Small plastic debris in sediments from the Central Adriatic Sea: Types, occurrence and distribution.

This is the first survey to investigate the occurrence and extent of microplastic contamination in sediments collected along a coast-open sea 140km-long transect in the Central Adriatic Sea. Plastic debris extracted from 64 samples of sediments were counted, weighted and identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Several types of plastic particles were observed in 100% of the stations. Plastic particles ranged from 1 to 30mm in length. The primary shape types by number were filaments (69.3%), followed by fragments (16.4%), and film (14.3%). Microplastics (1-5mm) accounted for 65.1% of debris, mesoplastics (5-20mm) made up 30.3% of total amount, while macro debris (>20mm) accounted for 4.6% of total plastics collected. Identification through FT-IR spectroscopy evidenced the presence of 6 polymer types: the majority of plastic debris were nylon, polyethylene and ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer. Our data are a baseline for microplastic research in the Adriatic Sea.

Mistri M ，Infantini V ，Scoponi M ，Granata T ，Moruzzi L ，Massara F ，De Donati M ，Munari C ... -  《-》

Plastic debris in the Mediterranean Sea: Types, occurrence and distribution along Adriatic shorelines.

Small plastic debris in sediments from five beaches were investigated to evaluate their occurrence and abundance in the Northern Adriatic coast for the first time. Plastic debris extracted from sediments were counted, weighted and identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). A total of 1345 items of debris (13.491g) were recorded, with a mean density of 12.1 items kg-1 d.w. and 0.12gkg-1 d.w. Fragments were the most frequent type of small plastics debris detected. In terms of abundance, microplastics (<5mm) accounted for 61% of debris, showing their wide distribution on Adriatic coasts, even far-away from densely populated areas. The majority of the polymers found were polyolefins: there were greater quantities of polyethylene and polypropylene compared to other types of plastic. Primary microplastics accounted for only 5.6% of the total plastic debris. There were greater quantities of microplastics at sites subjected to stronger riverine runoff. The results will provide useful background information for further investigations to understand the sink and sources of this emergent and priority contaminant.

Munari C ，Scoponi M ，Mistri M 《-》

Microplastics in the sediments of Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica).

This is the first survey to investigate the occurrence and extent of plastic contamination in sediments collected in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica). Plastic debris extracted from 31 samples of sediments were counted, weighted and identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). All sediment samples contained plastics: a total of 1661 items of debris (3.14g) were recorded from the 31 samples of sediment. Plastic particles in the samples ranged from 0.3 to 22mm in length. Fibres were the most frequent type of small plastics debris detected. In terms of abundance, microplastics (<5mm) accounted for 78.4% of debris. 9 polymer types were found: the most common material (94.13% by weight) was styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer (SBS), widely used in pneumatic tires, etc. A decreasing concentration of plastic debris at increasing distances from the Mario Zucchelli Base was evidenced.

Munari C ，Infantini V ，Scoponi M ，Rastelli E ，Corinaldesi C ，Mistri M ... -  《-》

Types, occurrence and distribution of microplastics in sediments from the northern Tyrrhenian Sea.

This is the first survey to investigate microplastic contamination in the Northern Tyrrhenian seafloor, along a 31 km-long transect from the port of Piombino (Tuscany) to the port of Portoferraio (Elba Island). Plastics extracted from 58 sediment samples were counted and identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Plastic pollution occurred in sites closer to ports as well as in offshore stations. Microplastics (1-5 mm) accounted for over 80% of particles. For all samples, the dominant microplastic type was filaments, followed by fragments and films. Six polymers were identified: nylon, polyurethane, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephtalate were the most common. This part of the Tyrrhenian Sea is a busy shipping route connecting the mainland to the Elba Island, with thousands cargo and passenger ships passing by per year. Our data constitute a baseline for microplastic research in the Tyrrhenian seafloor.

Mistri M ，Scoponi M ，Granata T ，Moruzzi L ，Massara F ，Munari C ... -  《-》

Abundance and distribution of microplastics in the surface sediments from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas.

Worldwide the seafloor has been recognized as a major sink for microplastics. However, currently nothing is known about the sediment microplastic pollution in the North Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean. Here, we present the first record of microplastic contamination in the surface sediment from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas. The microplastics were extracted by the density separation method from collected samples. Each particle was identified using the microscopic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μFTIR). The abundances of microplastics in sediments from all sites ranged from not detected (ND) to 68.78 items/kg dry weight (DW) of sediment. The highest level of microplastic contamination in the sediment was detected from the Chukchi Sea. A negative correlation between microplastic abundance and water depth was observed. Polypropylene (PP) accounted for the largest proportion (51.5%) of the identified microplastic particles, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (35.2%) and rayon (13.3%). Fibers constituted the most common shape of plastic particles. The range of polymer types, physical shapes and spatial distribution characteristics of the microplastics suggest that water masses from the Pacific and local coastal inputs are possible sources for the microplastics found in the study area. In overall, our results highlight the global distribution of these anthropogenic pollutants and the importance of management action to reduce marine debris worldwide.

Mu J ，Qu L ，Jin F ，Zhang S ，Fang C ，Ma X ，Zhang W ，Huo C ，Cong Y ，Wang J ... -  《-》