Distribution and pollution assessment of marine debris off-shore Shandong from 2014 to 2022

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Oct:195:115470. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115470. Epub 2023 Sep 12.

Abstract

This study analysed marine debris monitoring data for Shandong from 2014 to 2022 to obtain a better understanding of marine debris stocking off-shore Shandong in order to reduce marine debris pollution and improving the ecological environment of ocean. The results indicated that the abundance of coastal marine debris was 45,832 items/km2 (1118.5 kg/km2); the abundance of small/medium sized floating marine debris was 8976 items/km2 (1.38 kg/km2); and the abundance of large floating marine debris was 35 items/km2; the abundance of seafloor debris was 104 item/km2 (0.22 kg/km2). Compared with the nationwide abundance of marine debris, the quantity density of floating marine debris in Shandong was higher; the abundance of coastal marine debris and quality density of floating marine debris were lower. The majority of the Shandong marine debris was small/medium plastic, mostly from human activities. And we found no significant correlation between precipitation and the abundance of marine debris by statistical analysis.

Keywords: Distribution; Marine debris; Pollution; Shandong off-shore.

MeSH terms

  • Environment
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Humans
  • Plastics*
  • Waste Products* / analysis
  • Water Pollution / analysis

Substances

  • Plastics
  • Waste Products