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Distribution and quantity of microplastic on sandy beaches along the northern coast of Taiwan
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Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic pollution on Taiwan's beaches, collecting sand from four northern coast sites and recovering 1,097 particles weighing 0.77 g in total, identifying microplastics as ubiquitous and finding a negative relationship between particle size and abundance consistent with fragmentation processes.
Plastic pollution is now ubiquitous in the world's oceans, and studies have shown macroplastic and microplastic pollution of beaches in several East Asian countries. However, to our knowledge, no study of microplastic pollution has been conducted in Taiwan yet. Therefore, we collected sand samples from four beaches along the northern coast of Taiwan in 2015 and extracted microplastic particles using a saturated NaCl solution. Microplastic particles were identified using synchrotron-based FTIR spectroscopy. We recovered 4 to 532 particles from eight 0.0125m(3) samples, with a total of 1097 particles weighing 0.771g. A negative trend between the size of the particles and their numbers was documented. We thus established that microplastic pollution was ubiquitous along Taiwan's northern coast. Future research should more comprehensively sample beaches around the entirety of Taiwan's coast, and special emphasis should be placed on identifying different sources and movements of microplastic.
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Two-dimensional distribution and abundance of micro- and mesoplastic pollution in the surface sediment of Xialiao Beach, New Taipei City, Taiwan
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Researchers systematically mapped microplastic and mesoplastic pollution across Xialiao Beach in Taiwan, recovering 1,939 particles from 80 samples and finding that the backshore contained significantly more plastic than intertidal zones, with extrapolation suggesting approximately 6.8 million particles (≥1 mm) across the beach surface.
Spatial and seasonal distribution of microplastics on sandy beaches along the coast of the Hengchun Peninsula, Taiwan
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Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic pollution on beaches along the Hengchun Peninsula in Taiwan, sampling eight beaches in two seasons and finding microplastics in all locations with higher abundances in summer. The results provide baseline contamination data for a major tourist coastal area and document seasonal variation in beach microplastic accumulation.
Abundance, composition, and distribution of microplastics larger than 20 μm in sand beaches of South Korea
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A national survey of 20 sandy beaches along the South Korean coast found microplastics at all locations, with fragments as the dominant type and concentrations varying by beach exposure and proximity to population centers. The study establishes a national baseline for beach microplastic contamination to support monitoring and management policy in South Korea.
Microplastic Contamination on the Beaches of South China
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across 14 beaches along the South China coast, finding microplastics ubiquitously present in sandy sediments, predominantly as small fragments under 1 mm, with distribution patterns linked to coastal urbanization and ocean current dynamics.
Preliminary Assessment into the Prevalence and Distribution of Microplastics in North and South Pacific Island Beaches
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Researchers conducted a preliminary investigation into microplastic prevalence on eight beaches across North and South Pacific Island locations in New Zealand and Hawaii, analyzing contamination as a function of beach location, sand type, and microplastic morphology. The study found microplastics at all eight sites, highlighting the widespread distribution of plastic pollution across remote Pacific Island shorelines.
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.