Leiden University College, Leiden University, P.O. Box 13228, 2501 EE The Hague, The Netherlands; Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
Leiden University College, Leiden University, P.O. Box 13228, 2501 EE The Hague, The Netherlands.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2018 Aug;133:442-447. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.05.060. Epub 2018 Jun 19.
Here we investigate microplastics contamination on beaches of four islands of the Lesser Antilles (Anguilla, St. Barthélemy, St. Eustatius and St. Martin/Maarten). These islands are close to the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, which contains high levels of microplastics. On average 261 ± 6 microplastics/kg of dry sand were found, with a maximum of 620 ± 96 microplastics on Grandes Cayes, Saint Martin. The vast majority of these microplastics (>95%) were fibers. Levels of microplastics differed among islands, with significantly lower levels found in St. Eustatius compared to the other Islands. No difference in microplastic levels was found between windward and leeward beaches. Our research provides a detailed study on microplastics on beaches in the Lesser Antilles. These results are important in developing a deeper understanding of the extent of the microplastic challenge within the Caribbean region, a hotspot of biodiversity.
在这里，我们研究了小安的列斯群岛（安圭拉、圣巴泰勒米、圣尤斯特歇斯和圣马丁/马提尼克）四个岛屿海滩上的微塑料污染情况。这些岛屿靠近北大西洋亚热带环流，其中含有高水平的微塑料。平均每公斤干沙中发现有 261±6 个微塑料，在圣马丁的大凯斯岛上发现的微塑料最多，有 620±96 个。这些微塑料中绝大多数（>95%）是纤维。岛屿之间的微塑料水平存在差异，与其他岛屿相比，圣尤斯特歇斯的微塑料水平明显较低。迎风和背风海滩之间的微塑料水平没有差异。我们的研究提供了小安的列斯群岛海滩上微塑料的详细研究。这些结果对于深入了解加勒比地区微塑料挑战的程度非常重要，加勒比地区是生物多样性的热点地区。
