Spectroscopy of Marine Microplastic – qualitative and quantitative approach, interface characterization, selected case studies and main challenges

This talk presents the main outcomes of a few research case studies, for instance, marine microplastic in polar regions of Svalbard and Falklands, transfer in a food web, ecotoxicity of debris with different morphology, plastic tide in the Mediterranean, feasibility of identifying MPs in complex matrix, ghost nets recycling, primary microplastics impact and their presence in ground fishbaits. All issues will be shown from the spectroscopist's perspective. The aim is to focus on the material aspect, surface morphology of synthetic materials, leakage of added compounds, and underly the possibilities offered by spectral analysis. The main challenges and opportunities related to FTIR and Raman spectroscopy will be discussed shortly. In particular, a comprehensive overview of the proposed numerical description parameters and quantification of spectral signals will be considered. One of the aims of this paper is to open a discussion on future steps to go from simple polymer identification to the monitoring of structural changes and weathering that highly influence an overall ecotoxic effect of materials. Finally, the process of ageing and its quantification strategies will be presented. Acknowledgements: Although the paper presents the author's perspectives, own spectral results and ideas, it also contains and summarizes, as a context for measurements, several studies done in collaboration with excellent researchers: Barbara Pałys, Aleksandra Skawina, Marcin Stachowicz, Łukasz Kurach, Evita Strode, Magdalena Osial, Małgorzata Szymiczek, Simonetta Corsolini, István Szabó and students Seweryn Kipa, Wanda Komorowska, Oskar Świątek, Dorota Wiktorowicz. All Savalbard data would not have been collected without Jan Marcin Węsławski support and all the fantastic IO PAN researchers and crew of s/y Oceania who were met on board during AREX 2017 and AREX 2023. The conference contribution is possible thanks to the internal funding of the University of Warsaw within the project IDUB TANDEM (WNE II.2.1/01/2023). Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/558485/document