Geostatistical estimation of marine microplastics pollution in Hong Kong using benthic fauna as bioindicators

Benthic organisms can act as bioindicators of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments by enabling a time-integrated assessment of the ambient particles suspended in the water column. We employ a geostatistical approach using data of microplastics concentrations found in tissue of the barnacles and benthic fauna collected by Xu et al. (2020a, 2020b) to estimate the spatial extent of marine microplastics pollution in Hong Kong. This paper therefore uses data from two previously published studies and no new samples were collected or new experiments conducted. Regional pollution maps are generated which demonstrate the highest marine microplastics levels occur in the northeast bays and regions adjacent to the Pearl River Delta, indicating terrestrial pollution as a source. We conclude that some classes of benthic fauna and in particular barnacles and gastropods, may provide a pragmatic tool to assist with pollution assessments that are based on contamination levels measured in the environment, which are typically transient.