Nanoplastics on the coast exposed to the North Atlantic Gyre: Evidence and traceability

The occurrence of nanoplastics in the environment is now known and presents new threats linked to plastic debris issues. New questions about the formation pathways and life cycle assessment of nanoplastics in continental and marine environments have been raised. In the present study, we focused on the Guadeloupe island coastal system. For the first time, we demonstrated the presence of nanoplastics in sand water extracts (SWEs). We also investigated the potential of rare earth elements (REE) in tracing nanoplastics. Based on the REE patterns of SWEs, beached plastics and modern corals, we demonstrated that nanoplastics are important components in the REE signature of coastal sand (29 to 73%). These original results demonstrate the relevance of developing geochemical tracers for determining the fate of missing plastic litter.