Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)

In the marine environment most abundant polymer are polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), exposed to oxidation, fragmentation and degradation processes. This study assesses the presence, abundance, distribution and weathering processes of small microplastics (SMPs) and other marine plastic litte...

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Autores: Molina Rodríguez, Ana, Déniz Martín, Miriam Noemí, Rodríguez Pérez, Elsa M., Amey, Joséphine, Hernández-Borges, Javier, Fraile-Nuez, Eugenio, Machín, Francisco, Vega Moreno, Daura
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Recursos:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/419151
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/419151
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105021213222
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Canary Islands
Deep samples
FTIR
Microplastics
Oxidized polymers
Water column
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dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)
title Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)
spellingShingle Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)
Molina Rodríguez, Ana
Canary Islands
Deep samples
FTIR
Microplastics
Oxidized polymers
Water column
title_short Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)
title_full Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)
title_fullStr Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)
title_full_unstemmed Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)
title_sort Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Molina Rodríguez, Ana
Déniz Martín, Miriam Noemí
Rodríguez Pérez, Elsa M.
Amey, Joséphine
Hernández-Borges, Javier
Fraile-Nuez, Eugenio
Machín, Francisco
Vega Moreno, Daura
author Molina Rodríguez, Ana
author_facet Molina Rodríguez, Ana
Déniz Martín, Miriam Noemí
Rodríguez Pérez, Elsa M.
Amey, Joséphine
Hernández-Borges, Javier
Fraile-Nuez, Eugenio
Machín, Francisco
Vega Moreno, Daura
author_role author
author2 Déniz Martín, Miriam Noemí
Rodríguez Pérez, Elsa M.
Amey, Joséphine
Hernández-Borges, Javier
Fraile-Nuez, Eugenio
Machín, Francisco
Vega Moreno, Daura
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
Cabildo de Fuerteventura
CSIC - Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO)
European Commission
Gobierno de Canarias
Fraile-Nuez, Eugenio [0000-0003-4250-4445]
Machín, Francisco [0000-0002-4281-6804]
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Canary Islands
Deep samples
FTIR
Microplastics
Oxidized polymers
Water column
topic Canary Islands
Deep samples
FTIR
Microplastics
Oxidized polymers
Water column
description In the marine environment most abundant polymer are polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), exposed to oxidation, fragmentation and degradation processes. This study assesses the presence, abundance, distribution and weathering processes of small microplastics (SMPs) and other marine plastic litter in the Canary Islands region. Macroplastic sampling were collected by the Marine Litter Observatory of Fuerteventura (OBAM) in 2023. SMPs were collected from two distinct mesoscale eddies during oceanographic cruises in 2021 and 2022, using two different sampling systems: Niskin bottles and bottle-nets. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine the polymer composition of macroplastics, while micro-FTIR (μFTIR) was applied to SMPs ranging from 100 μm to 1 mm. The results highlight the wide distribution of SMPs throughout the Canary Islands water column, extending even beyond 1000 m depth. Synthetic fibers were predominantly composed of polyester, while the presence of colored cellulosic fibers signalled notable human-derived input. Some plastic fragments showed advanced degradation that made their identification difficult, although their spectral characteristics indicated similarity to oxidated PE and PP, so they were classified as oxidized polymers (OxPol). These findings emphasize the critical role of combining advanced polymer analysis with detailed vertical sampling to more accurately trace the transport pathways, breakdown, and ultimate fate of SMPs in deep-sea environments. They also reveal the deep ocean around the Canary Islands as a significant reservoir of degraded microplastics, challenging the assumption that buoyant polymers remain near the surface.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/419151
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105021213222
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/419151
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105021213222
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, (COC)
The underlying dataset has been published as supplementary material of the article in the publisher platform at DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118836
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118836
Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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spelling Vertical distribution and composition of microplastics and marine litter in the open ocean surrounding the Canary Islands (0-1200 m depth)Molina Rodríguez, AnaDéniz Martín, Miriam NoemíRodríguez Pérez, Elsa M.Amey, JoséphineHernández-Borges, JavierFraile-Nuez, EugenioMachín, FranciscoVega Moreno, DauraCanary IslandsDeep samplesFTIRMicroplasticsOxidized polymersWater columnIn the marine environment most abundant polymer are polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), exposed to oxidation, fragmentation and degradation processes. This study assesses the presence, abundance, distribution and weathering processes of small microplastics (SMPs) and other marine plastic litter in the Canary Islands region. Macroplastic sampling were collected by the Marine Litter Observatory of Fuerteventura (OBAM) in 2023. SMPs were collected from two distinct mesoscale eddies during oceanographic cruises in 2021 and 2022, using two different sampling systems: Niskin bottles and bottle-nets. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine the polymer composition of macroplastics, while micro-FTIR (μFTIR) was applied to SMPs ranging from 100 μm to 1 mm. The results highlight the wide distribution of SMPs throughout the Canary Islands water column, extending even beyond 1000 m depth. Synthetic fibers were predominantly composed of polyester, while the presence of colored cellulosic fibers signalled notable human-derived input. Some plastic fragments showed advanced degradation that made their identification difficult, although their spectral characteristics indicated similarity to oxidated PE and PP, so they were classified as oxidized polymers (OxPol). These findings emphasize the critical role of combining advanced polymer analysis with detailed vertical sampling to more accurately trace the transport pathways, breakdown, and ultimate fate of SMPs in deep-sea environments. They also reveal the deep ocean around the Canary Islands as a significant reservoir of degraded microplastics, challenging the assumption that buoyant polymers remain near the surface.The OBAM was co-funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund through the PLEAMAR program in 2020 and 2021, in collaboration with the Biodiversity Foundation and the Island Council of Fuerteventura. The implementation of its actions would not be possible without the support of the Fuerteventura Fishermen's Guilds. We would like to thank to the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) in its funded project VULCANA-III (IEO-CSIC-2021-2023) for the opportunity to sampling during two oceanographic cruises on board the R/V Ángeles Alvariño, carried out in 2021 and 2022. The authors would like to thank the Promotur Turismo Canarias Agreement for the joint implementation of initiatives aimed at intelligent management and the development of the Blue Tourism product. These efforts fall within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (Next Generation EU Funds) and align with Order No. 257/2023 issued by the Minister of Tourism and Employment, focused on the execution of cohesion actions in destinations as part of the Canary Islands Territorial Plan. In addition, the authors employed ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2025) to assist with proofreading and to improve the clarity of the manuscript's English.Peer reviewedElsevierEuropean Maritime and Fisheries FundCabildo de FuerteventuraCSIC - Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO)European CommissionGobierno de CanariasFraile-Nuez, Eugenio [0000-0003-4250-4445]Machín, Francisco [0000-0002-4281-6804]Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202620262026info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/419151https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105021213222reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)InglésCentro Oceanográfico de Canarias, (COC)The underlying dataset has been published as supplementary material of the article in the publisher platform at DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118836https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118836Síinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/4191512026-05-22T06:33:51Z
score 15,812429

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