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Bajon R, Huck T, Grima N, Maes C, Blanke B, Richon C, Couvelard X. Influence of waves on the three-dimensional distribution of plastic in the ocean. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 187:114533. [PMID: 36610301 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The world's oceans are facing plastic pollution, 80 % of which of terrestrial origin flowing from the mismanaged waste of coastal populations and from river discharge. To study the fate of this pollution, the three-dimensional trajectories of neutral plastic particles continuously released for 24 years according to realistic source scenarios are computed using currents from a global ocean-wave coupled model at 14∘ resolution and from a reference ocean-only model. These Lagrangian simulations show that neutral particles accumulate at the surface in the subtropical convergence zones from where they penetrate to about 250 m depth and strongly disperse over 40∘ of latitude. About 5.3 % of the particles remain at the surface with the wave-coupled model currents, whereas only 2 % for the uncoupled model, with some modulation in the location of the convergence zones. Increased surface retention results from upward vertical velocities induced by widespread divergence of waves-induced Stokes transport in the surface layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Bajon
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Thierry Huck
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Nicolas Grima
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Christophe Maes
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Bruno Blanke
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Camille Richon
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
| | - Xavier Couvelard
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ. Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Plouzané 29280, France.
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Chenillat F, Huck T, Maes C, Grima N, Blanke B. Fate of floating plastic debris released along the coasts in a global ocean model. Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 165:112116. [PMID: 33581569 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Marine plastic pollution is a global issue, from the shores to the open ocean. Understanding the pathway and fate of plastic debris is fundamental to manage and reduce plastic pollution. Here, the fate of floating plastic pollution discharged along the coasts is studied by comparing two sources, one based on river discharges and the other on mismanaged waste from coastal populations, using a Lagrangian numerical analysis in a global ocean circulation model. About 1/3 of the particles end up in the open ocean and 2/3 on beaches. The input scenario largely influences the accumulation of particles toward the main subtropical convergence zones, with the South Pacific and North Atlantic being mostly fed by the coastal population inputs. The input scenario influences the number of beached particles that end up in several coastal areas. Beaching occurs mainly locally, although a significant number of particles travel long distances, allowing for global connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Chenillat
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, IUEM, Plouzané, France.
| | - Thierry Huck
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, IUEM, Plouzané, France
| | - Christophe Maes
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, IUEM, Plouzané, France
| | - Nicolas Grima
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, IUEM, Plouzané, France
| | - Bruno Blanke
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (UMR 6523 LOPS), Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, IUEM, Plouzané, France
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Dobler D, Huck T, Maes C, Grima N, Blanke B, Martinez E, Ardhuin F. Large impact of Stokes drift on the fate of surface floating debris in the South Indian Basin. Mar Pollut Bull 2019; 148:202-209. [PMID: 31434047 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.07.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the open ocean, floating surface debris such as plastics concentrate in five main accumulation zones centered around 30° latitude, far from highly turbulent areas. Using Lagrangian advection of numerical particles by surface currents from ocean model reanalysis, previous studies have shown long-distance connection from the accumulation zones of the South Indian to the South Pacific oceans. An important physical process affecting surface particles but missing in such analyses is wave-induced Stokes drift. Taking into account surface Stokes drift from a wave model reanalysis radically changes the fate of South Indian particles. The convergence region moves from the east to the west of the basin, so particles leak to the South Atlantic rather than the South Pacific. Stokes drift changes the South Indian sensitive balance between Ekman convergence and turbulent diffusion processes, inducing either westward entrainment in the north of the accumulation zone, or eastward entrainment in the south.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Dobler
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS, UMR 6523), IUEM, Brest, France.
| | - Thierry Huck
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS, UMR 6523), IUEM, Brest, France.
| | - Christophe Maes
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS, UMR 6523), IUEM, Brest, France.
| | - Nicolas Grima
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS, UMR 6523), IUEM, Brest, France.
| | - Bruno Blanke
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS, UMR 6523), IUEM, Brest, France.
| | - Elodie Martinez
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS, UMR 6523), IUEM, Brest, France.
| | - Fabrice Ardhuin
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS, UMR 6523), IUEM, Brest, France.
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Baztan J, Carrasco A, Chouinard O, Cleaud M, Gabaldon JE, Huck T, Jaffrès L, Jorgensen B, Miguelez A, Paillard C, Vanderlinden JP. Protected areas in the Atlantic facing the hazards of micro-plastic pollution: first diagnosis of three islands in the Canary Current. Mar Pollut Bull 2014; 80:302-11. [PMID: 24433999 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.12.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2013] [Revised: 12/21/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Coastal zones and the biosphere as a whole show signs of cumulative degradation due to the use and disposal of plastics. To better understand the manifestation of plastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean, we partnered with local communities to determine the concentrations of micro-plastics in 125 beaches on three islands in the Canary Current: Lanzarote, La Graciosa, and Fuerteventura. We found that, in spite of being located in highly-protected natural areas, all beaches in our study area are exceedingly vulnerable to micro-plastic pollution, with pollution levels reaching concentrations greater than 100 g of plastic in 1l of sediment. This paper contributes to ongoing efforts to develop solutions to plastic pollution by addressing the questions: (i) Where does this pollution come from?; (ii) How much plastic pollution is in the world's oceans and coastal zones?; (iii) What are the consequences for the biosphere?; and (iv) What are possible solutions?
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Baztan
- Observatoire de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, 11 boulevard d'Alembert, 78280 Guyancourt, France; Marine Sciences For Society, Hurtado 7, 08023 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ana Carrasco
- Observatorio Reserva de Biosfera, Cabildo de Lanzarote, Fred Olsen s/n, 35500 Arrecife, Spain
| | - Omer Chouinard
- Université de Moncton, 18 Avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, Canada; Marine Sciences For Society, Hurtado 7, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Muriel Cleaud
- Maison des Minéraux, Rue Cap de la Chèvre, 29160 Crozon, France; Marine Sciences For Society, Hurtado 7, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús E Gabaldon
- Dynamical Systems, Gurb 17, 08500 Vic, Spain; Marine Sciences For Society, Hurtado 7, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thierry Huck
- UBO-CNRS-LPO, UFR Sciences F308, 6 av. Le Gorgeu, 29238 Brest, France; Marine Sciences For Society, Hurtado 7, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lionel Jaffrès
- Le Théâtre du Grain, Le Maquis, 12 Rue Victor Eusen, 29200 Brest, France
| | - Bethany Jorgensen
- The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, United States; Marine Sciences For Society, Hurtado 7, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aquilino Miguelez
- Observatorio Reserva de Biosfera, Cabildo de Lanzarote, Fred Olsen s/n, 35500 Arrecife, Spain
| | - Christine Paillard
- IUEM-CNRS-LEMAR, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, rue Dumont d'Urville, 29280 Plouzané, France; Marine Sciences For Society, Hurtado 7, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jean-Paul Vanderlinden
- Observatoire de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, 11 boulevard d'Alembert, 78280 Guyancourt, France; Marine Sciences For Society, Hurtado 7, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
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Czaja A, Robertson AW, Huck T. The role of Atlantic Ocean-atmosphere coupling in affecting North Atlantic oscillation variability. The North Atlantic Oscillation: Climatic Significance and Environmental Impact 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/134gm07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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