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Study of microplastic occurrence on the sandy beaches of Šventoji, Lithuania
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Researchers found significant microplastic contamination on the sandy beaches of Šventoji, Lithuania, with concentrations ranging from 85 to 325 particles per kilogram of dry sediment — among the highest reported for the Baltic Sea. Fibres and fragments dominated, with most particles being smaller than 1 mm.
In this study, a sandy beach in Šventoji, Lithuania, a popular albeit not highly urbanised touristic destination, was analysed for microplastic pollution in the summer of 2019. The presence and abundance of microplastics in different sites of the beach were evaluated. Šventoji Beach was found to be significantly polluted with microplastic, its concentration ranging from 85 to 325 MPs kg−1dw. Such concentrations are relatively high if compared to other Baltic Sea coasts and worldwide. The physico-chemical characteristics of the plastics showed limited variability. Blue fibres were prevailing over other types of microplastics. Blue and red/orange fibres were identified as nylon containing copper–phthalocyanine dyes, while red/orange fibres as high-density polyethylene. This study provides new insights into the application and development of microplastic analysis methods for the coastal sands of the Baltic Sea.
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Plastic contamination of sandy beaches along the southern Baltic – a one season field survey results
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Researchers surveyed microplastic and macroplastic contamination along the Polish Baltic Sea coast, finding microplastic concentrations of 118–1,382 pieces/kg in beach sand and 0.61–2.76 pieces/dm3 in coastal waters, with sub-1 mm blue fibers dominating across all sites and suggesting a common fibrous source throughout the Polish coastal zone.
Microplastic contamination of sandy beaches of national parks, protected and recreational areas in southern parts of the Baltic Sea
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Researchers found microplastic contamination in all 51 surface beach sand samples across seven sites along the southern Baltic Sea, including national park and protected areas, at a mean of 68 items/kg dry weight. Expanded polystyrene fragments were the most common type (~38%), and protected areas did not differ substantially from recreational beaches.
Microplastics on sandy beaches of the southern Baltic Sea
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Microplastics were detected on all 12 beaches along the Polish Baltic coast at concentrations of 76 to 295 items per kilogram of sediment, with fibers and fragments dominant and no strong relationship to sediment grain size. Urban beaches had the highest concentrations, though beach hydrodynamics also played a significant role in structuring local microplastic distribution.
Plastic pollution on the Baltic beaches of Kaliningrad region, Russia
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination on Baltic Sea beaches in Russia's Kaliningrad region between 2015 and 2016, finding 1.3 to 36.3 items per kg dry sediment with foamed plastic predominating, and detecting no clear difference in contamination levels between high- and low-traffic beach sites.
Assessing the Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Surface Freshwater and Wastewaters of Latvia and Lithuania
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Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in surface water and wastewater across four Baltic cities in Latvia and Lithuania, finding an average of 16.63 particles/L with fibers as the dominant shape and polyethylene terephthalate as the most common polymer, with municipal and hospital wastewater identified as the primary contamination sources.
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.