New insights into Marine Microplastic Pollution 

Analysis of data obtained from marine water samples collected from different locations during the 60,000km long global sailing competition, the Ocean Race 2022-23 has revealed new insights into distribution, concentration and sources of marine microplastics.  

Microplastics captured in the samples varied in size from 0.03 millimetres to 4.6 millimetres.  Microplastic particles as small as 0.03 millimetres could be examined courtesy refined methods. As a result, a high number of microplastics: on average, 4,789 per cubic metre of water were discovered.  

The highest concentration (26,334) was found close to South Africa, followed by the edge of the English Channel close to Brest, France (17,184), then another point close to South Africa (14,976) followed by the Balearic Sea (14,970) and in the North Sea offshore Denmark (14,457). Thus, three of the world’s top five hotspots for marine microplastic pollution are in Europe. High human activity in the regions account for higher concentration of microplastics in waters around Europe, Brazil and South Africa. However, reasons behind observed higher concentrations in the Southern Ocean is unknown. It is also not clear whether microplastics travel further south from the Southern Ocean into Antarctica.  

The study also determined the type of plastic product that microplastics originated from. It has been found that, on average, 71% of the microplastics in the samples were microfibers, from materials such as polyester, which are released into the environment from washing machines (through wastewater), dryers (into the air), direct shedding from clothing, degradation of textiles littered in the environment and from discarded fishing gear. 

This study is significant as it measured tiny microplastic particles, as small as 0.03 millimetres, for the first time. It also identified the sources of origin of microplastic particles in the ocean.  

The microplastics are detected in widely in marine species, from plankton to whales. Unfortunately, they also find their way to human through food chain.  

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References:  

1. National Oceanography Centre (UK). News – 70% of ocean microplastics are the type found in clothes, textiles & fishing gear – and Europe is a hotspot. Posted: 4 December 2024. Available at https://noc.ac.uk/news/70-ocean-microplastics-are-type-found-clothes-textiles-fishing-gear-europe-hotspot  

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Related article  

• Plastic Pollution in Atlantic Ocean Much Higher Than Previously Thought (25 August 2020) 

• Bottled water contains about 250k Plastic particles per litre, 90% are Nanoplastics (19 January 2024)  

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