Naslov
Plastic debris as a medium for trace metal adsorption in the estuarine environment

Autori
Rapljenović, Ana ; Kwokal, Željko ; Viskić, Marko ; Cuculić, Vlado

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
XVI International Estuarine Biogeochemistry Symposium : Book of Abstracts / Omanović, Dario - Zagreb : Institut Ruđer Bošković, 2023, 16-16

ISBN
978-953-7941-47-5

Skup
XVI International Estuarine Biogeochemistry Symposium

Mjesto i datum
Šibenik, Hrvatska, 23.05.2023. - 26.05.2023

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Trace metals ; Marine plastic pollution ; Stratified estuary

Sažetak
Upon entering the marine environment, plastic li􀄴er serves as a substrate for the adsorption of organic and inorganic materials, with the previous formation of biofilms further altering the plastic surface properties. Trace metals (TM), which can originate from natural sources in seawater but also pose a serious threat to marine life due to anthropogenic activities, can be transported by marine plastic waste. The adsorption of TM onto plastic surfaces is affected by various factors, including the salinity of the aquatic environment. We conducted a mesocosm exposing plastic samples to the stratified waters of the Krka River estuary at different depths to investigate the role of plastic li􀄴er as a carrier of trace metals in estuarine conditions with salinity gradients. The samples comprised fragments of different plastic items of everyday use (IEU), preproduction pellets, as well as laboratory containers (LC) made from different polymers. Fragments were deployed in the estuarine conditions in specially constructed flow-through transparent polycarbonate containers for a total of 216 days, during which the adsorption of trace metals was monitored. Previously leached TM (Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni and Co) from deployed plastic material were measured by stripping voltammetry. Results showed that the concentration of trace metals increased over exposure time for all plastic samples. Preproduction pellets adsorbed lower amounts of metals compared to the other samples. IEU initially adsorbed higher quantities of metals than LC, but later the quantities of metals on LC reached or even exceeded those on IEU, likely due to the formation of biofilms. The depth of the samples and the associated salinity gradient did not have a significant effect on metal adsorption. Overall, the metal affinity for plastic adsorption was consistent with that reported in the literature, with the following trend: Cd < Co < Pb < Ni < Cu ≈ Zn.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kemija, Interdisciplinarne prirodne znanosti

POVEZANOST RADA