Increasingly serious microplastic pollution in coastal areas and the ecological threats associated with plastics have attracted global attention. The frequency and intensity of typhoons have increased owing to global warming, strongly influencing the distribution and composition of microplastics in coastal ecosystems. In this study, the abundance, composition, diversity, and flux of microplastics in three estuaries and one sewage outlet in Zhanjiang Bay (ZJB) were analyzed. The average abundance of microplastics from land-based sources increased 3.6-fold from 14.19 ± 3.60 items/L before Typhoon Kompasu to 51.19 ± 28.53 items/L after the typhoon (p < 0.05). In addition, the proportion of fiber and large microplastics increased after the typhoon. In all samples, microplastics 100–330 μm in size were predominant, and blue was the most abundant color. The diversity in the color and size of microplastics increased after Typhoon Kompasu. The total daily flux of microplastics at the four stations entering ZJB was 3.95 × 1011 items before the typhoon and 9.93 × 1011 items after the typhoon, showing a 2.5-fold increase. This study demonstrated the influence of Typhoon Kompasu on microplastics from land-based sources of ZJB coastal waters and provided vital data for further study on MP pollution in coastal water ecosystems and the impact of typhoons on microplastics.
Estuaries and sewage outlets are key pathways for the transport of microplastics (MPs) from land to coastal waters. In this study, the spatiotemporal pattern, composition, and flux of MPs transported from land to Zhanjiang Bay (ZJB) in the South China Sea were investigated. The results showed that the overall mean MP abundance (± standard deviation) was 17.99 ± 9.72 items/L, with the highest in the normal season, followed by the dry and wet seasons. Fibers were the most dominant shape in these samples, blue was the most common color, and most MPs ranged between 100 and 330 μm. The MP diversity was higher in the wet and normal seasons than in the dry season. The highest seasonal flux of MPs was observed during the wet season, accounting for 79.68%, with the largest contribution from the Suixi River. There was a significant positive relationship between the annual MP flux and river discharge (R² = 0.95, p< 0.001). Hydrological processes, human behavior, and weather conditions were key factors that contributed toward the spatiotemporal variation of MPs. Overall, the aim of this study was to provide baseline information on MP pollution in ZJB to help formulate control strategies for improving regional water quality and mitigating its pollution. In the future, this study can be used to assess the role of river basins and sewage outlets in transporting MPs to the estuaries and ocean.
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