Microplastics levels, size, morphology and composition in marine water, sediments and sand beaches. Case study of Tarragona coast (western Mediterranean)

Author, as appears in the article.: Exposito, Nora; Rovira, Joaquim; Sierra, Jordi; Folch, Jaume; Schuhmacher, Marta

Department: Enginyeria Química; Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques; Bioquímica i Biotecnologia

URV's Author/s: Exposito Lorenzo, Nora / Folch Lopez, Jaume / Rovira Solano, Joaquim / Schuhmacher Ansuategui, Marta

Keywords: Wastewater treatment; Waste water treatment plant; Transport; Surface waters; Surface water; Submarine geology; Spatial-distribution; Size; Sediments; Sediment pollution; Sediment; Seawater; Seashore; Sea-surface; Sea water; Sea; Reservoirs (water); Protected area; Priority journal; Polypropylenes; Polypropylene; Polyethylene; Polyester; Plastic waste; Plastic pollutions; Plastic pollution; Plastic additives; Plankton; Particle size; Organic matter; Morphology and composition; Morphology; Microplastics; Microplastic; Mediterranean sea; Marine sediments; Marine pollution; Marine litter; Intertidal zones; Intertidal zone; Intertidal environment; Floating microplastics; Effluents; Dispersion; Debris; Costal area; Coastal zones; Coastal zone; Coastal regions; Chemical structure; Chemical composition; Beaches; Beach; Article; Accumulation; Abundance

Abstract: Mediterranean Sea has been proposed as the sixth greatest accumulation zone for marine litter and the most affected regarding to microplastics (MPs). Tarragona (Catalonia, NE Spain) coastal region suffers high pressure due to urbanization, tourism, industrial harbour and petrochemical/plastic industries. The present study aims to quantify and characterize in size, morphology and composition the MPs present in sandy beaches, marine sediments, and surface seawaters of Tarragona coastal region. MPs mean abundance were 1.30 items/m(3) in surface seawaters, 32.4 items/kg in marine sediments, and 10.7 items/kg in sandy beaches. Polyester fibres were dominant MPs in bottom sediments and seawater meanwhile polyethylene and polypropylene fragments were the main MPs in beaches. The fibres balls associated with bottom sediments, organic matter and plankton were abundant, masking the real quantity of fibres in each reservoir. The abundance by volume of seawater MPs was higher to those found in oceanic areas and similar to other areas of Mediterranean Sea, corroborating that Western Mediterranean Sea as a region of MPs accumulation. MPs composition and abundance suggested the input of numerous land-base-sources, WWTP (wastewater treatment plants) effluents discharges, and emissaries as the most important. Marine MPs pollution were studied from an integrative point of view, that indudes superficial sea water, sand from beaches and sediments. The dynamics of MPs in Tarragona coast were characterized by seawater as the media that receive and facilitate dispersion and fragmentation. The shoreline acts as an intermediate reservoir with constant weathering and active exchange with seawater surface and the sediments acts as a significant sink for medium MPs sizes. It is necessary to develop protocols and guidelines for MPs analysis to obtain harmonized and comparable results. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thematic Areas: Zootecnia / recursos pesqueiros; Waste management and disposal; Saúde coletiva; Química; Pollution; Odontología; Nutrição; Medicina veterinaria; Medicina iii; Medicina ii; Medicina i; Materiais; Matemática / probabilidade e estatística; Interdisciplinar; Historia; Geografía; Geociências; Farmacia; Environmental sciences; Environmental engineering; Environmental chemistry; Ensino; Engenharias iii; Engenharias ii; Engenharias i; Enfermagem; Direito; Ciências biológicas iii; Ciências biológicas ii; Ciências biológicas i; Ciências ambientais; Ciências agrárias i; Ciência de alimentos; Ciência da computação; Biotecnología; Biodiversidade; Astronomia / física

licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/

Author's mail: nora.exposito@urv.cat; joaquim.rovira@urv.cat; nora.exposito@urv.cat; nora.exposito@urv.cat; jaume.folch@urv.cat; marta.schuhmacher@urv.cat

Record's date: 2024-10-12

Paper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Link to the original source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721025249?via%3Dihub

Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/

Paper original source: Science Of The Total Environment. 786 147453-

APA: Exposito, Nora; Rovira, Joaquim; Sierra, Jordi; Folch, Jaume; Schuhmacher, Marta (2021). Microplastics levels, size, morphology and composition in marine water, sediments and sand beaches. Case study of Tarragona coast (western Mediterranean). Science Of The Total Environment, 786(), 147453-. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147453

Article's DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147453

Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Journal publication year: 2021

Publication Type: Journal Publications