Distribution and Size Relationships of Plastic Marine Debris on Beaches in South Korea.
The characteristics of the distribution of plastic marine debris were determined on 12 beaches in South Korea in 2013 and 2014. The abundances of large micro- (1-5 mm), meso- (5-25 mm), and macroplastics (>25 mm) were 880.4, 37.7, and 1.0 particles/m(2), respectively. Styrofoam was the most abundant debris type for large microplastics and mesoplastics (99.1 and 90.9 %, respectively). Fiber (including fabric) was the most abundant of the macroplastics (54.7 %). There were no statistical differences in the mean numbers and weights of plastic debris among three beach groups from west, south, and east coasts. No significant differences were detected between the abundances of beached plastics in high strandline and backshore for all three size groups. Spearman's rank correlation was used to determine the relationships between the three debris size classes. The abundance of large microplastics was strongly correlated with that of mesoplastics for most material types, which suggests that the contamination level of large microplastics can be estimated from that of mesoplastics. As surveying of smaller particles is more labor intensive, the surveying of mesoplastics with a 5-mm sieve is an efficient and useful way to determine "hot-spots" on beaches contaminated with large microplastics.
Korea Marine Litter Institute, Our Sea of East Asia Network, 717 Leadersvil, 23-96 Jukrim 4-ro, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, 650-826, South Korea.
Jongmyoung
J
Lee
Korea Marine Litter Institute, Our Sea of East Asia Network, 717 Leadersvil, 23-96 Jukrim 4-ro, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, 650-826, South Korea.
Jong Su
JS
Lee
Korea Marine Litter Institute, Our Sea of East Asia Network, 717 Leadersvil, 23-96 Jukrim 4-ro, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, 650-826, South Korea.
Yong Chang
YC
Jang
Korea Marine Litter Institute, Our Sea of East Asia Network, 717 Leadersvil, 23-96 Jukrim 4-ro, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, 650-826, South Korea.
Su Yeon
SY
Hong
Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, 41 Jangmok 1 gil, Jangmok, Geoje, 656-834, South Korea.|University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 305-320, South Korea.
Won Joon
WJ
Shim
Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, 41 Jangmok 1 gil, Jangmok, Geoje, 656-834, South Korea.|University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 305-320, South Korea.
Young Kyung
YK
Song
Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, 41 Jangmok 1 gil, Jangmok, Geoje, 656-834, South Korea.|University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 305-320, South Korea.
Sang Hee
SH
Hong
Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, 41 Jangmok 1 gil, Jangmok, Geoje, 656-834, South Korea.|University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 305-320, South Korea.
Mi
M
Jang
Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, 41 Jangmok 1 gil, Jangmok, Geoje, 656-834, South Korea.
Gi Myung
GM
Han
Pukyong National University, 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-Gu, Busan, 608-737, South Korea.
Daeseok
D
Kang
Korea Marine Litter Institute, Our Sea of East Asia Network, 717 Leadersvil, 23-96 Jukrim 4-ro, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, 650-826, South Korea. oceanook@nate.com.
Sunwook
S
Hong
D001493:Bathing Beaches / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products; D014873:Water Pollutants