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Plastitar in the Mediterranean Sea: New records and the first geochemical characterization of these novel formations.
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This study reports the widespread occurrence of 'plastitar' — a novel formation of plastic debris fused with petroleum tar — along Mediterranean coastlines, following its initial description from the Canary Islands. The authors found hundreds of plastic particles per kilogram of tar surveyed and characterized the geochemistry of these formations, representing a new type of plastic pollution in coastal environments.
A new geological formation consisting of plastic debris admixed to petroleum oil residue, termed "plastitar", has been recently described in the Canary Islands. Here, we report its widespread occurrence across the Mediterranean coast and new insights into its biogeochemical composition. Specifically, we found marked differences in the diagenetic stable indicator profiles, suggesting a heterogeneous seeps provenance. Moreover, the 801 plastic particles found in the 1372 g of tar surveyed, with a maximum concentration of 2.0 items/g, showed interesting patterns in the tar mat, with nurdles predominantly layered in the external of the tar mat and lines in the inner core. Overall, the collected observation suggests that tar entraps plastics through a stepwise process and is a sink for them.
More Papers Like This
New Plastitar Record for the Mediterranean Sea: Characterization of Plastics and Tar from the Salento Peninsula (Ionian Sea)
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This study characterized 'plastitar' blocks — fused mixtures of tar, microplastics, and natural debris — collected from the Ionian coast of southern Italy, identifying the polymer types and petroleum-based compounds embedded within them. These hybrid pollution objects are a largely overlooked form of coastal contamination that concentrate both plastic and hydrocarbon pollutants in marine shoreline environments.
New Plastitar Record for the Mediterranean Sea: Characterization of Plastics and Tar from the Salento Peninsula (Ionian Sea)
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Researchers documented a new occurrence of Plastitar -- aggregates of tar, microplastics, and natural materials -- on the Salento Peninsula coastline of the Ionian Sea, characterizing the plastic and tar components using spectroscopic and chemical analysis. The study adds to Mediterranean records of this composite pollution form and discusses its ecological implications for coastal and marine biota.
Plastitar: A new plastic formation that threatens coastal marine environments
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Researchers described a new plastic formation called 'plastitar' — a mixture of petroleum tar and plastic debris found fused together on rocky shores. This novel form of marine plastic pollution represents a previously undescribed threat to coastal ecosystems, both as a physical contaminant and as a potential source of chemical leachates. The discovery adds to the growing list of novel plastic forms being identified in marine environments worldwide.
Plastitar: A new threat for coastal environments
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Researchers described 'plastitar,' a novel coastal material formed when oil tar residues solidify and incorporate microplastics, sand, and organic debris on rocky shores, identifying it as an emerging threat to coastal ecosystems because it can concentrate and slowly release both hydrocarbons and plastic pollutants.
Plastitar records in marine coastal environments worldwide from 1973 to 2023
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Plastitar — pieces of plastic fused into tar residues on rocky coastlines — has been present globally since at least 1973, and a literature review combined with new field surveys found it on coastlines across the Indian Ocean, Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific. The distribution closely follows major oil shipping routes, suggesting that crude oil releases from tankers bind floating plastic litter and cement it onto shorelines, creating a previously overlooked and long-lived form of coastal plastic pollution.
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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.