First attempt to quantify microplastics in Mediterranean Sabellaria spinulosa (Annelida, Polychaeta) bioconstructions.

This work focuses on the arenaceous reefs by the polychaete Sabellaria spinulosa and addresses microplastics pollution. The main aim is to assess microplastics amount in a bioconstruction located in the Adriatic coast of Italy (Mediterranean Sea) through a comparative approach: sea-floor sediment and bioconstruction samples were analysed to quantify microplastics absolute abundance in both substrates. A total of 431 MPs were found in the investigated substrates: respectively 85 % fibers and 15 % fragments.

Low-background gamma spectrometry and neutron diffraction in the study of stony meteorites.

Non-destructive characterisation of meteorites is here performed on a stony meteorite. The identification of the sample is performed by low-background γ-ray spectrometry in order to determine the presence of certain cosmogenic radionuclides, whereas a mineralogical phase quantitative analysis is carried out by Time-of-Flight Neutron Diffraction (ToF-ND) on the sample as-it-is. The protocol is then validated by applying micro-Raman Spectroscopy (μRS) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS).

Combining Micro-Raman Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy Mapping: A Stony Meteorite Study.

Meteorite characterisation represents a privileged and unique opportunity to increase our knowledge about the materials composing the Universe and, particularly, the Proto Solar System. Moreover, meteorites studies evolve contextually with the development of analytical technologies. In the present paper, the results from an unclassified stony meteorite (chondrite) characterisation have been reported on the basis of the innovative analytical protocol presented here.