Inferring microplastics origins in the Mediterranean Sea by coupling modelling and in-situ measurements.

This work focuses on the dynamics and retention of microplastics (MP) in the Mediterranean. MP manta-net trawls were performed in autumn 2019 north of the Balearic Islands and along the Balearic Front (BF). Lagrangian modelling was used to find the MP collected origin during the campaign. These combined results show that North of Mallorca is a temporary retention zone of 3 months variability, with MP origin being the Northern Current (NC) and the Gulf of Lion (GOL). Retention processes were less clear along the BF, due to frontal dynamics together with the strong northerly winds. However, it appears that the origin can differ between the North (i.e. the large North-Westerly basin, including the GOL and the NC path) and the South (short distances around the zone) of this front. In both areas, the wind and the current variability are strongly conditioning the existence and position of the MP concentration zones. • Floating Micro-plastics origins inferred in the Mediterranean basin. • Sea campaign performed along the Balearic front and north of Balearic Islands. • Massive inter-annual Lagrangian experiments performed. • Tracking back in time revealed highly variable origins. • North of Balearic Islands are more efficient for accumulation than Balearic front. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]