Title:

Analysis of Phytoplankton and Microplastics from ECOA-3 Cruise in the Gulf of Maine Using Flow Imaging Microscopy

The focus of this study was to determine the distribution and abundances of potential microplastics in the Gulf of Maine, while also looking at diatom and ceratium abundances and distributions from an ECOA-3 cruise in August 2022 from Nova Scotia to New Hampshire. The abundance and distribution of microplastics in the ocean is currently being studied and ambiguous, it is a new and emerging field in Oceanography. The data was gathered using a FlowCam, a flow-through imaging microscope that captures images of particles. The data was then analyzed using VisualSpreadsheet® a data analysis software program, and then visually represented with Ocean Data View to display the distributions. The data showed that there was a higher abundance of potential microplastics at all three depths (surface, 15m, 30m) besides that of Skeletonema (1 of 5 diatom species studied) and that the abundance of potential microplastics and phytoplankton decreases with increased depth. It also showed there was a higher overall abundance of potential microplastics and phytoplankton in the Gulf of Maine compared to Nova Scotia. Overall, the abundance, distribution, and identification of microplastics in the ocean are new and not well documented, so data was taken from the ECOA-3 cruise to comprehend potential microplastics, ceratium, and diatoms in the Gulf of Maine and Nova Scotia marine areas.

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