Monitoring of meso and microplastic debris in Playa Grande beach (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain) during a moon cycle

González Hernández, María; Hernández-Sánchez, Cintia; González-Sálamo, Javier; López-Darias, Jessica; Hernández-Borges, Javier

Monitoring of meso and microplastic debris in Playa Grande beach (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain) during a moon cycle

2020

González Hernández, María | Hernández-Sánchez, Cintia | González-Sálamo, Javier | López-Darias, Jessica | Hernández-Borges, Javier

The occurrence and composition of meso (5–25 mm) and microplastics (1–5 mm) in Playa Grande beach (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain) was monitored during a complete moon cycle on the different moon phases between 17ᵗʰ June and 16ᵗʰJuly 2019. A total of 10 points were sampled each day finding an average content of mesoplastics of 18 g/m² (0.36 g/L) and of microplastics of 13 g/m² (1277 items/m² or 1.6 g/L). Polypropylene and polyethylene accounted for 19% and 76% of the total, respectively. Tar was also found in the 1–5 mm fraction (2% of the total). Among the particles found, 83% were fragments, 11% pellets, 4% fibres and 2% films. The obtained results revealed that microplastic presence could not be related in this case with the tides but with the orientation and strength/speed of the wind.

Показать больше [+]