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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Unveiling Microplastic Abundance and Distribution in an Oceanic Island: Offshore Depository or Local Pollution Indicator
ClearSpatial distribution of microplastics around an inhabited coral island in the Maldives, Indian Ocean
Researchers investigated microplastic accumulation across fore reef, reef flat, and beach sediment environments surrounding a small inhabited coral island in the Maldives, finding 1,244 individual microplastic pieces across 22 sampling sites. The study reveals that even remote inhabited islands in the Indian Ocean show significant microplastic contamination, with spatial distribution patterns reflecting local hydrodynamics and human activities.
Spatial and temporal variation of macro-, meso- and microplastic abundance on a remote coral island of the Maldives, Indian Ocean
Researchers conducted daily sampling of plastic debris on a remote Maldives island over seven consecutive days and found high spatial and temporal variability in plastic abundance despite the island's remoteness, warning that single-snapshot surveys can produce biased estimates and that future monitoring programs must account for natural fluctuations in deposition.
Plastic pollution in Leeward, Moorea and Cook islands (South Pacific): A baseline study
Researchers conducted a baseline survey of beach macrolitter and microplastics in surface waters and sediments across six islands in French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, finding high macroplastic contamination on most beaches with densities of 18-58 items per 100 meters. Surface water microplastic concentrations were low (0-4668 particles per km), suggesting localized contamination linked to tourism and coastal activities rather than widespread oceanic inputs.
Quantifying Atmospheric Deposition of Microplastics in Urban and Suburban O'ahu
Researchers quantified atmospheric deposition of microplastics across urban and suburban sites on O'ahu, Hawaii, characterising deposition rates and particle composition to assess airborne microplastic transport in a Pacific island environment.
Distribution and biological implications of plastic pollution on the fringing reef of Mo’orea, French Polynesia
This study quantified both macro- and microplastic pollution on the coral reef of Mo'orea in French Polynesia, finding plastic at every sampled beach and in reef sediments. The research demonstrates that even remote Pacific island coral reefs receive significant plastic contamination from oceanic gyres and local sources.
Microplastic pollution on island beaches, Oahu, Hawai`i
Researchers surveyed microplastic densities on six windward beaches of Oahu, Hawaii, finding very high concentrations of 700-1,700 particles/m2 on high-wave-energy beaches with coarser sands, comparable to other remote island beaches globally.
Seasonal variation in microplastics and zooplankton abundances and characteristics: The ecological vulnerability of an oceanic island system
Researchers found seasonal variation in microplastic and zooplankton abundances around an oceanic island, with higher microplastic-to-zooplankton ratios in warmer months, suggesting the ecological risk to marine life from plastic ingestion fluctuates with environmental conditions such as temperature and precipitation.
Marine litter arrived: Distribution and potential sources on an unpopulated atoll in the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, Caribbean Sea
Even on an uninhabited atoll in the Caribbean, plastic litter dominated marine debris, with most items likely arriving from sea-based sources such as fishing vessels. This finding shows that remote, undeveloped locations are not immune to plastic pollution carried by ocean currents.
Environmental implications of microplastic pollution in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean
Researchers assessed microplastic concentrations, distribution, and characteristics across the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, finding widespread contamination with significant spatial variation and identifying environmental implications for marine ecosystems in this understudied region.
Preliminary Assessment into the Prevalence and Distribution of Microplastics in North and South Pacific Island Beaches
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.
Microplastic and mesoplastic pollution in surface waters and beaches of the Canary Islands: A review
This review assesses a decade of research on microplastic and mesoplastic pollution in the waters and beaches of the Canary Islands. The study highlights how the archipelago's position in the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre makes it particularly vulnerable to oceanic transport of plastic debris from remote sources.
Abundance, distribution and correlation of microplastics in Tuapejat coastal water Mentawai Islands Indonesia
Researchers found microplastics — primarily fibers, fragments, and films — in both water and sediment samples from coastal waters of the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia, with the highest concentrations linked to anthropogenic activities in this marine tourism hub.
Assessment of Prevalence and Heterogeneity of Meso- and Microplastic Pollution in Icelandic Waters
Surface water sampling around Iceland found mesoplastics and microplastics at all six coastal sites, with nearshore locations near populated areas showing higher concentrations, suggesting local human activity contributes to plastic pollution even in remote subarctic waters.
Rastreando microplásticos em águas costeiras: um estudo de fatores ambientais usando canoa havaiana
Researchers tracked microplastic (MP) pollution in coastal waters using Hawaiian outrigger canoes, studying how environmental factors influence MP distribution in zones where terrestrial and marine sources intensely interact. The work aimed to better understand MP dynamics in biodiverse coastal ecosystems subject to tourism, fishing, and navigation.
Presence of microplastics in water, sediments and fish species in an urban coastal environment of Fiji, a Pacific small island developing state
Researchers conducted the first assessment of microplastic levels in surface water, sediments, and fish from the urban coastal environment of Suva, Fiji. The study confirmed the presence of microplastics across all three matrices in this Pacific small island developing state, and evaluated contributions from local sources including wastewater, highlighting that microplastic pollution affects even remote island nations.
The spatial distribution of microplastic in the sands of a coral reef island in the South China Sea: Comparisons of the fringing reef and atoll
Microplastic abundance in coral reef island sands of the South China Sea was measured at fringing reef sites (90–530 items/kg) and atoll sites (60–610 items/kg), with the lower-human-activity Xisha Islands atoll showing higher concentrations attributed to oceanic current accumulation. The study reveals that even remote coral reef ecosystems are contaminated with microplastics and that oceanographic factors can outweigh local human activity.
A temporal assessment of microplastics distribution on the beaches of three remote islands of the Yasawa archipelago, Fiji
Researchers conducted a three-year temporal study of microplastics on beaches of the Yasawa Islands, Fiji, finding average concentrations of 4.5 MPs/m2 with significantly higher levels on east-facing storm-line beaches, with polypropylene and polystyrene as the most common polymer types.
The occurrence and sources of microplastics to Arctic and sub-Arctic beaches: human influence on local microplastic hotspots
Researchers characterized microplastic occurrence and sources at Arctic and sub-Arctic beaches, finding that proximity to human settlements creates local hotspots, while more remote beaches receive microplastics primarily through long-range oceanic transport.
Zonal Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics in the Southern Indian Ocean and the Influence of Ocean Current
Microplastic concentrations were measured in seawater across the southern Indian Ocean along transects influenced by major ocean currents, finding that plastic distribution was shaped by circulation patterns with higher concentrations in convergence zones. The study provides baseline data on microplastic pollution in a relatively understudied and remote ocean region.
Microplastic abundance, distribution and composition in the mid-west Pacific Ocean
Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance, distribution, and composition across the mid-west Pacific Ocean, an area with previously limited data, finding widespread contamination across sampled stations. The dominant particle types were fibers and fragments, with concentrations varying by location and depth.
Assessing plastic size distribution and quantity on a remote island in the South Pacific
Researchers compared floating ocean plastics with beach-accumulated plastics on remote Henderson Island in the South Pacific, finding size-class differences between pelagic and beached plastics and documenting an increase in microplastics on the beach between 2015 and 2019, including the presence of nanoplastics.
Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from pristine, agricultural, and urban environments
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils including pristine, agricultural, and urban sites to determine whether long-range atmospheric deposition reaches this sparsely populated island. Microplastics were detected across all site types, confirming atmospheric transport as a pathway to remote northern ecosystems.
Three-dimensional evaluation of beaches of oceanic islands as reservoirs of plastic particles in the open ocean.
This study investigated the three-dimensional distribution of plastic in beach sediment on three oceanic islands by sampling deeper than surface layers, finding that focusing only on the surface significantly underestimates total plastic standing stocks. The findings suggest that current estimates of beach plastic pollution are conservative and that plastics are being buried in the substrate over time.
Urbanization Impacts on Microplastic in Benthic Organisms and Sediment of Small Islands
Researchers investigated how urbanisation on small islands in Indonesia affects microplastic contamination levels in benthic organisms and sediments, examining the impact of land use conversions from pristine ecosystems to settlements and tourism facilities.