236
port, and agriculture. Since Laglbauer et al. (2014) excluded
tourism as the contributor of the microplastic pollution the
real contributors need to be identified. Polluted beaches are
not attractive and may repel tourists and, thus, impair
economy.
12.2.3 Microplastics in Atmospheric Deposition
to an Urbanized Coastal Zone – Preliminary
Results
Karolina Szewc
1*
, Bożena Graca
1
, Katarzyna Grochowska
2
,
Danuta Zakrzewska
1
, Gerard Śliwiński
2
, Anita Lewandowska
1
1
Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk,
Marszałka Piłsudskiego Av. 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
2
The Szewalski Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery, Polish
Academy Of Sciences, Fiszera 14, 80-231 Gdańsk, Poland
*corresponding author: karolina.szewc@phdstud.ug.edu.
pl
Keywords:
Microplastics,
Atmosphere,
Raman
spectroscopy
Due to increasing production and low biodegradability,
plastic pollution has become a serious problem in the marine
environment. One of possible major sources of microplastics
(< 5 mm) in the marine environment could be atmospheric
deposition. It probably has a great importance in highly
urbanized areas where factories, traffic, construction sites,
extensive urban infrastructure and numerous households can
emit microplastics into the atmosphere. However, likewise
an impact of microplastics on terrestrial organisms, these
issues have been poorly studied. Dry and mixed deposition
samples were collected in the urbanized coastal zone in
Gdynia. The samples were collected in a weekly cycle into
glass beakers. Samples’ temperature, pH and conductivity
were measured. Precipitation samples were filtered through
25 mm Whatman GF/A filters. Dry deposition samples were
diluted with 100 mL of deionized water prior to filtration.
Microplastics collected on filters were counted and measured under a microscope and then polymers were identified
using Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, in order to determine air masses origin for sampling periods, air masses trajectories (HYSPLIT model) were designated, and ionic
composition of deposition samples were examined. Obtained
results indicate that a major source of microplastics in the
urban atmosphere can be traffic (car tires rubbed in contact
with asphalt) but optical methods and Raman spectroscopy
are not sufficient methods for distinguishing polymers
included in tires from other carbon-rich particles. To confirm
the obtained results, further research using Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy and extension of the study area to nonurbanized area are planned.
12.2.4 Fouling and Degradation of Plastic Bags –
An in situ Experiment
Nora-Charlotte Pauli
1,2*
, Jana S. Petermann
1,3
, Christian
Lott
4
, Miriam Weber
4
1
Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, KöniginLuise- Str. 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
2
present Address: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean
Research Kiel, Wischhofstr. 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
3
present Address: Department of Ecology and Evolution,
University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020
Salzburg, Austria
4
HYDRA Institute for Marine Sciences, Elba Field
Station, Via del Forno 80, 57034 Campo nell’Elba (LI), Italy
*corresponding author: npauli@geomar.de
Keywords: Biodegradable plastic, Polyethylene (PE),
Tensile properties, Biodiversity, Oxygen production
The growing amount of plastic debris poses an increasing
threat for the marine environment, simultaneously providing
a new substrate for fouling organisms. Those fouling communities on plastic have not received much scientific attention. We present a first comprehensive analysis of their
community composition, their primary production and the
polymer degradation comparing conventional polyethylene
(PE) and a biodegradable starch-based plastic blend in the
Mediterranean Sea. Samples of the two polymers were
exposed to a sedimentary sublittoral and a pelagic coastal
habitat over the duration of 1 year. Biodiversity and oxygen
production of the fouling community were investigated to
assess its possible environmental and ecological role.
Moreover, we tested the degradability of the two polymer
types as changes of tensile properties and loss of surface
area. The biomass of the fouling layer increased significantly
over time and each sample became heavy enough to sink to
the seafloor. The fouling communities, consisting of 21 families, were distinct between habitats, but not between polymer
types. In contrast to the benthic habitat, positive oxygen production was measured only in the pelagic habitat, suggesting
that large accumulations of floating plastic could pose a
source of oxygen for local ecosystems, as well as a carbon
sink. The biodegradable plastic showed a significant loss of
tensile strength and surface area after 9.5 months of exposure
in both habitats. In contrast, the polyethylene polymer
showed no signs of degradation. These results indicate that
in the marine environment biodegradable polymers disintegrate at higher rates than conventional polymers. This should
be considered for the development of new materials, environmental risk assessment and waste management strategies,
especially for applications where an introduction into nature
is unavoidable or likely.
Appendices
port, and agriculture. Since Laglbauer et al. (2014) excluded
tourism as the contributor of the microplastic pollution the
real contributors need to be identified. Polluted beaches are
not attractive and may repel tourists and, thus, impair
economy.
12.2.3 Microplastics in Atmospheric Deposition
to an Urbanized Coastal Zone – Preliminary
Results
Karolina Szewc
1*
, Bożena Graca
1
, Katarzyna Grochowska
2
,
Danuta Zakrzewska
1
, Gerard Śliwiński
2
, Anita Lewandowska
1
1
Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk,
Marszałka Piłsudskiego Av. 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
2
The Szewalski Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery, Polish
Academy Of Sciences, Fiszera 14, 80-231 Gdańsk, Poland
*corresponding author: karolina.szewc@phdstud.ug.edu.
pl
Keywords:
Microplastics,
Atmosphere,
Raman
spectroscopy
Due to increasing production and low biodegradability,
plastic pollution has become a serious problem in the marine
environment. One of possible major sources of microplastics
(< 5 mm) in the marine environment could be atmospheric
deposition. It probably has a great importance in highly
urbanized areas where factories, traffic, construction sites,
extensive urban infrastructure and numerous households can
emit microplastics into the atmosphere. However, likewise
an impact of microplastics on terrestrial organisms, these
issues have been poorly studied. Dry and mixed deposition
samples were collected in the urbanized coastal zone in
Gdynia. The samples were collected in a weekly cycle into
glass beakers. Samples’ temperature, pH and conductivity
were measured. Precipitation samples were filtered through
25 mm Whatman GF/A filters. Dry deposition samples were
diluted with 100 mL of deionized water prior to filtration.
Microplastics collected on filters were counted and measured under a microscope and then polymers were identified
using Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, in order to determine air masses origin for sampling periods, air masses trajectories (HYSPLIT model) were designated, and ionic
composition of deposition samples were examined. Obtained
results indicate that a major source of microplastics in the
urban atmosphere can be traffic (car tires rubbed in contact
with asphalt) but optical methods and Raman spectroscopy
are not sufficient methods for distinguishing polymers
included in tires from other carbon-rich particles. To confirm
the obtained results, further research using Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy and extension of the study area to nonurbanized area are planned.
12.2.4 Fouling and Degradation of Plastic Bags –
An in situ Experiment
Nora-Charlotte Pauli
1,2*
, Jana S. Petermann
1,3
, Christian
Lott
4
, Miriam Weber
4
1
Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, KöniginLuise- Str. 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
2
present Address: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean
Research Kiel, Wischhofstr. 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
3
present Address: Department of Ecology and Evolution,
University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020
Salzburg, Austria
4
HYDRA Institute for Marine Sciences, Elba Field
Station, Via del Forno 80, 57034 Campo nell’Elba (LI), Italy
*corresponding author: npauli@geomar.de
Keywords: Biodegradable plastic, Polyethylene (PE),
Tensile properties, Biodiversity, Oxygen production
The growing amount of plastic debris poses an increasing
threat for the marine environment, simultaneously providing
a new substrate for fouling organisms. Those fouling communities on plastic have not received much scientific attention. We present a first comprehensive analysis of their
community composition, their primary production and the
polymer degradation comparing conventional polyethylene
(PE) and a biodegradable starch-based plastic blend in the
Mediterranean Sea. Samples of the two polymers were
exposed to a sedimentary sublittoral and a pelagic coastal
habitat over the duration of 1 year. Biodiversity and oxygen
production of the fouling community were investigated to
assess its possible environmental and ecological role.
Moreover, we tested the degradability of the two polymer
types as changes of tensile properties and loss of surface
area. The biomass of the fouling layer increased significantly
over time and each sample became heavy enough to sink to
the seafloor. The fouling communities, consisting of 21 families, were distinct between habitats, but not between polymer
types. In contrast to the benthic habitat, positive oxygen production was measured only in the pelagic habitat, suggesting
that large accumulations of floating plastic could pose a
source of oxygen for local ecosystems, as well as a carbon
sink. The biodegradable plastic showed a significant loss of
tensile strength and surface area after 9.5 months of exposure
in both habitats. In contrast, the polyethylene polymer
showed no signs of degradation. These results indicate that
in the marine environment biodegradable polymers disintegrate at higher rates than conventional polymers. This should
be considered for the development of new materials, environmental risk assessment and waste management strategies,
especially for applications where an introduction into nature
is unavoidable or likely.
Appendices