{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,25]],"date-time":"2026-04-25T06:21:36Z","timestamp":1777098096696,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,3]],"date-time":"2022-11-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1667433600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Fundo Azul","award":["FA_06_2017_046"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FA_06_2017_046"]}]},{"name":"Fundo Azul","award":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"]}]},{"name":"Fundo Azul","award":["101000825"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["101000825"]}]},{"name":"Fundo Azul","award":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"]}]},{"name":"Fundo Azul","award":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s INTERREG POCTEP program","award":["FA_06_2017_046"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FA_06_2017_046"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s INTERREG POCTEP program","award":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s INTERREG POCTEP program","award":["101000825"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["101000825"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s INTERREG POCTEP program","award":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s INTERREG POCTEP program","award":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s H2020 RIA program","award":["FA_06_2017_046"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FA_06_2017_046"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s H2020 RIA program","award":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s H2020 RIA program","award":["101000825"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["101000825"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s H2020 RIA program","award":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"]}]},{"name":"EU\u0092s H2020 RIA program","award":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"]}]},{"name":"COMPETE program","award":["FA_06_2017_046"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FA_06_2017_046"]}]},{"name":"COMPETE program","award":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"]}]},{"name":"COMPETE program","award":["101000825"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["101000825"]}]},{"name":"COMPETE program","award":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"]}]},{"name":"COMPETE program","award":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["FA_06_2017_046"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FA_06_2017_046"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GA 0754_CIU3A_5_E"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["101000825"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["101000825"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Project 46092\u2014AAC 14\/SI\/2019"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/00350\/2020 CIMA"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JMSE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Plastic pollution has been observed in many marine environments surrounding the Iberian Peninsula, from the surface water to deeper waters, yet studies on their pathways and accumulation areas are still limited. In this study, a global ocean reanalysis model was combined with a particle-tracking Lagrangian model to provide insights into the pathways and accumulation patterns of microplastics originating in southern Portuguese coastal waters (SW Iberian). The study investigates microplastics floating on the surface as well as submerged at different water depths. Model results suggest that the North Atlantic Gyre is the main pathway for microplastics in surface and subsurface waters, transporting the microplastics southwards and eastwards towards the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands. Currents flowing out of the Mediterranean Sea act as the main pathway for microplastics in deep waters, transporting the microplastics along western Iberia. An average residence time of twenty days in the coastal waters suggests that microplastics do not accumulate close to their sources due to their relatively fast transport to adjacent ocean areas. Notably, a significant proportion of microplastics leave the model domain at all depths, implying that SW Iberia may act as a source of microplastics for the adjacent areas, including the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco, the Canary Islands, Western Iberia, and the Bay of Biscay.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jmse10111640","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,4]],"date-time":"2022-11-04T03:28:10Z","timestamp":1667532490000},"page":"1640","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Pathways and Hot Spots of Floating and Submerged Microplastics in Atlantic Iberian Marine Waters: A Modelling Approach"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3469-6232","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eloah","family":"Rosas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Campus de Gambelas, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9863-6255","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fl\u00e1vio","family":"Martins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Campus de Gambelas, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"},{"name":"Instituto Superior de Engenharia (ISE), Campus de Gambelas, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Marko","family":"Tosic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Universidad EAFIT, CRA.49#7S-50, Medell\u00edn 050022, Colombia"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6241-8520","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Janeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Campus de Gambelas, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4523-5746","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fernando","family":"Mendon\u00e7a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Campus de Gambelas, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Lara","family":"Mills","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Campus de Gambelas, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Chatterjee, S., and Sharma, S. (2019). Microplastics in Our Oceans and Marine Health. Field Actions Sci. Rep., 54\u201361. Available online: https:\/\/journals.openedition.org\/factsreports\/5257."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1985","DOI":"10.1098\/rstb.2008.0205","article-title":"Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments","volume":"364","author":"Barnes","year":"2009","journal-title":"Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eriksen, M., Lebreton, L.C., Carson, H.S., Thiel, M., Moore, C.J., Borerro, J.C., and Reisser, J. (2014). Plastic pollution in the world\u2019s oceans: More than 5 trillion plastic pieces weighing over 250,000 tons afloat at sea. PLoS ONE, 9.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0111913"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lusher, A. (2015). Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Distribution, Interactions and Effects. Marine Anthropogenic Litter, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-16510-3_10"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124006","DOI":"10.1088\/1748-9326\/10\/12\/124006","article-title":"A global inventory of small floating plastic debris","volume":"10","author":"Wilcox","year":"2015","journal-title":"Environ. Res. Lett."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1140","DOI":"10.1126\/science.aba5899","article-title":"Seafloor microplastic hotspots controlled by deep-sea circulation","volume":"368","author":"Kane","year":"2020","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"293","DOI":"10.1139\/anc-2018-0024","article-title":"Transport of marine microplastic particles: Why is it so difficult to predict?","volume":"2","author":"Khatmullina","year":"2019","journal-title":"Anthr. Coasts"},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"96","article-title":"Sources, fate and effects of microplastics in the marine environment: A global assessment","volume":"90","author":"Koehler","year":"2015","journal-title":"Reports and Studies-IMO\/FAO\/Unesco-IOC\/WMO\/IAEA\/UN\/UNEP Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP)"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1389","DOI":"10.3389\/fmars.2021.743117","article-title":"Modeling the Pathways and Accumulation Patterns of Micro- and Macro-Plastics in the Mediterranean","volume":"8","author":"Tsiaras","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e2020JC016826","DOI":"10.1029\/2020JC016826","article-title":"Modeling the Accumulation and Transport of Microplastics by Sea Ice","volume":"126","author":"Mountford","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Geophys. Res. Ocean."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"653502","DOI":"10.3389\/fmars.2021.653502","article-title":"Modeling the Exposure of the Macaronesia Islands (NE Atlantic) to Marine Plastic Pollution","volume":"8","author":"Cardoso","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"136634","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.136634","article-title":"Coastal Ocean dynamics reduce the export of microplastics to the open ocean","volume":"713","author":"Zhang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2019.02.052","article-title":"A 3D numerical model to Track Marine Plastic Debris (TrackMPD): Sensitivity of microplastic trajectories and fates to particle dynamical properties and physical processes","volume":"141","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1252","DOI":"10.2112\/SI95-242.1","article-title":"Numerical Modelling of Plastic Debris Transport and Accumulation throughout Portuguese Coast","volume":"95","author":"Raimundo","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Coast. Res."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2018.12.028","article-title":"Modelling the accumulation and transport of floating marine micro-plastics around South Africa","volume":"139","author":"Collins","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110753","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecoenv.2020.110753","article-title":"Environmental status of (micro) plastics contamination in Portugal","volume":"200","author":"Prata","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1016\/j.seares.2018.11.007","article-title":"Dynamics of floating marine debris in the northern Iberian waters: A model approach","volume":"144","author":"Pereiro","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Sea Res."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rosas, E., Martins, F., and Janeiro, J. (2021). Marine Litter on the Coast of the Algarve: Main Sources and Distribution Using a Modeling Approach. J. Mar. Sci. Eng., 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/jmse9040412"},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"INE (2022, March 25). Algarve in Figures\u20142018. Available online: https:\/\/www.ine.pt\/ine_novidades\/RN2018\/algarve\/index.html."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"294","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2018.04.025","article-title":"Microplastics on the Portuguese coast","volume":"131","author":"Antunes","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marenvres.2015.12.006","article-title":"Microplastics in coastal sediments from Southern Portuguese shelf waters","volume":"114","author":"Frias","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mar. Environ. Res."},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"101488","article-title":"Regional study of microplastics in surface waters and deep sea sediments south of the Algarve Coast","volume":"40","author":"Lechthaler","year":"2020","journal-title":"Reg. Stud. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barton, E.D., Steele, J., Turekian, K., and Thorpe, S. (2001). Canary and Portugal currents. Ocean. Curr., 330\u2013339.","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-813081-0.00360-8"},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"32","article-title":"Geostrophic circulation of surface waters on the shelf of north-west Africa","volume":"159","author":"Fedoseev","year":"1970","journal-title":"Rapp. PV Reun. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"621","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsr.2004.11.005","article-title":"Winter upper ocean circulation in the Western Iberian Basin\u2014Fronts, Eddies and Poleward Flows: An overview","volume":"52","author":"Peliz","year":"2005","journal-title":"Deep. Sea Res. Part I Oceanogr. Res. Pap."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14173","DOI":"10.1029\/2000JC900026","article-title":"A modeling study of the coastal eastern boundary current system off Iberia and Morocco","volume":"105","author":"Batteen","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsr.2014.01.007","article-title":"Spatial and temporal seasonal trends in coastal upwelling off Northwest Africa, 1981\u20132012","volume":"86","author":"Cropper","year":"2014","journal-title":"Deep Sea Res. Part I Oceanogr. Res. Pap."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pocean.2007.04.021","article-title":"Physical oceanography of the western Iberia ecosystem: Latest views and challenges","volume":"74","author":"Relvas","year":"2007","journal-title":"Prog. Oceanogr."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"565","DOI":"10.5194\/os-15-565-2019","article-title":"Regional circulation patterns of Mediterranean Outflow Water near the Iberian and African continental slopes","volume":"15","author":"Sotillo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ocean. Sci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pocean.2015.06.001","article-title":"Properties and pathways of Mediterranean water eddies in the Atlantic","volume":"137","author":"Bashmachnikov","year":"2015","journal-title":"Prog. Oceanogr."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1405","DOI":"10.5194\/gmd-11-1405-2018","article-title":"OpenDrift v1. 0: A generic framework for trajectory modelling","volume":"11","author":"Dagestad","year":"2018","journal-title":"Geosci. Model Dev."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Fernandez, E., and Lellouche, J.M. (2020, January 05). Product User Manual for the Global Ocean Physical Reanalysis product GLOBAL_REANALYSIS_PHY_001_030. EU Copernicus Marine Service 2018. Available online: https:\/\/resources.marine.copernicus.eu\/product-detail\/GLOBAL_MULTIYEAR_PHY_001_030\/INFORMATION."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12188","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.8b04032","article-title":"Horizontal and Vertical Distribution of Microplastics in Korean Coastal Waters","volume":"52","author":"Song","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8668","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.9b07378","article-title":"Characteristics and Sinking Behavior of Typical Microplastics Including the Potential Effect of Biofouling: Implications for Remediation","volume":"54","author":"Janssen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"871","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2016.11.024","article-title":"Settling velocity of microplastic particles of regular shapes","volume":"114","author":"Khatmullina","year":"2017","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fi\u00faza, A.F. (1983). Upwelling patterns off Portugal. Coastal Upwelling its Sediment Record, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4615-6651-9_5"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tanhua, T., Gutekunst, S.B., and Biastoch, A. (2020). A near-synoptic survey of ocean microplastic concentration along an around-the-world sailing race. PLoS ONE, 15.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0243203"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecss.2017.09.032","article-title":"Transport of microplastics in coastal seas","volume":"199","author":"Zhang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124003","DOI":"10.1088\/1748-9326\/aa8e8b","article-title":"Effects of biofouling on the sinking behavior of microplastics","volume":"12","author":"Kaiser","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ. Res. Lett."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"112169","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2021.112169","article-title":"Impact of the marine litter pollution on the Mediterranean biodiversity: A risk assessment study with focus on the marine protected areas","volume":"165","author":"Compa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."}],"container-title":["Journal of Marine Science and Engineering"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-1312\/10\/11\/1640\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:09:56Z","timestamp":1760144996000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-1312\/10\/11\/1640"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,3]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11]]}},"alternative-id":["jmse10111640"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jmse10111640","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-1312"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2077-1312","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,3]]}}}