Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Microplastics in a Coastal Region of the Pearl River Estuary, China

This study conducted an analysis of microplastics (MPs) pollution in a coastal region of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) in the South China Sea. The results show that the abundance of MPs during the rainy season reached 545.5 particles m(-3), which was 1.85-fold higher than during the dry season. The spatial distribution of MPs also varied offshore in the following order: the river > estuary > sea. The average abundance of MPs in the river was 1.17-fold higher than that of the estuary and 4.65-fold higher than that of the marine environment. There were large amounts of gray, white, and green MPs, and about 53.5-73.9% of the MPs were less than 0.5 mm. The main forms of MPs were fibers, granules, fragments, and films. MPs composed of polyethylene accounted for 35.7-38.8%. PCA analysis showed that MPs carried by the river were an important source of MP pollution in the coastal waters.

Automated summary

This study analyzed microplastics pollution in the Pearl River Estuary in the South China Sea, finding that abundance was higher during the rainy season, mainly sourced from rivers, and composed mainly of fibers, granules, and fragments, with polyethylene being a significant component.