engleski

Microplastics in Beach Sediment and From the Sea Surface of the Central and Southern Adriatic

The eastern Adriatic coast is morphologically highly indented with numerous islands, islets, and rocks extending parallel to the coastline. The prevailing surface circulation consists of a northerly flow along the coast (EAC) with several cyclonic gyres, such as in the southern and central Adriatic. The water circulation is triggered and regulated by seasonal winds, Mistral (NW) in summer and Bora (NE) and Sirocco (SE) in winter and is highly influenced by the Buna-Bojana shed and Neretva River, both in terms of freshwater inflow and land-based litter washed up from landfills along the riverbanks. The sites for sampling microplastics at the sea surface and in the beach sediment were selected taking into account the possible accumulation of microplastic particles due to prevailing winds and currents and proximity to the river mouths. Microplastics in beach sediment were sampled at Duće and Zaglav beach (Island of Vis) in the central Adriatic, and Prapratno and Komin estuary beach in the southern Adriatic. Close to these sites, samples of microplastics at the sea surface were taken ; in the Brač and Hvar Channels in the central Adriatic and in the Neretva Channel, and along the SW side of the island of Mljet in the southern Adriatic. Sampling was conducted from May 2019 to October 2021 using the standard MSFD methodology, developed and tested in the Adriatic within the DeFishGear project. Higher concentrations of microplastics were found at stations with no land- based sources of pollution nearby, both at the sea surface and in sediment. This suggests that the amount and distribution of litter and microplastics in this area are mainly due to litter brought by sea currents and southerly winds from distant areas. Contrary to expectations, lower concentrations of microplastics were found both in the sediment and sea surface at the stations near the river mouths.

marine litter, accumulation, pollution sources, river mouths, sea currents

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