@article{PAR00029883, title = {{A}n {I}ntegrated {A}ssessment of {M}icroplastic {P}ollution in {C}oastal {S}urface {W}ater and {S}ediment of {J}apan}, author = {{R}amtahal, {J}. {J}. and {S}ugimoto, {K}. and {P}han, {S}. and {P}atouillet, {Y}. and {T}roubl{\'e}, {R}. and {L}uscombe, {C}. {K}. and {A}gostini, {S}ylvain}, editor = {}, language = {{ENG}}, abstract = {{T}he ubiquity of microplastics in the marine environment has been highlighted in recent years, yet the extent of microplastic pollution in coastal areas, especially off the coast of {J}apan, remains unclear. {H}ere we provide a comprehensive data set of microplastic pollution in surface water and sediment around coastal {J}apan. {T}he survey encompasses 15 locations along {J}apanese coasts from the northernmost region in {H}okkaido to the southern archipelago of {O}kinawa. {T}he mean microplastic concentration was 288.7 +/- 651.6 g km2 and 1,185 +/- 3,829 kg km2 for surface water and sediment, respectively. {A} total of 53,466 particles were extracted from both sediment and surface water as suspected microplastics using a series of sieving, density separation, and digestion. {U}sing {F}ourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 11,587 particles (21.7% of the total number of suspected microplastics) were chemically characterized, of which 85% of particles from surface water were identified as plastics and 70% in sediment. {T}he main polymers found were the widely used polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. {A}nalysis of sources and pathways of microplastics revealed that rainfall, population, aquaculture, and fisheries were major drivers of microplastic concentrations. {T}his comprehensive survey highlights the rapid sinking of microplastics in coastal areas and the urgent need for better waste management associated with marine activities, especially in rural areas.}, keywords = {{J}apan ; coastal waters ; coastal sediment ; microplastics ; polymers ; sources and pathways ; {JAPON}}, booktitle = {}, journal = {{E}nvironmental {S}cience and {T}echnology}, volume = {[{E}arly access]}, numero = {}, pages = {x}, ISSN = {0013-936{X}}, year = {2025}, DOI = {10.1021/acs.est.5c02645}, URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00029883}, }