We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic pollution in Italian South Adriatic Harbor Areas
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution at four Italian Adriatic ports and nearby beaches in summer 2021, finding polyethylene as the dominant plastic type. Commercial and fishing ports showed higher contamination than tourism ports, pointing to boat activity and fishing gear as key pollution sources.
Microplastic (MP) pollution has become an increasing concern for society, since MPs are widely distributed in soil, air, water, and biota. Marine coastal area, especially in land beaches near population centers and within port areas are zones of most alarm. Combating the microplastic pollution requires a thorough understanding of its sources and pathways, which starts from the detection and identification of microplastics in different types of samples. In the present work, we assessed MP pollution at four sandy beach areas as well as within sea water and sediments collected in summer 2021 within port basin of four ports located in the Adriatic Sea of South Italy, dealing with different activities: two commercial/fishery ports (Bari and Barletta) and two tourism ports (Manfredonia and Vieste). Microplastics were isolated by density separation and then examined using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscope for chemical classification and optical microscope for dimensional distribution. The MPs generally had similar features across sites. The found MPs were mostly made by polyethylene (PE), followed by polypropylene (PP) and small percentage of polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The commercial ports (Bari and Barletta) resulted more polluted by MPs with respect to the tourism ports of Manfredonia and Vieste. Tentative hypotheses on source identification of MPs as well as on the influencing factors of their distribution were put forward.
More Papers Like This
Quantitative analysis of microplastics from marine areas of Zadar and Šibenik
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers sampled surface seawater at sites near Zadar and Sibenik on the Croatian Adriatic coast and found an average microplastic concentration of 0.80 particles per cubic meter. Fibers were the most common form, consistent with findings from other global coastal studies, with secondary microplastics from wastewater discharge and fishing activities as likely sources.
Microplastic pollution in the Adriatic Sea with an emphasis on Montenegro: Distribution, sources, methods, biota, policy, and implications
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together existing research showing that the Adriatic Sea, especially around Montenegro, has widespread microplastic pollution in its water, sediment, and marine life like mussels—largely from common plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene. This matters because these tiny plastic particles can move up the food chain into the seafood people eat, but the researchers note we still lack consistent, long-term monitoring data needed to fully understand the risks to seafood safety and coastal communities that depend on fishing and tourism.
Microplastic pollution in rivers of the Adriatic Sea basin in Montenegro: Impact on pollution of the Montenegrin coastline
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in sediments along three Montenegrin river shores draining into the Adriatic Sea, finding an average of 164 MPs/kg dominated by polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and fragments, identifying these rivers as both sinks and potential sources of coastal microplastic pollution.
Macrodebris and microplastics from beaches in Slovenia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed both macrodebris on beaches and microplastics in shoreline and sublittoral sediments in Slovenia, providing the first such dataset for this short Adriatic coastline. The study found plastic contamination present even in areas with low tourism activity, suggesting diffuse sources beyond local littering.
Floating plastics in Adriatic waters (Mediterranean Sea): From the macro- to the micro-scale
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers quantified macro- and microplastics across the Adriatic Sea from populated gulfs and river outlets to offshore waters in five countries, finding widespread plastic contamination including small-sized fragments and demonstrating that small vessels enable detection of plastic size fractions missed by standard surveys.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.