ORCID
- Winnie Courtene-Jones: 0000-0001-7893-5322
- Richard C. Thompson: 0000-0003-2262-6621
Abstract
Plastic pollution has been reported in the North Atlantic Ocean since the 1970s, yet limited data over subsequent decades pose challenges when assessing spatio-temporal trends in relation to global leakages and intervention strategies. This study quantified microplastics within the upper ocean along a longitudinal transect of the North Atlantic and its subtropical gyre. Microplastics were sampled from surface and subsurface (−25 m) water using a manta trawl and NIKSIN bottle respectively. The surface water polymer community varied significantly between geographic positions (‘inshore’, ‘gyre’, ‘open ocean’), and was significantly influenced by fragment quantity. Compared to other positions, the North Atlantic gyre was associated with high concentrations of polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic and polyamide fragments. Subsurface water was dominated by polyamide and polyester fibres. Backtracked 2-year Lagrangian simulations illustrated connectivity patterns. Continued monitoring of microplastics throughout the water column of the North Atlantic Ocean is required to address knowledge gaps and assess spatio-temporal trends.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2022-01-01
Publication Title
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume
185
ISSN
0025-326X
Acceptance Date
2022-11-11
Deposit Date
2022-08-12
Embargo Period
2022-12-10
Funding
This research was made possible by the contributions and commitment of those who supported the project. Thanks are extended to the captain and vessel crew, the shore team and guest crew on voyage legs 1 and 2 of eXXpedition Round the World. Dr. Maximenko who provided near-real time information on the location of the North Atlantic accumulation zone to guide the vessel's transit. The eXXpedition Science Advisory Board, Mercator Ocean and all sponsors who enabled this research, particularly Travel Edge, TOMRA, SAP, Red Ensign Group, 11th Hour Racing and Slaughter and May. Thanks to Megan Francis for her work on the graphical abstract.
Keywords
Plastic, Polymer, Marine, Pollution, Lagrangian tracking, Fragments
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Courtene-Jones, W., van Gennip, S., Penicaud, J., Penn, E., & Thompson, R. (2022) 'Synthetic microplastic abundance and composition along a longitudinal gradient traversing the subtropical gyre in the North Atlantic Ocean', Marine Pollution Bulletin, 185. Available at: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114371
