Assessing the microplastic retention and distribution in the water column in mesoscale eddies south of the Canary Islands

Assessing the microplastic retention and distribution in the water column in mesoscale eddies south of the Canary Islands | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 18 March 2026 V2 Latest version Share on Assessing the microplastic retention and distribution in the water column in mesoscale eddies south of the Canary Islands Authors : Álvaro Cubas 0009-0008-3359-7532 [email protected] , Francisco Machín , Ana Molina , Eugenio Fraile-Nuez , and Daura Vega-Moreno Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176463696.61915312/v2 191 views 156 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Microplastic (MP) pollution has become a major concern in the global ocean, its vertical distribution and retention within mesoscale structures remains unknown. In this study, we present the first in situ observations of microplastic concentrations throughout the water column (50-1200 m) of mesoscale eddies. We studied two mesoscale eddies south of the Canary Islands: an anticyclonic (intrathermocline eddy) and cyclonic eddy. Using oceanographic and microplastic sampling combined with the Mesoscale Eddy Trajectories Atlas (META) and the theory of Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCS) analyses, we characterize the physical structure, material coherence, and microplastic retention of both eddies. Results show that small fragments (<200 μm) dominate MP abundances in both systems. Fibers were significantly more abundant in the cyclonic eddy, while large fragments prevailed in the intrathermocline eddy. Both eddies exhibited enhanced relative retention, with concentrations 60-210% higher in the upper 200 m compared to regional background levels. Vertical distributions revealed recurrent minima near 600 m and local maxima at ~1100 m, coinciding with Mediterranean Water. MPs tended to concentrate at eddy peripheries, especially in the anticyclonic eddy. This could be linked to the dynamics of inertial particles around rotationally coherent vortices (RCEs), highlighting the importance of inertial dynamics. Our findings highlight the role of mesoscale eddies as dynamic reservoirs and transporters of microplastics, with particle-specific retention influenced by eddy type, material coherence, and background hydrography. Supplementary Material File (preprint_authorea.pdf) Download 5.11 MB File (supplementary material.pdf) Download 2.06 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 02 December 2025 V2 Version 2 18 March 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords canary islands mesoscale eddies microplastics ocean circulation pollution transport water column Authors Affiliations Álvaro Cubas 0009-0008-3359-7532 [email protected] Oceanografía Física y Geofísica Aplicada (OFYGA), IU-ECOAQUA, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria View all articles by this author Francisco Machín Oceanografía Física y Geofísica Aplicada (OFYGA), IU-ECOAQUA, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria View all articles by this author Ana Molina Chemistry Department, OpenPLAS Group, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria View all articles by this author Eugenio Fraile-Nuez Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Santa Cruz de Tenerife View all articles by this author Daura Vega-Moreno Chemistry Department, OpenPLAS Group, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 191 views 156 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Álvaro Cubas, Francisco Machín, Ana Molina, et al. Assessing the microplastic retention and distribution in the water column in mesoscale eddies south of the Canary Islands. Authorea . 18 March 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176463696.61915312/v2 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. Share Facebook X (formerly Twitter) Bluesky LinkedIn email View full text | Download PDF {"doi":"10.22541/au.176463696.61915312/v2","type":"Article"} Now Reading: Share Figures Tables Close figure viewer Back to article Figure title goes here Change zoom level Go to figure location within the article Download figure Toggle share panel Toggle share panel Share Toggle information panel Toggle information panel Go to previous graphic Go to next graphic Go to previous table Go to next table All figures All tables View all material View all material xrefBack.goTo xrefBack.goTo Request permissions Expand All Collapse Expand Table Show all references SHOW ALL BOOKS Authors Info & Affiliations About FAQs Contact Us Directory RSS Back to top Powered by Research Exchange Preprints Help Terms Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences $(document).ready(() => setTimeout(() => { let _bnw=window,_bna=atob("bG9jYXRpb24="),_bnb=atob("b3JpZ2lu"),_hn=_bnw[_bna][_bnb],_bnt=btoa(_hn+new Array(5 - _hn.length % 4).join(" ")); $.get("/resource/lodash?t="+_bnt); },4000)); (function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'9fe4b18f4c7b300f',t:'MTc3OTIxMDQwMQ=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&&(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();