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Microplastic in the surface waters of the Ross Sea (Antarctica): Occurrence, distribution and characterization by FTIR
- Source :
- Chemosphere. 175:391-400
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2017.
-
Abstract
- This is the first survey to investigate the occurrence and extent of microplastic (MPs) contamination in sub surface waters collected near-shore and off-shore the coastal area of the Ross Sea (Antarctica). Moreover, a non-invasive method to analyze MPs, consisting in filtration after water sampling and analysis of the dried filter through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) 2D Imaging, using an FPA detector, was proposed. The non-invasiveness of analytical set-up reduces potential bias and allows subsequent analysis of the filter sample for determination of other classes of contaminants. MPs ranged from 0.0032 to 1.18 particle per m3 of seawater, with a mean value of 0.17 ± 0.34 particle m−3, showing concentrations lower than those found in the oceans worldwide. MPs included fragments (mean 71.9 ± 21.6%), fibers (mean 12.7 ± 14.3%), and others (mean 15.4 ± 12.8%). The presence of different types of MPs was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy, with predominant abundance of polyethylene and polypropylene. The potential environmental impact arising from scientific activities, such as marine activities for scientific purposes, and from the sewage treatment plant, was also evidenced.
- Subjects :
- Environmental Engineering
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Antarctica
FTIR
Microplastic
Ross Sea
Subsurface water
Antarctic Regions
Environmental Monitoring
Oceans and Seas
Plastics
Seawater
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Chemistry (all)
Environmental Chemistry
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Mineralogy
Chemical
010501 environmental sciences
01 natural sciences
law.invention
law
Water Pollutants
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
Subsurface flow
Spectroscopy
Filtration
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Chemistry
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
General Medicine
General Chemistry
Contamination
Pollution
Characterization (materials science)
Fourier Transform Infrared
Particle
Sewage treatment
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 00456535
- Volume :
- 175
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Chemosphere
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....2b8166e4d0f46a02592c4a811e290c00