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Microplastic and charred microplastic in the Faafu Atoll, Maldives
Marine Pollution Bulletin2018
160 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 45
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Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Simone Montano,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Simone Montano,
Davide Seveso,
Simone Montano,
Davide Seveso,
Davide Seveso,
Francesco Saliu,
Simone Montano,
Simone Montano,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Simone Montano,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Davide Seveso,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Maria Grazia Garavaglia,
Maria Grazia Garavaglia,
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli
Paolo Galli
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Paolo Galli
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli
Simone Montano,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Simone Montano,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Davide Seveso,
Paolo Galli
Davide Seveso,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Simone Montano,
Paolo Galli
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli
Paolo Galli
Simone Montano,
Marina Lasagni,
Simone Montano,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli
Davide Seveso,
Paolo Galli
Davide Seveso,
Paolo Galli
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli
Paolo Galli
Paolo Galli
Simone Montano,
Paolo Galli
Paolo Galli
Francesco Saliu,
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli
Paolo Galli
Marina Lasagni,
Paolo Galli
Paolo Galli
Davide Seveso,
Davide Seveso,
Davide Seveso,
Simone Montano,
Marina Lasagni,
Francesco Saliu,
Francesco Saliu,
Davide Seveso,
Davide Seveso,
Paolo Galli
Marina Lasagni,
Simone Montano,
Paolo Galli
Summary
Microplastics including unusual charred or heat-fused particles were found at 12 sites in the Faafu Atoll of the Maldives, suggesting that open burning of plastic waste on islands is a source of a distinctive type of microplastic contamination. The findings highlight open burning as an underappreciated pathway that generates chemically altered microplastics with potentially different toxicological properties.
Microplastics are recognized as a growing threat for the marine environment that may even affect areas generally considered pristine. In this work we surveyed the microplastic contamination in the Faafu Atoll (Maldives, Indian Ocean) across twelve sampling station, located either inside or outside the reef rim. Sediments and seawater samples were collected. Despite the remoteness of the atoll, the scarce local population and low touristic annual afflux, the detected average abundance were 0.32 ± 0.15 particles/m in the surface water and 22.8 ± 10.5 particles/m in the beach sediments. Polymers identified through Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy were mostly polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyethyleneterephtalate, and polyamide. Elastomeric residues and charred microparticles were also found. In particular, the charred microparticles were prevalently located nearby the inhabited island and they might be considered a peculiarity of the area, related to local practice of burning plastic waste at the shoreline.