Sources and fate of microplastics in marine and beach sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea—a preliminary study

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 24; no. 8; pp. 7650 - 7661
• Main Authors: Graca, Bożena, Szewc, Karolina, Zakrzewska, Danuta, Dołęga, Anna, Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, Magdalena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-03-2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Beaches; Bottom sediments; Chemical analysis; Debris; Deep sea; Density; Detritus; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental science; Fibers; Fourier transforms; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Marine environment; Microplastics; Oceans and Seas; Particle Size; Plastic debris; Plastic pollution; Plastics; Plastics - analysis; Polymers; Propylene; Qualitative research; Research Article; Seawater; Seawater - analysis; Sediments; Shipbuilding; Sodium chloride; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared - methods; Urbanization; Vinyl acetate; Waste Water Technology; Water analysis; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution Control; ANE, Baltic Sea; Southern Baltic; Pollution; Microplastics; Beaches; Density separation; Sediments
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-8419-5

Microplastics’ (particles size ≤5 mm) sources and fate in marine bottom and beach sediments of the brackish are strongly polluted Baltic Sea have been investigated. Microplastics were extracted using sodium chloride (1.2 g cm
−3
). Their qualitative identification was conducted using micro-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (μFT-IR). Concentration of microplastics varied from 25 particles kg
−1
d.w. at the open sea beach to 53 particles kg
−1
 d.w. at beaches of strongly urbanized bay. In bottom sediments, microplastics concentration was visibly lower compared to beach sediments (0–27 particles kg
−1
 d.w.) and decreased from the shore to the open, deep-sea regions. The most frequent microplastics dimensions ranged from 0.1 to 2.0 mm, and transparent fibers were predominant. Polyester, which is a popular fabrics component, was the most common type of microplastic in both marine bottom (50%) and beach sediments (27%). Additionally, poly(vinyl acetate) used in shipbuilding as well as poly(ethylene-propylene) used for packaging were numerous in marine bottom (25% of all polymers) and beach sediments (18% of all polymers). Polymer density seems to be an important factor influencing microplastics circulation. Low density plastic debris probably recirculates between beach sediments and seawater in a greater extent than higher density debris. Therefore, their deposition is potentially limited and physical degradation is favored. Consequently, low density microplastics concentration may be underestimated using current methods due to too small size of the debris. This influences also the findings of qualitative research of microplastics which provide the basis for conclusions about the sources of microplastics in the marine environment.