Comprehensive Comparison of Various Microplastic Sampling Methods in Sea Water: Implications for Data Compilation

The problem of plastic and microplastic (MP, <5 mm in size) pollution has received widespread attention globally, with its presence being reported various environmental media. However, a lack standard sampling analysis methods is making it difficult to compare data across studies understand the source fate plastics MPs. Common strategies used MP natural waters include Manta net pump filtering using different mesh sizes, but impact these technologies on final abundance characteristics not well understood. This study common devices, including trawl net, shallow-water plankton (SPP), deep-water (DPP), submersible on-site filtration 50 330 µm aperture size meshes, sample coastal water. results showed that while pumps produced similar (2.0–6.0 n/m3), characterization was significantly different, fibers dominant samples (>70%) only 14.2% samples. Submersible retained higher percentage fibers, two magnitude MPs (357 ± 119 553 19 n/m3 for mesh, respectively) attributed floating debris encountered during shallower depth as smaller volume. highlights key factors challenges harmonizing aquatic environments, which also helpful compilation studies.