Microplastic pollution on Caribbean beaches in the Lesser Antilles

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:133

Article

Bosker, Thijs^1,2  Guaita, Lucia¹  Behrens, Paul^1,2 

[1] Leiden Univ, Leiden Univ Coll, POB 13228, NL-2501 EE The Hague, Netherlands

[2] Leiden Univ, Inst Environm Sci, POB 9518, NL-2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands

关键词: Caribbean;    Lesser Antilles;    Microplastics;    Beach sediment;    Plastic pollution;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.05.060

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Here we investigate microplastics contamination on beaches of four islands of the Lesser Antilles (Anguilla, St. Barthelemy, St. Eustatius and St. Martin/Maarten). These islands are close to the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, which contains high levels of microplastics. On average 261 +/- 6 microplastics/kg of dry sand were found, with a maximum of 620 +/- 96 microplastics on Grandes Cayes, Saint Martin. The vast majority of these microplastics (> 95%) were fibers. Levels of microplastics differed among islands, with significantly lower levels found in St. Eustatius compared to the other Islands. No difference in microplastic levels was found between windward and leeward beaches. Our research provides a detailed study on microplastics on beaches in the Lesser Antilles. These results are important in developing a deeper understanding of the extent of the microplastic challenge within the Caribbean region, a hotspot of biodiversity.

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