Comparative analysis of microplastics detection methods applied to marine sediments: A case study in the Bay of Marseille.

An intercomparison exercise on "microplastics in sediment" was carried out by five laboratories using samples collected in the Bay of Marseille in September 2021. The results from different extraction and identification methods varied depending on the type and size classes of MPs, and was better than 80 % for the size class >300 μm and for the fragments. The variability in recovery rates can be attributed to the choice of reagents and extraction protocols.

A case study on microlitter and chemical contaminants: Assessing biological effects in the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland (Baltic sea) using the mussel Mytilus trossulus as a bioindicator.

Chemical and microlitter (ML) pollution in three Estonian coastal areas (Baltic Sea) was investigated using mussels (Mytilus trossulus). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in mussel tissues were observed in moderate levels with high bioaccumulation factors for the more hydrophilic and low molecular weight PAH (LMW PAH), namely anthracene and fluorene. Tissue concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and cadmium within mussel populations exceeded the Good Environmental Status thresholds by more than 200% and 60%, respectively.

Downward migrating microplastics in lake sediments are a tricky indicator for the onset of the Anthropocene.

Plastics are a recent particulate material in Earth's history. Because of plastics persistence and wide-range presence, it has a great potential of being a global age marker and correlation tool between sedimentary profiles. In this research, we query whether microplastics can be considered among the array of proxies to delimit the Anthropocene Epoch (starting from the year 1950 and above).

Estimating Microplastics related to Laundry Wash and Personal Care Products released to Wastewater in Major Estonian Cities: a comparison of calculated and measured microplastics.

Microplastics (MPs) research still at the budding stage in Estonia. A theoretical model build on substance flow analysis principles was developed. The goal of this study is to broaden understanding of MPs-types in wastewater and their contribution from known sources, quantify their presence based on model prediction and measurements.