Delving into South China Sea microplastic pollution: Abundance, composition, and environmental risk

Understanding marine pollution in the South China Sea is crucial for preserving marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Despite extensive research on pollutants, there is a significant gap in knowledge about microplastics (MPs) in the archipelago region. This study focused on four typical islands, examining MPs in seawater and sediments, their distribution, and environmental risks. Most MPs (>90 %) were smaller than 2.5 mm, with black fiber-shaped polyethylene terephthalate MPs being predominant. MPs in seawater had lower abundance (5-12 items/L) compared to sediment (100-2600 items/kg) but showed richer polymer composition. Pollution load index (PLI) and risk index analysis indicated all regions were contaminated (PLI > 1), with the Zhongsha islands being the most polluted. Correlation analysis highlighted black, fibrous PET-like polymers with large particle sizes (>0.5 mm) as major contributors. This study could help to understand the MPs distribution and pollution in the archipelago region of the South China Sea.