Spatial distribution of macro- and micro-litter items along rocky and sandy beaches of a Marine Protected Area in the western Mediterranean Sea

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2022-05, Vol.178, p.113520-113520, Article 113520
• Main Authors: Compa, Montserrat, Alomar, Carme, Morató, Mercè, Álvarez, Elvira, Deudero, Salud
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropogenic factors; Anthropogenic impacts; Archipelagoes; Balearic Islands; Bathing Beaches; Beaches; Coastal conservation; Distribution; Environmental Monitoring; Litter; Marine debris; Marine litter; Marine parks; Marine pollution; Marine Protected Areas; Mediterranean Sea; Microplastics; National parks; Physical characteristics; Physical properties; Plastic debris; Plastics - analysis; Polyethylene; Polyethylenes; Polymer characterization; Polymers; Polypropylene; Protected areas; Sea grasses; Spatial distribution; Waste Products - analysis
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113520

In this study, the spatial distribution and physical characteristics of beach macro- and micro-litter within the Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park (Cabrera MPA), in the Balearic Islands have been analysed. For macro-litter items, a mean concentration of 1.9 ± 2.4 items/m2 weighing a total of 13 kg was quantified. In terms of beach composition, cobble beaches with deposited seagrass had almost twice as much marine litter as other beaches. For beach micro-litter items, white and transparent microplastics within the size class of 1–2 mm were the most abundant on all the beaches, and the most common polymer types were polyethylene (64%) and polypropylene (17.2%). Overall, for both macro- and micro-litter items, plastic was the most dominant material (90%) identified on all beaches surveyed within Cabrera MPA, indicating areas of low anthropogenic pressures are increasingly becoming sinks for marine litter. •Artificial polymers (plastics) were the most common marine litter items identified.•High accumulation of marine litter during low tourism season•Absence of cigarette litter due to no smoking measures•Polyethylene polymers were the most common items in beach sediments.