Stanovení obsahu plastů v mořských a jezerních sedimentech

The subject of this thesis is a detailed exploration of the processes involved in iden-tifying and quantifying the presence of plastic materials and microplastics in sediments. The research was focused on samples collected from wastewater discharged from tre-atment facilities in Bratislava, which are connected to distribution channels into various branches of the Danube river, as well as from marine sediments in the Malaga area in Spain. The theoretical part elaborates on the characteristics of specific types of plastic materials, current legislative standards concerning plastics, their toxicity, and migration into aquatic habitats, along with a description of technologies for wastewater treatment in these facilities. The practical part of the thesis thoroughly describes the methodology of initial sample collection, their subsequent preliminary treatment, and the analytical process using the Dino-Lite digital microscope. Both in freshwater and marine sediment samples, the occurrence of microplastics was determined, ranging from a few units per kg of sample up to 51 720 microplastics per 0,5 kg of sediment. Based on the experimental data and information obtained, the results are evaluated and there are critical factors identified that could contribute toimproving policies and strategies dealing with plastic waste management.