FN Archimer Export Format PT J TI Microplastics baseline surveys at the water surface and in sediments of the North-East Atlantic BT AF MAES, Thomas VAN DER MEULEN, Myra D DEVRIESE, Lisa L. LESLIE, Heather A. HUVET, Arnaud FRERE, Laura ROBBENS, Johan VETHAAK, Dick A. AS 1:1;2:2;3:3;4:4;5:5;6:6;7:3;8:2; FF 1:;2:;3:;4:;5:PDG-RBE-PFOM-PI;6:;7:;8:; C1 The Centre for the environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, United Kingdom Deltares, Netherlands Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Belgium Institute for Environmental Studies, Netherlands CNRS, UMR 6539, IFREMER, LEMAR,UBO,IRD, Plouzane, France INEE, CNRS, France C2 CEFAS, UK DELTARES, NETHERLANDS ILVO, BELGIUM IVM, NETHERLANDS IFREMER, FRANCE CNRS, FRANCE SI BREST SE PDG-RBE-PFOM-PI UM LEMAR IN WOS Ifremer jusqu'en 2018 DOAJ copubli-france copubli-europe IF 5.247 TC 189 UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00384/49505/49999.pdf LA English DT Article DE ;Microplastics;marine litter;Floating debris;sediment;Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD);baseline AB Microplastic contamination was determined in sediments of the Southern North Sea and floating at the sea surface of North West Europe. Floating concentrations ranged between zero and 1.5 microplastic/m3, whereas microplastic concentrations in sediments ranged between zero and 3146 particles/kg dry weight sediment. In sediments, mainly fibers and spheres were found, whereas at the sea surface fragments were dominant. At the sea surface, concentrations of microplastics are lower and more variable than in sediments, meaning that larger sample sizes and water volumes are required to find detectable concentrations. We have calculated the widths of the confidence intervals (CI) for different sample sizes, to give a first indication of the necessary sample size for a microplastic survey at the water surface. Higher concentrations of floating microplastics were found near estuaries. In sediments, estuaries and areas with a high organic carbon content were likely hotspots. Standardization of monitoring methods within marine regions is recommended to compare and assess microplastics pollution over time. PY 2017 PD MAR SO Frontiers in Marine Science SN 2296-7745 PU Frontiers Media SA VL 4 IS 135 UT 000457690600135 DI 10.3389/fmars.2017.00135 ID 49505 ER EF