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Comparison of two pump-based systems for sampling small microplastics (>10 μM) in coastal waters
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Two pump-based microplastic sampling systems were compared in the Gulf of Bothnia, finding median concentrations of 117–162 MP/m³ with both devices performing comparably, supporting their use for small microplastic (>10 µm) monitoring in coastal waters.
Microplastics (MPs) have emerged as an important research topic due to their ubiquity in the environment and their potentially harmful effects on aquatic biota. However, our knowledge of the abundance and characteristics of the smaller fraction of MPs (<300 μm) in marine waters remains limited. This study aims to compare two different filter pump devices: AAU-UFO (Universal Filtering Object) pump and KCD (KC Denmark's Micro Plastic Particle) pump for sampling small MPs (>10 μm). Coastal waters from six sites in the Gulf of Bothnia (Baltic Sea) were sampled with both devices. The concentration and composition of the collected MPs were analyzed by FPA-μFTIR imaging. The median concentrations were 117 MP/m with a median mass of 118 μg/m and 162 MP/m with a median mass of 117 μg/m, for the UFO pump and KCD pump, respectively. The predominant MP shape was fragment, and the most abundant polymers were polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene. MPs smaller than 300 μm represented more than 90% of the MPs in the samples. The recorded microplastic concentrations were several orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported using a Manta net in this area, highlighting the importance of analyzing MPs smaller than 300 μm. No significant differences in MP concentrations were found between samples from the two filter pumps, indicating that both devices are comparably effective systems for sampling MPs (>10 μm) in coastal waters. Overall, our findings contribute to harmonizing sampling methodologies for small MPs in aquatic systems, which is crucial for establishing effective monitoring programs and ensuring accurate risk assessments.
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Corrigendum to ‘Comparison of two pump-based systems for sampling small microplastics (>10 μM) in coastal waters’ [Environmental Pollution 363-P2 (2024) 125192]
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This corrigendum provides corrections to a previously published comparison study of two pump-based sampling systems for small microplastics (>10 µm) in coastal waters.
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This thesis compared multiple sampling devices and methods for collecting and characterizing buoyant microplastic debris in marine surface waters, examining how sampling choices affect estimates of abundance and composition. Methodological standardization is needed to enable meaningful comparisons of microplastic levels across different marine studies.
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Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in surface waters of the Kattegat/Skagerrak area near Denmark using a specialized pump-filter device capable of capturing particles as small as 10 micrometers. They found concentrations ranging from 11 to 87 particles per cubic meter, with 88 percent of the microplastics being smaller than 300 micrometers. The study demonstrates that standard monitoring nets miss the vast majority of marine microplastics due to their inability to capture smaller particles.
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