Dominance of cellulosic and synthetic microfibers in upper layers of the Atlantic Ocean: evidence from the Vendée globe 2020 race

This study investigates the large-scale assessment of microplastic and anthropogenic microfiber pollution across the Atlantic Ocean, using continuous upper layer (0-5 m) sampling device aboard a sailing vessel during the Vendée Globe race 2020. Building on 53 samples and around 64 m³ of filtered seawater, we applied three-stage size filtration 300 μm, 100 μm and 30 μm to capture small-size particles typically undersampled in large-scale oceanic surveys. Microplastic concentrations were inversely proportional to particle size, with the 30-100 μm fraction reaching mean values of 65.09 MP/m³-three times higher than the 100-300 μm range and over 60 times higher than for particles >300 μm. Smaller fractions exhibited higher polymeric and morphological diversity, dominated by polyethylene, polypropylene, and epoxy resins, while larger particles were mainly polyester and polyamide microfibers from textile sources. In addition, cellulosic fibers represented 87 % of the anthropogenic microfibers >100 μm, surpassing synthetic counterparts. These included cotton, viscose, and other regenerated or natural fibers, indicating diverse potential sources such as clothes, hygiene products, and cigarette butts. Geographically, high microplastic concentrations were observed in the North Atlantic (~106.2 MPs/m³ on average) near European coastal regions, whereas lower levels in the South Atlantic subtropical region (~49.8 MPs/m³ on average) suggest vertical redistribution and spatial heterogeneity mediated potentially by ocean dynamics. These results highlight the need to incorporate all anthropogenic particles across fine-scale size classes into marine pollution international assessments. Continuous, opportunistic sampling using leisure, commercial or race vessels is shown to be a valuable approach for capturing particle diversity in remote and open oceanic regions.