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Seasonal variation of micro- and meso-plastics in the seawater of Jiaozhou Bay, the Yellow Sea.
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Seasonal variation in the concentrations and characteristics of micro- and meso-plastics in the surface seawater of Jiaozhou Bay, China, was quantified across four seasons. Concentrations peaked in spring and were lowest in winter, suggesting seasonal inputs from runoff and human activity drive plastic abundance in this semi-enclosed coastal bay.
The seasonal change in the concentrations and characteristics of micro- and meso-plastics in the surface seawater of Jiaozhou Bay were studied. The concentrations of micro- and meso-plastics were 0.063, 0.174, 0.094, and 0.050 pieces/m in February, May, August and November, respectively, with an annual average concentration of 0.095 pieces/m. The size of the micro- and meso-plastics ranged from 346 to 155,200 μm, with an average of 5093 ± 43 μm. The overall percentages of fibers, fragments and plastic foams were 29%, 55% and 16%, respectively. The dominant chemical composition was polypropylene (PP), accounting for 51.04% of polymers, followed by polyethylene (PE), accounting for 26.04% of polymers. Strong rainfall resulted in an increase in the plastic concentration in May, and winds and eddies affected the spatial distribution of plastics in Jiaozhou Bay.
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