, H.A. Leslie, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, Lisa Devriese, Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, H.A. Leslie, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, Thomas Maes, H.A. Leslie, H.A. Leslie, Thomas Maes, Lisa Devriese, Lisa Devriese, Lisa Devriese, Lisa Devriese, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens Johan Robbens M.D. van der Meulen, Laura Frère, Laura Frère, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens, Johan Robbens, M.D. van der Meulen, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, H.A. Leslie, H.A. Leslie, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Thomas Maes, H.A. Leslie, H.A. Leslie, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Johan Robbens, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, H.A. Leslie, A. Dick Vethaak, H.A. Leslie, Johan Robbens A. Dick Vethaak, Thomas Maes, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Laura Frère, Arnaud Huvet, Laura Frère, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens, Johan Robbens Johan Robbens Laura Frère, Laura Frère, Johan Robbens, H.A. Leslie, Thomas Maes, A. Dick Vethaak, Thomas Maes, H.A. Leslie, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, H.A. Leslie, Laura Frère, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens Johan Robbens, Johan Robbens, Johan Robbens Thomas Maes, Johan Robbens, H.A. Leslie, Johan Robbens, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Johan Robbens A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Johan Robbens A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens, H.A. Leslie, Laura Frère, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens, Thomas Maes, Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens Thomas Maes, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Johan Robbens H.A. Leslie, Johan Robbens, Lisa Devriese, Thomas Maes, Arnaud Huvet, Johan Robbens, Lisa Devriese, Thomas Maes, Johan Robbens Lisa Devriese, A. Dick Vethaak, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Lisa Devriese, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Thomas Maes, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, Thomas Maes, H.A. Leslie, H.A. Leslie, Arnaud Huvet, Johan Robbens, A. Dick Vethaak, Johan Robbens Johan Robbens, Johan Robbens Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, Arnaud Huvet, H.A. Leslie, Arnaud Huvet, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, Thomas Maes, A. Dick Vethaak, A. Dick Vethaak, H.A. Leslie, Arnaud Huvet, Johan Robbens, Johan Robbens

Summary

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations at the sea surface and in sediments across the southern North Sea and northwestern Europe, finding highly variable but widespread contamination. Sediments contained far higher concentrations than surface waters, confirming that the seafloor acts as a major sink for microplastic pollution.

Study Type Environmental

Microplastic contamination was determined in sediments of the Southern North Sea and floating at the sea surface of North West Europe. Floating concentrations ranged between zero and 1.5 microplastic/m3, whereas microplastic concentrations in sediments ranged between zero and 3146 particles/kg dry weight sediment. In sediments, mainly fibers and spheres were found, whereas at the sea surface fragments were dominant. At the sea surface, concentrations of microplastics are lower and more variable than in sediments, meaning that larger sample sizes and water volumes are required to find detectable concentrations. We have calculated the widths of the confidence intervals (CI) for different sample sizes, to give a first indication of the necessary sample size for a microplastic survey at the water surface. Higher concentrations of floating microplastics were found near estuaries. In sediments, estuaries and areas with a high organic carbon content were likely hotspots. Standardization of monitoring methods within marine regions is recommended to compare and assess microplastics pollution over time.

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