Emission, Transport, and Deposition of visible Plastics in an Estuary and the Baltic Sea-a Monitoring and Modeling Approach.

was to assess whether a comprehensive approach linking existing knowledge with monitoring and modeling can provide an improved insight into coastal and marine plastics pollution. We focused on large micro- and mesoplastic (1-25 mm) and selected macroplastic items. Emission calculations, samplings in the Warnow river and estuary (water body and bottom sediments) and a flood accumulation zone monitoring served as basis for model simulations on transport and behavior in the entire Baltic Sea.

Abundance and distribution of large microplastics (1-5 mm) within beach sediments at the Po River Delta, northeast Italy.

Coastal areas are especially prone to plastic debris, being subjected to various land- and sea-based sources. Nevertheless, knowledge about microplastic distribution on beaches is limited, as studies focused either on high tide lines, specific items, or relied on visual identification. Beaches exhibit several accumulation zones and microplastic deposition depends on particle properties.

Coastal accumulation of microplastic particles emitted from the Po River, Northern Italy: Comparing remote sensing and hydrodynamic modelling with in situ sample collections.

Microplastic research has mainly concentrated on open seas, while riverine plumes remain largely unexplored despite their hypothesized importance as a microplastic source to coastal waters. This work aimed to model coastal accumulation of microplastic particles (1-5 mm) emitted by the Po River over 1.5 years.

Identification and quantification of macro- and microplastics on an agricultural farmland.

Microplastic contamination of aquatic ecosystems is a high priority research topic, whereas the issue on terrestrial ecosystems has been widely neglected. At the same time, terrestrial ecosystems under human influence, such as agroecosystems, are likely to be contaminated by plastic debris. However, the extent of this contamination has not been determined at present.

Organic fertilizer as a vehicle for the entry of microplastic into the environment.

The contamination of the environment with microplastic, defined as particles smaller than 5 mm, has emerged as a global challenge because it may pose risks to biota and public health. Current research focuses predominantly on aquatic systems, whereas comparatively little is known regarding the sources, pathways, and possible accumulation of plastic particles in terrestrial ecosystems. We investigated the potential of organic fertilizers from biowaste fermentation and composting as an entry path for microplastic particles into the environment.

Enzymatic Purification of Microplastics in Environmental Samples.

Micro-Fourier transform infrared (micro-FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy enable the reliable identification and quantification of microplastics (MPs) in the lower micron range. Since concentrations of MPs in the environment are usually low, the large sample volumes required for these techniques lead to an excess of coenriched organic or inorganic materials. While inorganic materials can be separated from MPs using density separation, the organic fraction impedes the ability to conduct reliable analyses.