Plastics in sea surface waters around the Antarctic Peninsula.

ABSTRACT: Although marine plastic pollution has been the focus of several studies, there are still many gaps in our understanding of the concentrations, characteristics and impacts of plastics in the oceans. This study aimed to quantify and characterize plastic debris in oceanic surface waters of the Antarctic Peninsula. Sampling was done through surface trawls, and mean debris concentration was estimated at 1,794 items.km^-2 with an average weight of 27.8 g.km^-2. No statistical difference was found between the amount of mesoplastics (46%) and microplastics (54%). We found hard and flexible fragments, spheres and lines, in nine colors, composed mostly of polyurethane, polyamide, and polyethylene. An oceanographic dispersal model showed that, for at least seven years, sampled pla

SUBMITTER: Lacerda ALDF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6408452 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature