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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Quantifying Transboundary Plastic Pollution in Marine Protected Areas Across the Mediterranean Sea
ClearMicroplastics in the Mediterranean: Variability From Observations and Model Analysis
Researchers combined field sampling across four Mediterranean coastal areas with hydrodynamic and particle drift modeling to characterize microplastic abundance, size, and polymer type variability, finding that wastewater and river inputs drive spatial patterns of surface MP distribution.
Lagrangian Transport of Marine Litter in the Mediterranean Sea
Researchers analyzed the largest available set of Lagrangian drift data from the Mediterranean Sea to model floating litter transport, finding a general tendency for plastic debris to accumulate in the southern and southeastern Levantine basin — areas not yet targeted by observational campaigns.
Modeling the Pathways and Accumulation Patterns of Micro- and Macro-Plastics in the Mediterranean
A basin-scale hydrodynamic model tracked plastic debris pathways in the Mediterranean Sea, showing that coastal currents concentrate plastics in the northwestern basin and that both riverine inputs and sea-based sources contribute substantially to the distribution hotspots observed at the surface.
From source to sink: part 1—characterization and Lagrangian tracking of riverine microplastics in the Mediterranean Basin
Researchers characterized riverine microplastics from source to coastal sink, using Lagrangian tracking to trace the transport of particles from inland rivers to coastal deposition zones and identifying key retention points in the system.
A Regional Lagrangian Model for Assessing the Dispersion of Floating Macroplastics from Different Source Types over the Iberian Peninsula in the North Atlantic Ocean
Researchers used a validated Lagrangian model to track floating macroplastics entering the North Atlantic from rivers, land-based sources, and maritime traffic along Spain's Atlantic coast, finding significant plastic concentrations near the coastline and at medium distances over a seven-year simulation period.
Lagrangian tracking of river microplastics in the Mediterranean Basin
Researchers applied a Mediterranean river microplastic source scenario to Lagrangian dispersion simulations using high-resolution 3D current fields from the SYMPHONIE hydrodynamic model, tracking river MP inputs through the semi-enclosed Mediterranean Basin to quantify sources, transfers, and accumulation hotspots.
Inferring microplastics origins in the Mediterranean Sea by coupling modelling and in-situ measurements
Researchers combined Lagrangian particle-tracking modelling with in-situ manta-net trawls north of the Balearic Islands and along the Balearic Front in autumn 2019 to infer the origins of Mediterranean microplastics. They found that the area north of Mallorca acts as a temporary three-month retention zone for microplastics originating from the Northern Current and Gulf of Lion, while retention along the Balearic Front was less clear due to frontal dynamics and strong northerly winds.
Mapping microplastic overlap between marine compartments and biodiversity in a Mediterranean marine protected area
Researchers mapped microplastic distribution across water, sediment, and biota in a Mediterranean marine protected area, revealing significant overlap between microplastic hotspots and biodiversity-rich zones, raising concerns about ecological impacts in supposedly protected habitats.
Impact of the marine litter pollution on the Mediterranean biodiversity: A risk assessment study with focus on the marine protected areas
Researchers created a 3D model to map marine litter risk in the Mediterranean Sea, combining pollution particle simulations with biodiversity data, and found that coastal areas face the highest risk while current marine protected areas offer little protection against litter. The study concludes that only reducing plastic waste at its sources — not just expanding protected zones — can meaningfully lower harm to marine species.
A coupled Lagrangian-Eulerian model for microplastics as vectors of contaminants applied to the Mediterranean Sea
A coupled Lagrangian-Eulerian ocean model was developed to simulate microplastics as vectors for adsorbed chemical contaminants in the Mediterranean Sea, tracking plastic particle trajectories alongside pollutant exchange dynamics. The model demonstrates that microplastics can transport contaminants across basin-scale distances and deliver them to organisms far from the original pollution source.
Microplastic contamination in seawater across global marine protected areas boundaries
Researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment of microplastic contamination across global Marine Protected Areas, finding that these conservation zones are not immune to plastic pollution and highlighting the need for targeted mitigation strategies.
An evaluation of surface micro- and mesoplastic pollution in pelagic ecosystems of the Western Mediterranean Sea
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.
Oceanographic and anthropogenic variables driving marine litter distribution in Mediterranean protected areas: Extensive field data supported by forecasting modelling
Researchers conducted comprehensive surveys of floating macro- and microlitter in two Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas using an innovative multilevel experimental design combined with predictive modeling. Both oceanographic factors and anthropogenic pressures influenced litter distribution, with predictive models identifying accumulation hotspots within the protected areas.
Risk assessment of plastic pollution on marine diversity in the Mediterranean Sea
Researchers modeled plastic ingestion risk for 84 Mediterranean species across six taxonomic classes, finding that coastal species face the highest risk and that species with larger home ranges encounter plastic over greater distances — identifying spatial hotspots that could guide conservation priorities.
The dynamics of microplastics and associated contaminants: Data-driven Lagrangian and Eulerian modelling approaches in the Mediterranean Sea
Researchers compared Lagrangian and Eulerian data-driven modelling approaches to simulate microplastic dispersal and associated organic pollutant transport in the Mediterranean Sea, finding that adsorption-desorption dynamics between microplastics and hydrophobic contaminants must be coupled for accurate pollution assessment.
The streaming of plastic in the Mediterranean Sea
Using plastic tracking models and the largest Mediterranean plastic dataset to date, researchers identified crossroad zones through which about 20% of the sea's annually released plastic debris flows through just 1% of the basin's surface area. Identifying these high-flux zones could inform targeted cleanup and monitoring strategies.
Indicators to assess temporal variability in marine connectivity processes: A semi-theoretical approach
Not relevant to microplastics — this is an oceanography study developing indicators to characterize temporal variability in marine connectivity for designing effective marine protected area networks in the Mediterranean.
Evaluation des apports fluviaux de microplastiques et modélisation de leur dispersion en mer Méditerranée
This French doctoral research estimated the annual flux of microplastics from rivers into the Mediterranean Sea and used transport models to track their dispersal. The results show that rivers are the dominant pathway delivering microplastics to the Mediterranean, and the modeling reveals hotspots of accumulation in specific coastal areas.
Simulation of the transport of marine microplastic particles in the Ionian Archipelago (NE Ionian Sea) using a Lagrangian model and the control mechanisms affecting their transport
Researchers used a Lagrangian particle-tracking model to simulate microplastic transport in the Ionian Archipelago, finding that oceanographic currents drove significant dispersal of particles released from coastal population centers, with implications for biodiversity in this ecologically sensitive part of the Mediterranean.
An integrative assessment of the plastic debris load in the Mediterranean Sea
Researchers analyzed over 75,000 plastic pieces collected across the Mediterranean Sea during the Tara expedition, estimating roughly 650 billion plastic particles float on its surface, with the highest concentrations near northwestern coastal regions, and found that most plastics are in an advanced state of fragmentation from repeated stranding and resuspension.
Integrating Lagrangian simulations of plastic pollution with chemical advection-diffusion processes to account for cetacean ingestion risk within the Pelagos Sanctuary
Researchers modeled microplastic transport and cetacean ingestion risk in the Mediterranean's Pelagos Sanctuary, combining Lagrangian ocean simulations with chemical transport processes. The study highlights how plastic pollution hotspots overlap with the habitat of whales and dolphins, increasing their ingestion risk.
Changes in the Floating Plastic Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea in Relation to the Distance to Land
Researchers analyzed the composition, size distribution, and abundance of floating plastic debris in the Mediterranean Sea in relation to distance from land. The study found that the highest plastic concentrations occurred both far from shore and within the first kilometer of coastline, revealing a complex spatial distribution pattern for floating microplastics in semi-enclosed seas.
Plastic pollution transcends marine protected area boundaries in the eastern tropical and south-eastern Pacific
Researchers assessed plastic pollution across marine protected areas in the Eastern Tropical and South-Eastern Pacific, finding that microplastic contamination transcends MPA boundaries. The study suggests that even expanded conservation zones like the planned Mega MPA may not be sufficient to protect against diffuse threats like plastic pollution without targeted mitigation strategies.
Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size
Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.