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20 resultsShowing papers similar to The baseline for micro- and mesoplastic pollution in open Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga beach
ClearMicro- and mesoplastic pollution along the beaches in the open Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga
Researchers conducted a baseline assessment of micro- and mesoplastic pollution along 24 beaches of the Latvian Baltic coastline with 250 citizen science volunteers, finding lower MP concentrations in the semi-closed Gulf of Riga (0.10 particles/kg dry sand) than in the open Baltic Sea (0.16 particles/kg dry sand).
Micro- and Mesoplastic Monitoring on Beaches: Understanding Seasonal and Spatial Distribution Patterns
Researchers monitored microplastic abundance and composition across 11 Latvian Baltic Sea beaches over four seasons from autumn 2022 to summer 2023, finding that seasonal climate patterns and proximity to the Gulf of Riga influence both microplastic load and spatial distribution along the northeastern European coastline.
Microplastic detectives: a citizen-science project reveals large variation in meso- and microplastic pollution along German coastlines
A citizen science project recruited volunteers to sample meso- and microplastics along German Baltic and North Sea coastlines, achieving spatial coverage far beyond what scientific teams alone could accomplish. Large variation in plastic pollution was found across sites, with some areas showing unexpectedly high concentrations linked to local sources and ocean circulation patterns.
The potential contribution of citizen science data in the study of coastal microplastic and mesoplastic distributions
Researchers analyzed citizen science data from the Big Microplastic Survey to assess the potential contribution of volunteer-collected observations to understanding coastal microplastic and mesoplastic distribution patterns, evaluating data quality and spatial coverage relative to conventional scientific monitoring.
Abundance and composition of near surface microplastics and plastic debris in the Stockholm Archipelago, Baltic Sea
This study combined professional manta trawl sampling and citizen science transect surveys to characterize microplastic abundance and composition in the Stockholm Archipelago and Baltic Sea. The results provide baseline data on plastic contamination in Baltic surface waters and demonstrate that citizen science can complement formal monitoring efforts.
Why sampling season and location matter for monitoring micro and mesoplastics on the beach
Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution across 11 marine beaches in Latvia over four seasons from autumn 2022 to summer 2023, demonstrating how sampling season and location significantly influence measured pollution levels in the Baltic Sea region due to seasonal weather patterns and local hydrodynamics.
The sampling and analysis of coastal microplastic and mesoplastic: Development of a citizen science approach
This study designed, developed, and tested a citizen science approach to microplastic and mesoplastic data collection on coastal beaches to address scale and coverage limitations of traditional research methods. Results showed non-expert participants could collect comparable data to researchers, expanding monitoring capacity across undersampled coastlines.
From macro to micro: dataset on plastic contamination along and across a sandy tide-less coast (the Curonian Spit, the Baltic Sea)
This dataset documents the distribution and abundance of plastic litter across size classes — from macroplastic to microplastic — on beaches of the Curonian Spit UNESCO Reserve in the Baltic Sea. The data provide a baseline for tracking plastic pollution in a sensitive protected coastal environment.
Testing citizen science as a tool for monitoring surface water microplastics
Researchers tested citizen science as a monitoring method for surface water microplastics in the Baltic Sea using a custom manta trawl aboard a sailing vessel, sampling at seven locations and finding microplastic concentrations from 0.45 to 1.98 MP/m², and evaluated the viability of integrating citizen science into large-scale MP monitoring programs.
Increasing our understanding of coastal microplastics and mesoplastics: a comparison of sampling methodologies using volunteer researchers
Researchers compared three different methods for sampling coastal microplastic and mesoplastic pollution using trained volunteers at three locations in southern England. They found that one citizen science method, the Big Microplastic Survey, consistently detected more plastic pollution and fewer zero counts than the other approaches. The study underscores the challenge of standardizing sampling methods and the importance of enabling meaningful comparisons across global monitoring efforts.
First results of citizen science campaign, Plastic Pirates, in Latvia – microplastic pollution in rivers and streams
Researchers reported the first results of the 'Plastic Pirates - Go Europe!' citizen science campaign in Latvia, engaging schoolchildren to collect data on microplastic and litter pollution in rivers and streams. The study identified pollution types and sources in a country where such research has historically been limited, contributing to understanding of riverine pathways for plastic transport to the sea.
Citizen scientists reveal small but concentrated amounts of fragmented microplastic on Arctic beaches
Citizen scientists on Arctic tourist cruises collected beach sediment samples from Svalbard and found microplastics at all sites, with small but concentrated quantities of fragmented particles. The study confirms that even remote Arctic beaches are contaminated with microplastics, likely transported from distant sources, and demonstrates the value of citizen science for expanding monitoring coverage in hard-to-reach regions.
Why sampling season and location matter for monitoring micro and mesoplastics on the beach
Researchers examined microplastic and mesoplastic pollution across 11 marine beaches in Latvia over four seasons from autumn 2022 to summer 2023, investigating how sampling season and beach location affect measured contamination levels. The study found significant spatial and temporal variability in beach microplastic concentrations, demonstrating that both season and location are critical variables that must be accounted for in monitoring programme design to produce meaningful and comparable pollution assessments.
First results of citizen science campaign, Plastic Pirates, in Latvia – microplastic pollution in rivers and streams
Researchers presented the first results from the 'Plastic Pirates - Go Europe!' citizen science initiative in Latvia, where schoolchildren collected data on microplastic and litter pollution in rivers and streams to build knowledge on pollution sources and transport pathways in a data-poor region. The campaign identified dominant plastic types and pollution hotspots in Latvian waterways, demonstrating the value of structured citizen science for expanding monitoring coverage in countries with limited research infrastructure.
Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in the surface waters of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga
Microplastic abundance and composition were compared between the Gulf of Riga and the Eastern Gotland Basin of the Baltic Sea, with higher concentrations in the Gulf of Riga near river mouths and urban coasts, and polypropylene and polyethylene dominating the polymer composition at most sites.
Determining global distribution of microplastics by combining citizen science and in-depth case studies
This study combined citizen science sampling data with in-depth field studies to build a better global picture of microplastic distribution. The approach shows how large-scale volunteer monitoring can extend spatial coverage far beyond what professional researchers can achieve alone.
Paddle surfing for science on microplastic pollution: a successful citizen science initiative
Researchers used paddle surfers as citizen scientists to collect microplastic samples from near-shore coastal waters in the Mediterranean Sea, filling a gap in data from areas close to the coastline. The study demonstrates how citizen science can expand microplastic monitoring to locations that are difficult to access with conventional research vessels.
Using citizen science to understand floating plastic debris distribution and abundance: A case study from the North Cornish coast (United Kingdom).
This citizen science study used a standardized methodology to monitor floating plastic debris off the Cornish coast of the UK, finding microplastic concentrations comparable to or higher than other European coastal regions. The study demonstrates that citizen science can generate useful, standardized data on plastic pollution in coastal waters.
Combining citizen and conventional science for microplastics monitoring in the White Sea basin (Russian Arctic)
Researchers combined citizen science volunteers with conventional scientific methods to document microplastic contamination across 13 remote locations in the White Sea basin of the Russian Arctic, finding plastic particles primarily composed of PE, PET, and PVC at average concentrations of 1.14 particles/m.
Dataset on microplastic concentrations, characteristics, and chemical composition in the marine surface waters of Latvia – the Eastern Gotland basin and the Gulf of Riga
Spectroscopically verified microplastics, both particles and fibers, were found across 44 surface water samples from the Gulf of Riga and Eastern Gotland Basin in the Baltic Sea. The dataset provides polymer-type-confirmed contamination data useful for meta-analysis and microplastic flow calculations in the region.