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The Mediterranean Plastic Soup: synthetic polymers in Mediterranean surface waters
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Researchers collected surface water samples from across the Mediterranean Sea and identified the types and abundance of floating plastic polymers, finding that this semi-enclosed sea has accumulated substantial plastic debris.
The Mediterranean Sea has been recently proposed as one of the most impacted regions of the world with regards to microplastics, however the polymeric composition of these floating particles is still largely unknown. Here we present the results of a large-scale survey of neustonic micro- and meso-plastics floating in Mediterranean waters, providing the first extensive characterization of their chemical identity as well as detailed information on their abundance and geographical distribution. All particles >700 μm collected in our samples were identified through FT-IR analysis (n = 4050 particles), shedding for the first time light on the polymeric diversity of this emerging pollutant. Sixteen different classes of synthetic materials were identified. Low-density polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene were the most abundant compounds, followed by polyamides, plastic-based paints, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene and polyvinyl alcohol. Less frequent polymers included polyethylene terephthalate, polyisoprene, poly(vinyl stearate), ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyepoxide, paraffin wax and polycaprolactone, a biodegradable polyester reported for the first time floating in off-shore waters. Geographical differences in sample composition were also observed, demonstrating sub-basin scale heterogeneity in plastics distribution and likely reflecting a complex interplay between pollution sources, sinks and residence times of different polymers at sea.
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Plastic Accumulation in the Mediterranean Sea
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Researchers measured floating plastic concentrations throughout the Mediterranean Sea and found densities comparable to the five major ocean garbage patches, with plastic present at 100% of sampling sites. The most common items were fragments of bags, wrapping, and fishing materials, with the highest concentrations in populated coastal areas. The study establishes the Mediterranean as a major global accumulation zone for plastic pollution, comparable to subtropical ocean gyres.
An evaluation of surface micro- and mesoplastic pollution in pelagic ecosystems of the Western Mediterranean Sea
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Researchers found that micro- and mesoplastic debris were widely and uniformly distributed across the Western Mediterranean Sea, with average surface concentrations of approximately 130,000 microplastic particles per km2 and 5,700 mesoplastic particles per km2. Fragment morphology and polymer composition analysis indicated a predominantly land-based origin for the debris.
Sub-Basin Scale Heterogeneity in the Polymeric Composition of Floating Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea
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A large-scale survey of floating microplastics across multiple sub-basins of the Mediterranean Sea revealed significant variation in both abundance and polymer composition—with polyethylene and polypropylene dominating—reflecting different pollution sources and oceanographic circulation patterns in each region. This spatial heterogeneity demonstrates that the Mediterranean cannot be treated as a uniform pollution zone and that sub-basin-scale monitoring is necessary to understand sources, transport, and accumulation of microplastics in semi-enclosed seas.
Floating plastic debris in the Central and Western Mediterranean Sea
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Researchers collected 71 floating plastic debris samples across Central and Western Mediterranean waters during two voyages in 2011 and 2013, estimating a total of approximately 1,455 tonnes of floating plastic in the region with microplastics present in all samples and average concentrations of 147,500 items per km2.
An integrative assessment of the plastic debris load in the Mediterranean Sea
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Researchers analyzed over 75,000 plastic pieces collected across the Mediterranean Sea during the Tara expedition, estimating roughly 650 billion plastic particles float on its surface, with the highest concentrations near northwestern coastal regions, and found that most plastics are in an advanced state of fragmentation from repeated stranding and resuspension.
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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.