We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Micro(nano)plastics from synthetic oligomers persisting in Mediterranean seawater: Comprehensive NMR analysis, concerns and origins.
Summary
Researchers developed a novel method to detect and quantify ultra-small synthetic polymer fragments — including polyethylene and silicone — in Mediterranean seawater that had previously escaped conventional analysis. These sub-micron polymer fragments represent a previously unmeasured fraction of plastic pollution that could have significant environmental and health implications.
The presence in seawater of low-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), synthetic polymers with high chemical resistance, has been demonstrated in this study for the first time by developing a novel methodology for their recovery and quantification from surface seawater. These synthetic polymer debris (SPD) with very low molecular weights and sizes in the nano- and micro-metre range have escaped conventional analytical methods. SPD have been easily recovered from water samples (2 L) through filtration with a nitrocellulose membrane filter with a pore size of 0.45 μm. Dissolving the filter in acetone allowed the isolation of the particulates by centrifugation followed by drying. The isolated SPD were analysed by H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H NMR), identifying PE and PDMS. These polymers are thus persisting on seawater because of their low density and the ponderal concentrations were quantified in mg/m. This method was used in an actual case study in which 120 surface seawater samples were collected during two sampling campaigns in the Mediterranean Sea (from the Gulf of Salerno to the Gulf of Policastro in South Italy). The developed analytical protocol allowed achieving unprecedented simplicity, rapidity and sensitivity. The H and C NMR structural analysis of the PE debris indicates the presence of oxidised polymer chains with very low molecular weights. Additionally, the origin of those low molecular weight polymers was investigated by analysing influents and effluents from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Salerno as a hot spot for the release of SPD: the analysis indicates the presence of low molecular weight polymers compatible with wax-PE, widely used for coating applications, food industry, cosmetics and detergents. Moreover, the origin of PDMS debris found in surface seawater can be ascribed to silicone-based antifoamers and emulsifiers.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Low molecular weight polymers in aquatic environments as pollutants of emerging concerns: recovery, quantification and microstructure
This study developed a new method using solution NMR spectroscopy to isolate and quantify low-molecular-weight synthetic polymers (polyethylene and PDMS) directly from seawater, bypassing some limitations of traditional spectroscopic approaches. The analytical advance matters because accurate quantification of dissolved and near-dissolved polymer debris in marine water is essential for assessing true human and ecological exposure to plastic contamination.
Prevalence of Nanoplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: A Growing Environmental Concern
This review examines the state of knowledge on nanoplastics—particles smaller than 1 µm—in the Mediterranean Sea, highlighting that detection and quantification remain technically challenging. The authors synthesize available evidence suggesting nanoplastics are more abundant and potentially more hazardous than microplastics, while identifying critical gaps in monitoring capability.
Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size
Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.
The Mediterranean Plastic Soup: synthetic polymers in Mediterranean surface waters
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.
Nanoplastics and ultrafine microplastic in the Dutch Wadden Sea – The hidden plastics debris?
Researchers applied a novel analytical method to detect nanoplastics and ultrafine microplastics smaller than 10 micrometers in Dutch Wadden Sea sediments, revealing a previously hidden fraction of plastic debris that conventional methods miss.