{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T22:28:28Z","timestamp":1774391308116,"version":"3.50.1"},"posted":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"group-title":"SSRN","reference-count":0,"publisher":"Elsevier BV","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Floating macroplastics in coastal and shelf areas pose a growing environmental concern. This study investigates the pathways and fate of buoyant plastics in the Bay of Biscay, with a focus on the Santander region. A Lagrangian modelling approach was implemented using the MOHID Lagrangian model, forced by hydrodynamic and atmospheric forcing, to simulate transport under varying environmental conditions. The framework was developed to identify the dominant physical drivers of macroplastic dispersion, assess the influence of different source point locations, seasonal circulation dynamics, and evaluate the performance of a surface-layer configuration. Results show that large-scale hydrodynamics control macroplastic distributions, while windage primarily modulates nearshore accumulation and offshore export, and that seasonal circulation strongly affects particle distribution. During summer, weak currents and persistent north-easterly winds favour nearshore confinement, whereas winter circulation conditions with stronger south-westerly winds enhance offshore dispersion. Local coastal emissions contribute more to accumulation than riverine inputs, and the western Cantabrian coast emerges as a persistent accumulation hotspot. The findings highlight the role of circulation-driven confinement in shaping accumulation zones and support targeted mitigation strategies. Using hydrodynamic and atmospheric forcing, the model effectively represents regional-scale macroplastic dynamics and establishes a foundation for future higher-resolution applications. These results provide a baseline for improving regional monitoring programmes and informing targeted mitigation policies along the Cantabrian coast.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.2139\/ssrn.6465285","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T20:44:49Z","timestamp":1774385089000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Seasonal Drivers of Floating Macroplastic Transport in the Bay of Biscay: A Lagrangian Modelling Study"],"prefix":"10.2139","author":[{"given":"Sara","family":"Capucho","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6571-5697","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ramiro","family":"Neves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"L\u00edgia","family":"Pinto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"78","container-title":[],"original-title":[],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T20:44:50Z","timestamp":1774385090000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ssrn.com\/abstract=6465285"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"references-count":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2139\/ssrn.6465285","relation":{},"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"subtype":"preprint"}}