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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Environmental Sources
Marine & Wildlife
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An evaluation of surface micro- and mesoplastic pollution in pelagic ecosystems of the Western Mediterranean Sea
Environmental Science and Pollution Research2015
173 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 40
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
François Galgani
François Galgani
Florian Faure,
François Galgani
Florian Faure,
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
François Galgani
Camille Saini,
François Galgani
François Galgani
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
François Galgani
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
Camille Saini,
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
Gaël Potter,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Gaël Potter,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
François Galgani
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
François Galgani
François Galgani
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Florian Faure,
Florian Faure,
François Galgani
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
Pascal Hagmann,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Luiz Felippe De Alencastro,
Pascal Hagmann,
François Galgani
François Galgani
Pascal Hagmann,
François Galgani
François Galgani
Pascal Hagmann,
François Galgani
Pascal Hagmann,
Pascal Hagmann,
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
Gaël Potter,
Gaël Potter,
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
François Galgani
Summary
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.
This study examines the distribution, abundance and characteristics of surface micro- and mesoplastic debris in the Western Mediterranean Sea. 41 samples were collected in 2011 (summer) and 2012 (summer). Results, firstly, revealed that micro- (<5 mm) and mesoplastic debris were widely and uniformly distributed in this area with average concentrations of 130,000 parts/km(2) and 5700 parts/km(2), respectively. Importantly, a strong correlation between micro- and mesoplastic concentrations was identified. Secondly, a classification based on the shape and appearance of microplastics indicated the predominant presence of fragments (73%) followed by thin films (14%). Thirdly, the average mass ratio of microplastic to dry organic matter has been measured at 0.5, revealing a significant presence of microplastics in comparison to plankton. Finally, a correction method was applied in order to correct wind mixing effect on microplastics' vertical distribution. This data allows for a comprehensive view, for the first time, of the spatial distribution and nature of plastic debris in the Western Mediterranean Sea.