Synthetic microfibers in marine sediments and surface seawater from the Argentinean continental shelf and a Marine Protected Area

RONDA, A.C.; ARIAS, A.H.; OLIVA, A.L; MARCOVECCHIO, J.E.

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2019

0025-326X

In this work, samples were collected from the Argentinean continental shelf ?including a Marine Protected Area (MPA) - to assess the occurrence and distribution of synthetic microfibers (MFs), a widespread type of microplastic. MFs were present at 100% of the samples showing an average concentration of 182.85 ± 115.14 particles per Kg of dry sediment and 0.14 ± 0.08 items per m3 of marine water. MFs less than 1 mm were the most abundant (56.4% and 63%, for sediment and surface seawater respectively), followed by 1-2 mm and then 2-3 mm. In regards to the color, both sediments and water had the major percentage of black MFs (25.6 % and 28%, respectively) and the lowest one of green MFs (2.5% and 3%, respectively). Finally, MFs content in sediments was inversely correlated with depth (r = -0.93, p