Path Prediction and Suggestion of Efficient Collection Points for Marine Plastic Debris Based on Betweenness Centrality Analysis

Korea severely suffers from plastic-induced ocean pollution, but only few studies predicted the trajectory of marine plastic debris and provided their collection method. This study used Ocean Surface CURrent Simulator (OSCURS) of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in order to predict the trajectories of marine plastic debris flowing into the East Sea and Yellow Sea for each season during 2004 to 2013. Results suggest that efficient collection hubs through the high betweenness centrality index. Most hubs were located in the seashores regardless of season, suggesting the seashore of Uljin for the East Sea and the seashore between Saemangeum and Shinan for the Yellow Sea as the most efficient hubs.