Abstract

Plastic debris and the by-products of plastics break-down are emerging as a serious threat to ocean and coastal ecosystems. Plastics and persistent organic pollutants are coming under increasing regulatory scrutiny, but little is known about the fate of both the plastics and associated toxins in the open ocean system. The Pangaea Expedition is launching a voyage of front-line discovery and communication, running a great transect across half the earth. The expedition will transect both the north and south Atlantic gyres over the next 18 months (September 2009 through February 2011) working towards the following three goals: 1) Document ground-level environmental conditions in coastal and offshore marine habitats through assessments of water quality and plastic debris, 2) sampling fishes a various levels of the food chain for accumulated DDT, PME, PBC and Phenol A, and 3) Communicate with coastal communities and fishers in particular the sources and sinks of marine debris in the wider western Atlantic.

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