Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in the surface waters of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga

Aigars, Juris; Barone, Marta; Suhareva, Natalija; Putna-Nimane, Ieva; Dimante-Deimantovica, Inta

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112860

Cited by 27 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Note that in the easternmost part of the GOF, in the area we did not cover, the MP concentrations are probably higher than we observed due to the impact of river Neva (Martyanov et al, 2021). If we combine our results with Aigars et al (2021), a meridional pattern is revealed in the GOR: higher MP concentrations in the south and lower MP concentrations in the north. This could be related to the population in the catchment areas as well.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

“…High mean MP concentration was detected at offshore station 85. This is a somewhat controversial result as earlier studies have reported higher values near coasts and rather low values offshore in the BP (e.g., Aigars et al, 2021). No major rivers enter the area, or remarkable point sources (cities and towns) are nearby.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…Although Aigars et al (2021) collected samples at numerous stations during 1 year, while we conducted measurements at three stations, during 5 years, the mean concentrations in the central GOR were roughly in the same order. Our observations revealed lower concentrations in the northern GOR and the Pärnu Bay; however.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…As demonstrated by studies from different Baltic Sea basins, the occurrence of MPs in the Baltic Sea is evident (Setälä et al, 2016;Tamminga et al, 2019;Uurasjärvi et al, 2021). However, the knowledge about the spatial distribution and temporal variability of MPs in the Baltic Sea is limited (Aigars et al, 2021). Also, the methodology used to collect MPs varies by instruments, mesh size, sampling depth, and sampling area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Spatiotemporal Variability of Microplastics in the Eastern Baltic Sea

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Microplastic (MP) pollution is present in all aquatic environments and is gaining critical concern. We have conducted sea surface MP monitoring with a Manta trawl at 16 sampling stations in the eastern Baltic Sea in 2016–2020. The concentrations varied from 0.01 to 2.45 counts/m3 (0.002–0.43 counts/m2), and the mean was 0.49 counts/m3 (0.08 counts/m2). The fibers and fragments had, on average, an approximately equal share in the samples. Correlation between the concentration of fibers and fragments was higher near the land and weaker further offshore. The following spatial patterns were revealed: higher mean values were detected in the Baltic Proper (0.65 counts/m3) (0.11 counts/m2) and the Gulf of Finland (0.46–0.65) (0.08–0.11) and lower values were detected in the Gulf of Riga (0.33) (0.06) and Väinameri Archipelago Sea (0.11) (0.02). The difference between the latter three sub-basins and the meridional gradient in the Gulf of Riga can likely be explained by the degree of human pressure in the catchment areas. The MP concentration was higher in autumn than in summer in all regions and stations, probably due to the seasonality of the biofouling and consequent sinking rate of particles. A weak negative correlation between the wind speed and the MP concentration was detected only in the central Gulf of Finland, and positive correlation in the shallow area near river mouth. We observed a 60-fold difference in MP concentrations during coastal downwelling/upwelling. Divergence/convergence driven by the (sub)mesoscale processes should be one of the subjects in future studies to enhance the knowledge on the MP pathways in the Baltic Sea.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Spatiotemporal Variability of Microplastics in the Eastern Baltic Sea

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Hence, in the same area, the type of polymers found at a depth of 40 cm can be different from those found at 15 cm depth (Lenaker et al, 2019). According to the reviewed studies, most of the polymers found onto the water surface and subsurface were PS (polystyrene), PE (polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene) (Frère et al, 2017;So et al, 2018;Aigars et al, 2021) Supplementary Tables S1, S2. These polymers have a density lower than 1 g/cm 3 , while PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or PET are more likely to be located deeper in the water column and in the bottom sediment due to their higher densities (Lenaker et al, 2019).…”

Section: Survey Of Microplastics In the Water Surface Affected By The...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Manta Net: The Golden Method for Sampling Surface Water Microplastics in Aquatic Environments

Pasquier

Doyen

Kazour

et al. 2022

Front. Environ. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Microplastics (MPs) (plastic particles < 5 mm in size) have become the most ubiquitous type of anthropogenic litter contaminating aquatic environments worldwide, and are capable of harming aquatic organisms and entering the food web. Microplastic research has rapidly evolved over several decades, with many studies sampling microplastic in surface waters. For sea surface sampling of MPs, different net devices have been used. But although there is an increasing number of studies using these devices to quantifying MPs in different aquatic environments, data comparison is difficult due to the lack of standardised, harmonised sampling methods and data reporting units. The Manta net device is actually the most commonly used method for sea surface sampling of MPs. The three main parts of this net are: the floating/stabilizing part, the opening mouth and the net bag, and each of them can have its own specifications. These specifications, along with the sampling methods, can be critical for the efficiency of the sampling accurate quantification of MPs in the aquatic environments. The use of different mesh sizes, inconsistency in trawling duration, speed and distance, and in the net opening dimensions, make it impossible to compare the studies between each other. This review analyzes the methodologies and characteristics of Manta nets used for MPs sampling, discussing factors that can impact the efficiency of the sampling and the quantification of MPs, and proposes recommendations in order to improve and standardize the sampling protocol.

show abstract

Microplastic Detection and Analysis from Water and Sediment: A Review

Sajad

Allam

Mushtaq

et al. 2023

Macromolecular Symposia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The presence and distribution of microplastics (MPs, <5 mm) has been reported worldwide in the aquatic ecosystem and is identified as emerging pollutant that can adversely affect the health of aquatic environment. The production and consumption of plastics has increased tremendously worldwide because of their properties including pliability, low cost, versatility, durability, and lightweight. Currently, the global production of plastics exceeds 320 million tonnes (Mt) per year, with single-use plastic accounting for more than 40% of this total. Because plastic is non-biodegradable, the majority of its annual production accumulates and finally enters the aquatic systems. Aquatic biota may suffer physical damages, fatigue, reduced appetite, blockage of metabolic channels, and altered feeding behavior due to consumption of MPs. Occurrence of MPs in air and food samples has been documented across the world. Thus, the MPs may also pose a great risk to the health of human beings, because of the human exposure to MPs and their concerned harmful contaminants through food chain or ingestion through the air. Due to the vast abundance and deleterious effects of MPs, more studies are focusing on MPs to estimate their dispersion, fate, quantity, and transport in the global aquatic systems. Through this work we have reviewed various analytical techniques of MPs including the collection of samples from surface water and sediments, identification, and quantification. One of the most prevalent techniques for recognizing MPs is visual categorization, which can be improved by combining it with other techniques viz. spectrometry and thermal methods. This review provides an insight about the following objectives: (1) the global occurrence and distribution of MPs, (2) the extensive analysis of effects of MPs on aquatic biota, and (3) the assessment of the current methods for MP sampling and analysis.

show abstract

Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in the surface waters of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga

Cited by 27 publications

References 43 publications

Spatiotemporal Variability of Microplastics in the Eastern Baltic Sea

Spatiotemporal Variability of Microplastics in the Eastern Baltic Sea

Manta Net: The Golden Method for Sampling Surface Water Microplastics in Aquatic Environments

Microplastic Detection and Analysis from Water and Sediment: A Review

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About