[M-IS02] Ocean plastics, an earth science perspective

[MIS02-P02] High-resolution mapping of macroplastics (>5 mm) in surface sediments of the northwestern Kyushu region

*Mutusmi Iizuka¹, Atsuko Amano¹, Takuya Itaki¹ (1.The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)

Keywords:Plastic, marine sediment

The outflow of plastics into the ocean is an urgent environmental issue that has severe impacts on marine ecosystems. More than 10 million tons of plastic enter the ocean annually, and a portion of it is thought to sink and accumulate on the seafloor. However, the distribution of plastics on the seafloor remains largely unknown, and the ultimate fate of discharged plastics is not yet fully understood.
In this study, we report on the distribution of macroplastics (>5 mm) in surface sediments collected from the northwestern Kyushu region during the GB24 cruise of the Bosei Maru, Tokai University. A total of 133 surface sediment samples were collected with high spatial resolution from depths ranging between 20 and 800 m.
Our analysis detected macroplastics in coastal areas of Kyushu and near the Goto Submarine Canyon. This distribution suggests a relationship between macroplastic deposition, ocean currents, and seafloor topography.

This research was performed by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (JPMEERF20221004) of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency provided by Ministry of the Environment of Japan.