Jean-Pierre W. Desforges, Moira Galbraith, Neil Dangerfield, Peter S.
Ross, Widespread distribution of microplastics in subsurface seawater in
the NE Pacific Ocean, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 79, Issues 1–2,
15 February 2014, Pages 94-99, ISSN 0025-326X,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.12.035.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X13007741)
Abstract: We document the abundance, composition and distribution of microplastics
in sub-surface seawaters of the northeastern Pacific Ocean and coastal British
Columbia. Samples were acid-digested and plastics were characterized using light
microscopy by type (fibres or fragments) and size (<100, 100–500,500–100 and >1000 lm).
Microplastics concentrations ranged from 8 to 9200 particles/m3; lowest con-centrations
were in offshore Pacific waters, and increased 6, 12 and 27-fold in west coast Vancouver
Island, Strait of Georgia, and Queen Charlotte Sound, respectively. Fibres accounted
for 75% of particles on average, although nearshore samples had more fibre content than
offshore (p< 0.05). While elevated microplastic concentrations near urban areas are
consistent with land-based sources, the high levels in Queen Charlotte Sound appeared to be
the result of oceanographic conditions that trap and concentrate debris. This assessment
of microplastics in the NE Pacific is of interest in light of the on-coming debris from the
2011 Tohoku Tsunami.