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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Assessing plastic size distribution and quantity on a remote island in the South Pacific
ClearUnveiling Microplastic Abundance and Distribution in an Oceanic Island: Offshore Depository or Local Pollution Indicator
Microplastic abundance and distribution were documented across surface waters and sediments of an oceanic island, with findings indicating both local land-based pollution and ocean gyre-driven deposition of particles from distant sources.
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.
Plastic debris in the open ocean
Researchers collected and characterized plastic debris floating in the open ocean far from coastlines, documenting its abundance, polymer composition, and size distribution, providing early baseline data on the open-ocean plastic pollution problem.
Low densities of macroplastic debris in the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve
Despite beaches on Henderson Island in the Pitcairn group having some of the highest standing stocks of stranded plastic ever recorded, floating plastic densities in surrounding waters were found to be very low. This indicates that remote islands can act as accumulation traps for ocean plastic even when local surface water concentrations are not elevated.
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.
A global inventory of small floating plastic debris
Researchers compiled a global inventory of small floating plastic debris from ocean surface sampling expeditions, estimating the total abundance and mass of floating microplastics and identifying the major oceanic accumulation zones.
Spatial 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.
Small microplastics on beaches of Fernando de Noronha Island, Tropical Atlantic Ocean
Researchers characterized small microplastics (under 1mm) on 15 beaches of Fernando de Noronha Island in the tropical Atlantic, a protected Brazilian oceanic island. Synthetic fibers were the most common type found, with both windward and leeward beaches contaminated, demonstrating that even remote, protected islands are not free from microplastic pollution.
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.
Microplastics in the surface waters of the South China sea and the western Pacific Ocean: Different size classes reflecting various sources and transport
Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean, finding that different size classes reflect distinct sources and transport mechanisms, with higher concentrations in the northern South China Sea linked to riverine inputs.
Abundances and characteristics of small (< 0.3 mm) and large (0.3–5 mm) microplastics found in Aotearoa New Zealand beach sediments
Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic contamination in New Zealand waters, finding that both small (under 0.3 mm) and large (0.3–5 mm) microplastics were present across beach and water samples, with fragment and fiber morphologies dominating the assemblage.
Nano-plastics and their analytical characterisation and fate in the marine environment: From source to sea
Researchers reviewed the sources, environmental fate, organism interactions, and analytical detection methods for nano-sized plastic polymers in the marine environment, concluding that nanoplastics pose the greatest ecological risk among plastic size fractions and that standardized analytical protocols for nanoplastic characterization are urgently needed.
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.
Distribution and quantity of microplastic on sandy beaches along the northern coast of Taiwan
Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic pollution on Taiwan's beaches, collecting sand from four northern coast sites and recovering 1,097 particles weighing 0.77 g in total, identifying microplastics as ubiquitous and finding a negative relationship between particle size and abundance consistent with fragmentation processes.
A comparison of sampling methods for seawater microplastics and a first report of the microplastic litter in coastal waters of Ascension and Falkland Islands
Microplastic concentrations measured by bottle grab sampling (filtered to 0.45 μm) were roughly 1,000-fold higher than estimates from net-based methods, demonstrating that commonly used plankton trawls dramatically underestimate microplastic abundance. The study also documents for the first time that microplastics are present in the waters around Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands, establishing contamination at remote South Atlantic locations.
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.
Occurrence and distribution patterns of small microplastics (11-500µm) in the southern weddell sea off antarctica
Researchers assessed small microplastics in the 11-500 micron size range in the Southern Ocean, a region considered remote and pristine, filling a gap left by prior studies that focused on larger particles. Microplastics were detected even in this remote marine environment, suggesting widespread dispersal beyond populated regions.
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.
Toward a long-term monitoring program for seawater plastic pollution in the north Pacific Ocean: Review and global comparison
This review compared marine plastic monitoring methods and contamination levels across ocean basins, finding that the North Pacific showed the highest microplastic levels globally and that minimum sampling cut-off size is crucial for meaningful data comparison across studies.
Distribution, characteristics and short-term variability of microplastics in beach sediment of Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil
Researchers conducted daily beach sediment sampling on Fernando de Noronha Archipelago in Brazil, documenting large spatial and temporal variability in microplastic concentrations (0.6-1,059 particles/m) and finding that remote island beaches are not protected from microplastic contamination.
Microplastic pollution on sandy beaches of Puerto Rico
Researchers sampled sand from six northern beaches of Puerto Rico to determine microplastic abundance and composition, documenting the extent of microplastic pollution on Caribbean island coastal beaches that are considered biodiversity hotspots.
Relative Abundance of Floating Plastic Debris and Neuston in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean
Researchers examined the relative abundance of floating plastic debris versus neuston organisms in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, finding significant knowledge gaps in understanding how accumulating plastic in subtropical gyres affects surface-associated marine life. The study argues that removing floating debris is necessary to prevent harm to neuston communities and limit secondary microplastic formation.
Plastic debris (> 500µm) concentration gradient detected across the Southwest Indian Ocean
Researchers investigated plastic debris concentration and composition across the Southwest Indian Ocean using 19 oceanographic campaigns and 153 uninhabited beach surveys, identifying a gradient in floating macroplastic distribution and characterizing the sources and polymer types of 101,055 litter items.