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Nash R, Joyce H, Pagter E, Frias J, Guinan J, Healy L, Kavanagh F, Deegan M, O'Sullivan D. Deep Sea Microplastic Pollution Extends Out to Sediments in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean Margins. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:201-213. [PMID: 36563299 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are ubiquitous emerging contaminants found in every habitat surveyed, building upon international databases globally. Costs and accessibility often correlate to few deep sea sediment surveys, restricting the number of stations within a given sampling area. An extensive survey of the Porcupine Seabight, Porcupine Bank, the Goban Spur, and south-western canyons resulted in identifying microplastics in deep sea sediment surface layers from 33 of the 44 stations sampled (75%), with a total of 83 particles (74 synthetic and 9 natural) recorded. No microplastic hotspots were identified, and abundances (kg d.w.-1) were not correlated with distance from land, depth, or the presence of macrolitter on the seafloor. Understanding the sources of deep sea microplastics, such as marine traffic, is crucial to developing effective mitigation strategies as well as further monitoring campaigns targeting microplastic pollution in areas with significant deep sea biodiversity such as the Porcupine Seabright.
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Affiliation(s)
- Róisín Nash
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), Atlantic Technological University, Galway (ATU, Galway), Old Dublin Road, Galway H91 T8NW, Ireland
| | - Haleigh Joyce
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), Atlantic Technological University, Galway (ATU, Galway), Old Dublin Road, Galway H91 T8NW, Ireland
| | - Elena Pagter
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), Atlantic Technological University, Galway (ATU, Galway), Old Dublin Road, Galway H91 T8NW, Ireland
- Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, Co., Galway H91 R673, Ireland
| | - João Frias
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), Atlantic Technological University, Galway (ATU, Galway), Old Dublin Road, Galway H91 T8NW, Ireland
| | - Janine Guinan
- Geological Survey Ireland, Block 1, Booterstown Hall, Booterstown, Blackrock, Co., Dublin A94 N2R6, Ireland
| | - Louise Healy
- Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, Co., Galway H91 R673, Ireland
| | - Fiona Kavanagh
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), Atlantic Technological University, Galway (ATU, Galway), Old Dublin Road, Galway H91 T8NW, Ireland
| | | | - David O'Sullivan
- Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, Co., Galway H91 R673, Ireland
- INFOMAR, Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, Co., Galway H91 R673, Ireland
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