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Microplastics in inland and offshore sediments in the Apulo-Lucanian region (Southern Italy)
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Microplastics were detected in both inland river sediments and offshore continental shelf sediments in southern Italy, with characterization revealing diverse polymer types and morphologies reflecting both local and transported sources.
Inland and offshore sediments from Southern Italy were studied in order to evaluate the occurrence and nature of microplastics (MPs). Inland sediments were collected in the Bradano and Basento rivers (Apulo-Lucanian region, Southern Italy), while offshore sediments were collected on the continental shelf near Bari (Adriatic Sea) and Metaponto (Ionian Sea). MPs were detected and characterized using optical microscopy, micro-Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR) and micro-Raman analyses. The number of MPs present varied between 144 and 1246 kg of dry sediment (468.8 ± 410,7 MPs kg) with a predominance of black fibers; no correlation emerged between MPs and sediment grain size. In river sediments, the occurrence of MPs is associated with local pollution, whereas the offshore occurrence of MPs depends on seasonal river flow and submarine canyons. Compositional analyses suggest that the main source of MPs in the studied sediments is sewage discharge from residential areas.
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Plastic litter (macro, meso, and micro sizes) was found in sediments along a large stretch of the Tyrrhenian Sea coast of southern Tuscany, Italy, with microplastics dominating. The study provides baseline data for a region with significant coastal development and tourism.
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Researchers found widespread microplastic pollution in seabed sediments across the shelf zones of Sicily and the Tuscan Archipelago in the Mediterranean. The study identified fibres as the dominant particle type and noted that proximity to urban and river inputs influenced contamination levels.
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Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.
Microplastics distribution in marine sediments offshore the Tiber River mouth (Central Tyrrhenian Sea): the role of sedimentary processes
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Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in Tiber River sediments and offshore marine sediments from 10 to 100 meters depth near Rome, finding that river discharge and sedimentary processes strongly influence the land-to-sea transfer and spatial dispersal of microplastic particles in the central Tyrrhenian Sea.
Types, occurrence and distribution of microplastics in sediments from the northern Tyrrhenian Sea
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Microplastic contamination was found in sediments along a 31-km transect from a Tuscan port to Elba Island in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea, with filaments being the dominant type. The contamination was present near ports as well as in offshore locations, indicating widespread dispersal beyond human activity hotspots.
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