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Floating plastics in Adriatic waters (Mediterranean Sea): From the macro- to the micro-scale
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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.
Macro- and microplastics abundances were determined in the Adriatic Sea following the MSFD TG10 protocol. The studied areas included populated gulfs, river outlets and offshore waters in five Adriatic countries. The use of small ships enabled us to detect small sized plastics (2.5-5 cm) and record average macroplastics densities of 251 ± 601 items km, one order of magnitude higher than previously considered. Results from manta net tows for microplastics revealed an average abundance of 315,009 ± 568,578 items km (217 ± 575 g km). We found significantly higher microplastics abundances in nearshore (≤4 km) than in offshore waters (>4 km) and this trend seems to affect also the small sized macro plastic fragments (2.5-5 cm). The dominant polymers were polyethylene and polypropylene while the presence of some rare polymers and waxes used in food and dentistry indicated waste water treatment plants as potential sources of microplastics.
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Floating and seabed macro- and micro-litter in the Croatian middle Adriatic Sea were simultaneously surveyed, finding average floating micro-litter concentrations of 127,000 particles per square kilometer and seabed micro-litter of 36 particles per 100 g dry weight. The study confirms that plastic pollution is widespread at all depths in this semi-enclosed Mediterranean sea.
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Researchers collected plastic particles from two sea surface monitoring transects near the Venice Lagoon using a manta net and characterized them by typology, dimension, color, spatial density, and chemical composition using a multi-technique analytical approach. They identified distinct subgroups of plastic micro-debris in this Northern Adriatic coastal area and documented the widespread presence of polymeric materials in surface seawater.
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Researchers collected and analyzed water samples from the Venice Lagoon and the broader Adriatic Sea to detect and characterize micro- and nanoplastic particles, linking their presence to plastic waste inputs from surrounding countries. The study demonstrates that semi-enclosed coastal seas act as accumulation zones for transboundary plastic pollution, with nanoplastics posing particular challenges for detection and health risk assessment.
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Floating microplastic concentrations in the northwestern Mediterranean showed significant spatial and temporal variation at small scales near coastal river mouths, with levels spiking after rainfall events that flush plastics from land into the sea. This heterogeneity means that single-point measurements dramatically underestimate total microplastic loads, calling for more intensive and dynamic monitoring strategies in heavily polluted enclosed seas.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.