Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban Beaches
Data on the abundance and distribution of Anthropogenic Marine Debris (AMD) on the coastal areas of the northern Tyrrhenian coast are still scarce. The objective of this study is to characterize, in terms of size, color, morphology and polymeric nature, the Large Microplastics (LMPs), i.e., plastic...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/12/3389 |
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| author | Silvia Merlino Marina Locritani Gabriele Bernardi Carlotta Como Stefano Legnaioli Vincenzo Palleschi Marinella Abbate |
| author_facet | Silvia Merlino Marina Locritani Gabriele Bernardi Carlotta Como Stefano Legnaioli Vincenzo Palleschi Marinella Abbate |
| author_sort | Silvia Merlino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Data on the abundance and distribution of Anthropogenic Marine Debris (AMD) on the coastal areas of the northern Tyrrhenian coast are still scarce. The objective of this study is to characterize, in terms of size, color, morphology and polymeric nature, the Large Microplastics (LMPs), i.e., plastic objects within 1 and 5 mm, sampled on three beaches located within the coastal macro-area of the Pelagos Sanctuary, an international protected zone in the north-western Mediterranean. The beaches have similar morphological characteristics but different degrees of urbanization. LMPs were sampled seasonally for one year. The polymeric nature of a representative subsample of the collected LMPs was investigated using a portable Raman instrument, to assess the feasibility of in situ characterization. In this study, 26,486 items were sorted by typology (Expanded Polystyrene-EPS, fragments, and resin pellets), size, and for fragments and resin pellets, also by color and chemical nature. Statistical data on the quantity, density, type, spatial distribution, and seasonality of the sampled LMPs are presented. Differences in LMP abundance and composition were detected among sites. A seasonality trend emerges from our statistical analysis, depending on both LMP typology and urbanization degrees of the beaches. Our data do not show the existence of a relationship between the size of the investigated MPs and their color, while they suggest that the type of polymer influences the degree of fragmentation. This underlines the need to further investigate the mechanisms leading to the production and dispersion of MPs in coastal areas, taking into account both the urbanization of the beach, and therefore the possible sources of input, and the different types of MPs. Finally, a Raman portable instrument proved to be a valuable aid in performing in situ polymeric characterization of LMPs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:22:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-047199cfdd894464b86d752209a40fec |
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| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:22:57Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-047199cfdd894464b86d752209a40fec2023-11-20T23:13:47ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-12-011212338910.3390/w12123389Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban BeachesSilvia Merlino0Marina Locritani1Gabriele Bernardi2Carlotta Como3Stefano Legnaioli4Vincenzo Palleschi5Marinella Abbate6Istituto di Scienze Marine del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, ISMAR–CNR, 19032 Lerici (SP), ItalyIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria, 52, 56126 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Torino TO, ItalyIstituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, ICCOM–CNR, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, ItalyIstituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, ICCOM–CNR, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, ItalyENEA-Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile, Centro Ricerche Ambiente Marino di S. Teresa, Pozzuolo di Lerici, Via <i>S. Teresa</i>, 19032 Lerici SP, ItalyData on the abundance and distribution of Anthropogenic Marine Debris (AMD) on the coastal areas of the northern Tyrrhenian coast are still scarce. The objective of this study is to characterize, in terms of size, color, morphology and polymeric nature, the Large Microplastics (LMPs), i.e., plastic objects within 1 and 5 mm, sampled on three beaches located within the coastal macro-area of the Pelagos Sanctuary, an international protected zone in the north-western Mediterranean. The beaches have similar morphological characteristics but different degrees of urbanization. LMPs were sampled seasonally for one year. The polymeric nature of a representative subsample of the collected LMPs was investigated using a portable Raman instrument, to assess the feasibility of in situ characterization. In this study, 26,486 items were sorted by typology (Expanded Polystyrene-EPS, fragments, and resin pellets), size, and for fragments and resin pellets, also by color and chemical nature. Statistical data on the quantity, density, type, spatial distribution, and seasonality of the sampled LMPs are presented. Differences in LMP abundance and composition were detected among sites. A seasonality trend emerges from our statistical analysis, depending on both LMP typology and urbanization degrees of the beaches. Our data do not show the existence of a relationship between the size of the investigated MPs and their color, while they suggest that the type of polymer influences the degree of fragmentation. This underlines the need to further investigate the mechanisms leading to the production and dispersion of MPs in coastal areas, taking into account both the urbanization of the beach, and therefore the possible sources of input, and the different types of MPs. Finally, a Raman portable instrument proved to be a valuable aid in performing in situ polymeric characterization of LMPs.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/12/3389microplasticsbeach monitoringMarine Protected Areaspolymeric characterizationRaman spectroscopyarine litter |
| spellingShingle | Silvia Merlino Marina Locritani Gabriele Bernardi Carlotta Como Stefano Legnaioli Vincenzo Palleschi Marinella Abbate Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban Beaches Water microplastics beach monitoring Marine Protected Areas polymeric characterization Raman spectroscopy arine litter |
| title | Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban Beaches |
| title_full | Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban Beaches |
| title_fullStr | Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban Beaches |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban Beaches |
| title_short | Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Chemically Characterized Microplastics within the Protected Area of Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean Sea): Focus on Natural and Urban Beaches |
| title_sort | spatial and temporal distribution of chemically characterized microplastics within the protected area of pelagos sanctuary nw mediterranean sea focus on natural and urban beaches |
| topic | microplastics beach monitoring Marine Protected Areas polymeric characterization Raman spectroscopy arine litter |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/12/3389 |
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