Stead, Jessica Laura, Cundy, Andrew, Hudson, Malcolm, Thompson, Charlotte, Williams, Ian, Russell, Andrea E. and Pabortsava, Katsiaryna (2020) Identification of tidal trapping of microplastics in a temperate salt marsh system using sea surface microlayer sampling. Scientific Reports, 10, [14147]. (doi:10.1038/s41598-020-70306-5).
Abstract
Microplastics are contaminants of increasing global environmental concern. Estuaries are a major transport pathway for land-derived plastics to the open ocean but are relatively understudied compared to coastal and open marine environments. The role of the “estuarine filter”, by which the supply of sediments and contaminants to the sea is moderated by processes including vegetative trapping and particle flocculation, remains poorly defined for microplastics land to sea transfer. Here, we focus on the sea surface microlayer (SML) as a vector for microplastics, and use SML sampling to assess microplastic trapping in a temperate marsh system in Southampton Water, UK. The SML is known to concentrate microplastics relative to the underlying water and is the first part of rising tidal waters to traverse intertidal and upper tidal surfaces. Sampling a salt marsh creek at high temporal resolution allowed assessment of microplastics in-wash and outflow from the salt marsh, and its relationship with tidal state and bulk suspended sediment concentrations (SSC), over spring and neap tides. A statistically significant decrease in microplastics abundance from the flood tide to the ebb tide was found, and a weak positive relationship with SSC observed.
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- Current Faculties > Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences > School of Chemistry > Electrochemistry
School of Chemistry > Electrochemistry - Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Ocean and Earth Science > Geochemistry
School of Ocean and Earth Science > Geochemistry - Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg)
Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg)
Institute for Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) - Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Ocean and Earth Science > Geology and Geophysics
School of Ocean and Earth Science > Geology and Geophysics - Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Engineering and the Environment (pre 2018 reorg) > Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute (pre 2018 reorg)
- Current Faculties > Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
- Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Ocean and Earth Science
School of Ocean and Earth Science - Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Geography and Environmental Sciences > Environmental Change & Sustainability
School of Geography and Environmental Sciences > Environmental Change & Sustainability
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