Floating plastic accumulation and distribution around Kuroshio Current, western North Pacific

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 188; p. 114604
• Main Authors: Thushari, Gajahin Gamage Nadeeka, Miyazono, Kentaro, Sato, Takuya, Yamashita, Rei, Takasuka, Akinori, Watai, Mikio, Yasuda, Tohya, Kuroda, Hiroshi, Takahashi, Kazutaka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Asia; Eddy-Kuroshio interaction; Elimination; Environmental Monitoring; Japan; Microplastic; Pacific Ocean; Plastics; Polymer type; Polypropylenes; Transport; Water Movements; Western North Pacific; Asia; Japan; Pacific Ocean; Polymer type; Western North Pacific; Microplastic; Transport; Eddy-Kuroshio interaction; Elimination
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114604

The distribution of floating plastic debris around the Kuroshio Current which transports plastics from the coastal waters of Asian countries to North Pacific subtropical gyre, was investigated in 2014. The mean abundance and weight of plastic debris on the sea surface were 100,376 counts/km2 and 446.16 g/km2, respectively. Intensive plastic accumulation was observed in the frontal area between the northern edge of the Kuroshio and coastal waters off Shikoku, while a relatively higher abundance in the south of Kuroshio was generally associated with anticyclonic mesoscale eddies. Such an accumulation resulted from the eddy-Kuroshio interactions which are specifically associated with the offshore non-large meandering Kuroshio path. Overall, white, fragmented, small-sized (≤1 mm) particles with polyethylene and polypropylene polymers were dominant. In the southern area of Kuroshio, the contribution of polystyrene and larger-sized plastic was higher, suggesting a rapid influx of fresh particles from western Japan to offshore by the northwest monsoon. [Display omitted] •Mean plastic abundance was found to be highest along the Kuroshio current area.•Plastic spatial distribution patterns are affected by eddy-Kuroshio interactions.•Higher proportion of polystyrene & larger plastics were in Kuroshio southern area.•Fresh particle influx from the coast to offshore by northwest monsoon is suggested.