- Title
- A quantitative analysis of microplastic pollution along the south-eastern coastline of South Africa
- Creator
- Nel, Holly A
- Creator
- Froneman, P William
- Date Issued
- 2015
- Date
- 2015
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68032
- Identifier
- vital:29187
- Identifier
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.043
- Description
- Publisher version
- Description
- The extent of microplastic pollution (< 5 mm) in the southern hemisphere, particularly southern Africa, is largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate microplastic pollution along the south-eastern coastline of South Africa, looking at whether bays are characterised by higher microplastic densities than open stretches of coastline in both beach sediment and surf-zone water. Microplastic (mean ± standard error) densities in the beach sediment ranged between 688.9 ± 348.2 and 3308 ± 1449 particles·m− 2, while those in the water column varied between 257.9 ± 53.36 and 1215 ± 276.7 particles·m− 3. With few exceptions there were no significant spatial patterns in either the sediment or water column microplastic densities; with little differences in density between bays and the open coast (P > 0.05). These data indicate that the presence of microplastics were not associated with proximity to land-based sources or population density, but rather is governed by water circulation.
- Format
- 6 pages
- Format
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.
- Language
- English
- Relation
- Marine Pollution Bulletin
- Relation
- Nel, H.A. and Froneman, P.W. (2015) A quantitative analysis of microplastic pollution along the south-eastern coastline of South Africa. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 101, 274–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.043
- Relation
- Marine Pollution Bulletin volume 101 number 1 274 279 2015 1879-3363
- Rights
- Elsevier B.V.
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the National Library of South Africa Copyright Act (http://www.nlsa.ac.za/downloads/Copyright Act.pdf)
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Collections
SDG 06. Clean Water and Sanitation
Froneman, Pierre William (Prof)
RU Department of Zoology and Entomology
SDG 14. Life Below Water
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