Monitoring methods for large micro- and meso-litter and applications at Baltic beaches

Haseler, Mirco; Schernewski, Gerald; Balčiūnas, Arūnas; Sabaliauskaitė, Viktorija

doi:10.1007/s11852-017-0497-5

Cited by 58 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The results of former sand rake method studies at the Baltic Sea are comparable to our results. In Haseler et al (2017), pollution of German beaches was between 0.5 and 3.0 pieces/m 2 , and in Lithuania at 0.56 pieces/m 2 . Sand rake method results along the Curonian spit are in the same order of magnitude (0.63-2.34 pieces/m 2 ) (Esiukova et al, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Our method can also be used on urban/managed beaches. Furthermore, recovery rates were already calculated for different litter items and categories (Haseler et al, 2017). This enables a future assessment of the number of litter pieces that were probably missed and left at the beach.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The average surveyed area was 52 m 2 (maximum 110 m 2 and minimum 25 m 2 ; Supplementary Table S1). For more information on how the sand rake method works see Haseler et al (2017).…”

Section: Study Sites and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In general, new monitoring methods that deliver reliable data for smaller litter (<25 mm) at affordable costs are needed (MSFD TSG ML, 2013;Addamo et al, 2017). To address this issue, Haseler et al (2017) tested a sand rake method at German and Lithuanian Baltic Sea beaches. They concluded that mesoand large micro-litter are a major problem at Baltic beaches as it was responsible for 65% of the litter found in terms of size.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Marine Litter Pollution in Baltic Sea Beaches – Application of the Sand Rake Method

Haseler

Balčiūnas

Hauk

et al. 2020

Front. Environ. Sci.

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Most marine litter monitoring methods used on beaches focus on macro-litter (>25 mm) only and show shortcomings regarding smaller litter classes (<25 mm), especially at Baltic Sea beaches. Therefore, we used a sand rake method developed for large micro- (2–5 mm), and meso- (5–25 mm) litter to quantify the overall pollution status of Baltic Sea beaches and to test if the method is useful in terms of the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Between July 2017 and October 2019, 197 sand rake method surveys were carried out at 35 regions around the Baltic Sea. In total, 9345 litter pieces were found on an area of 10,271 m2 of which 69.9% were 2–25 mm in size. Artificial polymers (4921 litter pieces) were predominant (mean 52.7% ± 13.3). Abundance of litter was 0.91 pieces/m2 ± 1.50 (median 0.40 pieces/m2). The most common litter were industrial pellets (19.8%), non-identifiable plastic pieces 2–25 mm (17.3%), cigarette butts (15.3%), and paraffin (11.9%). At 15 surveys at the German North Sea island of Sylt the litter abundance ranged from 0.45 pieces/m2 (median) to 0.59 pieces/m2 ± 0.37 (mean). Here, 69.2% of the litter was 2–25 mm in size and paraffin was predominant (69.2%). Beaches show a high pollution level with large micro- and meso-litter (2–25 mm) and our data can serve as a Baltic-wide pollution baseline. In contrast to the naked eye OSPAR method for macro-litter, the sand rake method is generally applicable on all sandy beaches, both urban and remote. This method also allows for the provision of a full spatial pollution pattern and can serve for assessing the effectiveness of marine litter mitigation measures.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The average surveyed area was 52 m 2 (maximum 110 m 2 and minimum 25 m 2 ; Supplementary Table S1). For more information on how the sand rake method works see Haseler et al (2017).…”

Section: Study Sites and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Marine Litter Pollution in Baltic Sea Beaches – Application of the Sand Rake Method

Haseler

Balčiūnas

Hauk

et al. 2020

Front. Environ. Sci.

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“…On a global scale, wax is generally outnumbered by the more abundant plastic items, but it can occasionally dominate the composition of beach litter. For instance, on 4 Lithuanian beaches sampled 10 times between 2014 and 2016, paraffin wax (visually determined as such) was reported to be the main polluter, accounting for 63% of all litter items, with values peaking to 70% of the total and to 94% of the micro-litter fraction <5 mm (Haseler et al, 2018). Similarly in the Russian Baltic, Esiukova (2017) showed that maximum contents of (visually distinguished) paraffin wax in sand samples can range from 0.03 to 8.66% of dry mass.…”

Section: Wax In the Marine Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Occurrence of Paraffin and Other Petroleum Waxes in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Current Legislative Framework and Shipping Operational Practices

et al. 2018

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Among the various materials that make up marine debris, lumps of petroleum waxes such as paraffin and microcrystalline wax, are regularly found on beaches worldwide, although not included in the current definition of marine litter. Ingestion by marine organisms is occasionally documented in the scientific literature and mass beaching events are frequently reported along the European coasts, with obvious detrimental consequences to the local communities that have to manage the clean-up and disposal of this substance. According to Annex II of the MARPOL regulation, petroleum waxes are classified as "high viscosity, solidifying, and persistent floating products," whose discharge at sea of tank-washing residues is strictly regulated, but currently permitted within certain limits. Starting from the description of a large stranding event occurred along the Italian coasts in 2017, we review the existing knowledge and regulatory framework and urge the relevant authorities to address this issue, showing that wax pollution is creating evident damages to the European coastal municipalities. Pending further investigations on the potential hazard that this kind of pollution is posing to marine ecosystems, we suggest a careful and more stringent revision of the policies regulating discharges of these products at sea.

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Distribution of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems and Their Impacts on Aquatic Organisms, with Emphasis on Microalgae

Wan

Chu

Kok

et al. 2018

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Volume 246

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Plastics, with their many useful physical and chemical properties, are widely used in various industries and activities of daily living. Yet, the insidious effects of plastics, particularly long-term effects on aquatic organisms, are not properly understood. Plastics have been shown to degrade to micro- and nanosize particles known as microplastics and nanoplastics, respectively. These minute particles have been shown to cause various adverse effects on aquatic organisms, ranging from growth inhibition, developmental delay and altered feeding behaviour in aquatic animals to decrease of photosynthetic efficiency and induction of oxidative stress in microalgae. This review paper covers the distribution of microplastics and nanoplastics in aquatic ecosystems, focusing on their effects on microalgae as well as co-toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics with other pollutants. Besides that, this review paper also discusses future research directions which could be taken to gain a better understanding of the impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on aquatic ecosystems.

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Monitoring methods for large micro- and meso-litter and applications at Baltic beaches

Cited by 58 publications

References 18 publications

Marine Litter Pollution in Baltic Sea Beaches – Application of the Sand Rake Method

Marine Litter Pollution in Baltic Sea Beaches – Application of the Sand Rake Method

The Occurrence of Paraffin and Other Petroleum Waxes in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Current Legislative Framework and Shipping Operational Practices

Distribution of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems and Their Impacts on Aquatic Organisms, with Emphasis on Microalgae

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