Spatial distribution of small microplastics in the Norwegian Coastal Current

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173808
• Publication Date: 2024-06-05T16:35:10Z
• Authors: Fangzhu Wu; Lina Reding; Marrit Starkenburg; Clara Leistenschn...; Sebastian Primpke; Alvise Vianello; Karin A.F. Zonneveld; Mats B.O. Huserbr...; Gerard J.M. Verst...; Gunnar Gerdts
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; FTIR microscopy and spectroscopy; Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC); Lateral and vertical distribution; Microplastics (MPs); Lagrangian particle dispersal simulation

High concentrations of microplastic (MP) particles have been reported in the Arctic Ocean. However, studies on high-resolution lateral and vertical transport MPs from European waters to are still scarce. Here, we provide information about compositions surface, subsurface, deeper (< 1 m, ~ 4 17–1679 m) collected at 18 stations six transects along Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC) using an improved Neuston Catamaran, COntinuos MicroPlastic Automatic Sampling System (COMPASS), situ pumps, respectively. FTIR microscopy spectroscopy were applied measure MP concentration, polymer composition, size distribution. Results indicate that small microplastics (SMPs, <300 μm) varied considerably (0–1240 m−3) within water column, with significantly higher surface (189 subsurface (38 compared (16 m−3). Furthermore, average concentration SMPs samples was four orders magnitude than abundance large (LMPs, >300 μm), overall, <50 μm account for >80 % all detected MPs. no statistically significant geographical patterns observed SMP surface/subsurface seawaters between sampling transects, suggesting a relatively homogeneous horizontal distribution upper ocean NCC/Norwegian Atlantic (NwAC) interface. The Lagrangian particle dispersal simulation model further enabled us assess large-scale Northern Arctic.