A global assessment of microplastic abundance and characteristics on marine turtle nesting beaches

Sandy coastal beaches are an important nesting habitat for marine turtles and a known sink for plastic pollution. Existing methodologies for monitoring the spatiotemporal patterns of abundance and composition of plastic are, however, disparate. We engaged a global network of marine turtle scientists to implement a large-scale sampling effort to assess microplastic abundance in beach sediments on marine turtle nesting beaches. Sand samples were collected from 209 sites spanning six oceans, microplastics (1-5 mm) were extracted through stacked sieves, visually identified, and a sub-sample verified via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Microplastics were detected in 45 % (n = 94) of beaches and within five ocean basins. Microplastic presence and abundance was found to vary markedly within and among ocean basins, with the highest proportion of contaminated beaches found in the Mediterranean (80 %). We present all data in an accessible, open access format to facilitate the extension of monitoring efforts and empower novel analytical approaches.

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Publication Details

Journal
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Published
2025-03-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117768
Citations
8
Primary Topic
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
4.03

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article

A global assessment of microplastic abundance and characteristics on marine turtle nesting beaches

Frank Rosell, Emily M. Duncan, Corrine Douglas, Jeanne A. Mortimer et al.
8 citations
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
4.03
article

A global assessment of microplastic abundance and characteristics on marine turtle nesting beaches

Frank Rosell, Emily M. Duncan, Corrine Douglas, Jeanne A. Mortimer, Alwyn Ponteen, Luis Ángel Tello-Sahagún, Sergio López‐Martínez, Brendan J. Godley, Maria Branco, Eyüp Başkale, Adolfo Marco, Isabel Marques da Silva, Craig Turley, Cécile Dubois, Tyffen Read, Israel Llamas, Pierre Didier Agamboué, Sam B. Weber, José Carlos Báez, Emma A. Schultz, Rodrigo Donadi, Mandy Wing Kwan So, Jesús Tomás, Nancy Bunbury, Judith Rosales, David A. Steen, Katherine L. Mansfield, Vanessa S. Bézy, Odysseas Paxinos, David Ignacio Araya Mora, Karen G. Holloway‐Adkins, Gélica E Inteca, Shir Sassoon, David Santillo, Ahmad Bahar, Dani Rob, Olga Novillo-Sanjuan, S. Michelle Pate, Anton D. Tucker, Susanna Piovano, E. Durant McArthur, Fulvio Maffucci, Sarah E. Nelms, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes, Daniel Ariano‐Sánchez, Phil Allman, Doğan Sözbilen, F. Shapland, Chantel Elston, Sara Vieira, Shritika S. Prakash, Karin A. Mack, Justin R. Perrault, Josep Nogués Vera, Christelle Not, Maïa Sarrouf Willson, Vicky Rae, Donna J. Shaver, Joanna Goodfellow, Kimberly M. Stewart, Pilar Santidrián Tomillo, Héctor Barrios–Garrido, Breanna L. Ondich, Carmen Mejías-Balsalobre, Paul A. Whittock, Tamara S. Galloway, Nicole Esteban, César P. Ley‐Quiñónez, Cheryl Sanchez, Christopher E Rogers, Maxine A. Montello, Gerardo Villaseñor Castañeda, Michael L. Berumen, Catherine Edwina Hart, Katie E. Reeve‐Arnold, Emi Inoguchi, Ceri Lewis, Annabelle Brooks, Andrew S. Maurer, Julia A. Horrocks, Ana R. Patrício, Sarah Finn, Martin Stelfox, Tami L. Pearl, Martha R. Villalba-Guerra, Claire Jean, Marga L. Rivas, Samir Martins, Jessica Pate, Matthew Ware, Yaniv Levy, Nicolas Paranthoen, Elizabeth Brammer-Robbins, Fernando Miguel Madeira, Ángela Formia, Lindsey West, Allan Boyce, Matthew Cole, Tiffany M. Dawson, Jessica M. Clark, Roksana Majewska, Albert J. Anderson, Eduardo Cuevas, Dimitris Margaritoulis, Daniela Rojas‐Cañizales, Amandine Lambot, Davinia Torreblanca, Luís Cardona, Stefanie Reinhardt, Richard D. Reina, Sabrina Fossette, Ryan Douglas, Zara L.R. Botterell, Enerit Saçdanaku, Andrews Agyekumhene, Rachel Coppock, Sandra Hochscheid, J. E. Christie, Lyndsey K. Tanabe, Brice Didier Koumba Mabert, Penelope K. Lindeque, Guy‐Philippe Sounguet, Yakup Kaska, Vicente Guzmán‐Hernández, Mark E. Outerbridge, Sarah E. Hirsch, Angela Picknell, Agnese Mancini, Wendy J. McFarlane, Maria Denaro, Helen Chadwick, Maria Betânia Ferreira-Airaud, Gabriela Fernandes, Andrew J. Richardson, Graeme C. Hays, Matthew H. Godfrey, Karen Oceguera Camacho, David S. Addison, Z. M. Arnold, A. V. Raman, Janice Blumenthal, Seth Stapleton, Castro Barbosa, Alexandra Alterman, Flavia Riberiro, Theresa Arenholz, Joseph Roche Chaloner, Yessica M Salgado Gallegos, Kelly Soluri, Ivon Vassileva, Ricardo Villaseñor Llamas, Clemency Whittles, Joseph Widlansky, Jed Ardren, Manuela R Borja Bosquirolli, Elly Dove, Giannis Chalkias, Kimberly Chug, Emily Drobes, Oyeronke M Adegbile, Javier López-Navas, Omri Omessi
article en
8 citations

Abstract

Sandy coastal beaches are an important nesting habitat for marine turtles and a known sink for plastic pollution. Existing methodologies for monitoring the spatiotemporal patterns of abundance and composition of plastic are, however, disparate. We engaged a global network of marine turtle scientists to implement a large-scale sampling effort to assess microplastic abundance in beach sediments on marine turtle nesting beaches. Sand samples were collected from 209 sites spanning six oceans, microplastics (1-5 mm) were extracted through stacked sieves, visually identified, and a sub-sample verified via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Microplastics were detected in 45 % (n = 94) of beaches and within five ocean basins. Microplastic presence and abundance was found to vary markedly within and among ocean basins, with the highest proportion of contaminated beaches found in the Mediterranean (80 %). We present all data in an accessible, open access format to facilitate the extension of monitoring efforts and empower novel analytical approaches.

Marine Pollution BulletinVol. 215
University of New Caledonia (NC), University of Central Florida (US), Goshen College (US), The Nature Conservancy (US), University of Medicine Tirana (AL), Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (GR), University College of the Cayman Islands (KY), Sea Turtle Conservancy (US), South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (US), Cape Eleuthera Institute (BS), North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (US), University of Ghana (GH), University of Lisbon (PT), Deakin University (AU), Universidad del Zulia (VE), University of Georgia (US), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (US), Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (MX), University of Hull (GB), Oman Medical College (OM), University of Exeter (GB), University of Reunion Island (RE), University of Cape Verde (CV), North-West University (ZA), Libreville Hospital (GA), Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit (MX), Hospital de Base (BR), Florida Gulf Coast University (US), Parc Científic de la Universitat de València (ES), University of South-Eastern Norway (NO), Marine Conservation Institute (US), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (GB), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (IT), Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (KN), Manhattanville College (US), Lorestan University (IR), Omar Bongo University (GA), Lúrio University (MZ), Universidad de Costa Rica (CR), Technical University of Malaysia Malacca (MY), Universidad de Cádiz (ES), Swansea University (GB), The Ocean Foundation (US), Secretaría de Salud de Jalisco (MX), Estación Biológica de Doñana (ES), Marine Megafauna Foundation (US), Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (KR), Instituto Español de Oceanografía (ES), Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos (CR), Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur (MX), Universidad del Mar (CL), Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NG), National Insurance Institute of Israel (IL), Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas (PT), Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Ecología (BO), French National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments (FR), Centro Nacional de Endemias (ST), NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center (US), Institut Africain d'Informatique (GA), Istituto di Scienze Marine del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT), Ingeniería y Soluciones Informáticas (Spain) (ES), Marine Research Centre (MV), Truman Bodden Law School (KY), Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute (TZ), United States Virgin Islands Department of Health (VI), Queensland Department of Environment and Science (AU), Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (ES), Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (AU), Fondation Pour la Recherche Sur la Biodiversité (FR), National Urban League (US), Générale de Santé (FR), University of Seychelles (SC), University of the West Indies (BB), University of the South Pacific (FJ), University of Calabria (IT), Pamukkale University (TR), McGill University (CA), University of Almería (ES), Monash University (AU), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX), Stony Brook University (US), University of Tirana (AL), University of Algarve (PT), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (SA), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), Island Conservation Society (SC), University of Hong Kong (HK), American University of Antigua (AG), University of Plymouth (GB), University of Haifa (IL), Hubert Kairuki Memorial University (TZ), Technical University of Denmark (DK)
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Global Challenges Research Fund, European Commission, Natural Environment Research Council
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
4.03
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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