AUTHOR=Wang Shujia , Jian Qiying , Zhang Peng , Zhang Jibiao , Zhao Lirong , Liu Dan , Kang Xinhuang TITLE=Tracing Land-Based Microplastic Sources in Coastal Waters of Zhanjiang Bay, China: Spatiotemporal Pattern, Composition, and Flux JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science VOLUME=9 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.934707 DOI=10.3389/fmars.2022.934707 ISSN=2296-7745 ABSTRACT=
Estuaries and sewage outlets are key pathways for the transport of microplastics (MPs) from land to coastal waters. In this study, the spatiotemporal pattern, composition, and flux of MPs transported from land to Zhanjiang Bay (ZJB) in the South China Sea were investigated. The results showed that the overall mean MP abundance (± standard deviation) was 17.99 ± 9.72 items/L, with the highest in the normal season, followed by the dry and wet seasons. Fibers were the most dominant shape in these samples, blue was the most common color, and most MPs ranged between 100 and 330 μm. The MP diversity was higher in the wet and normal seasons than in the dry season. The highest seasonal flux of MPs was observed during the wet season, accounting for 79.68%, with the largest contribution from the Suixi River. There was a significant positive relationship between the annual MP flux and river discharge (R²