Investigating the Fate of Microplastic Pollution in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and its impact on Marine Habitats

Microplastic (MP) pollution is an anthropogenic contaminant and stressor, posing complex threats to aquatic ecosystems. MPs can directly cause severe health issues for marine creatures through ingestion or absorption and can bioaccumulate up the food chain, impacting predatory species that consume them. The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is the world's largest gulf, and its north part is one of the bodies of water most affected by MPs due to an input of materials from commercial and residential pollution being transported through the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River System, amongst others. Moreover, the coastal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico provide critical habitats for diverse marine species, including coral, zooplankton, fish, and turtles, and serve as popular fishing destinations—all of which are under threat from the hazards posed by microplastic pollution. In this study, we applied a Lagrangian particle-tracking model coupled with a high-resolution (1 km) 3D ocean model to examine the transport of MPs particles released from major rivers and urban cities in the northern GoM. We identified the area near the coast west of the Mississippi River Delta as a major zone of accumulation, along with many other coastal areas in the GoM. We further assess the risks posed to various species by linking simulated MPs transport patterns with habitat data from previous studies and reports.

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Primary Presenter: Mireya Ramirez, Georgia Institute of Technology (mramirez63@gatech.edu)

Authors:

Mireya Ramirez, Georgia Institute of Technology  (mramirez63@gatech.edu)

Xing Zhou, Georgia Institute of Technology  (xzhou473@gatech.edu)

Annalissa Bracco, Georgia Institute of Technology  (abracco@gatech.edu)

Shoulin Xiao, John Hopkins University  (sxiao20@jh.edu)

Aya Kanawati, Georgia Institute of Technology  (akanawati6@gatech.edu)