Amount and distribution of neustonic micro-plastic off the western Sardinian coast (Central-Western Mediterranean Sea).
A plethora of different sampling methodologies has been used to document the presence of micro-plastic fragments in sea water. European Marine Strategy suggests to improve standard techniques to make future data comparable. We use Manta Trawl sampling technique to quantify abundance and distribution of micro-plastic fragments in Sardinian Sea (Western Mediterranean), and their relation with phthalates and organoclorine in the neustonic habitat. Our results highlight a quite high average plastic abundance value (0.15 items/m(3)), comparable to the levels detected in other areas of the Mediterranean. "Site" is the only factor that significantly explains the differences observed in micro-plastic densities. Contaminant levels show high spatial and temporal variation. In every station, HCB is the contaminant with the lowest concentration while PCBs shows the highest levels. This work, in line with Marine Strategy directives, represents a preliminary study for the analysis of plastic impact on marine environment of Sardinia.
National Research Council - IAMC-CNR Oristano Section, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.delucia@cnr.it.
Giuseppe Andrea
GA
de Lucia
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Ilaria
I
Caliani
National Research Council - IAMC-CNR Oristano Section, Italy.
Stefano
S
Marra
National Research Council - IAMC-CNR Oristano Section, Italy; Tuscia University of Viterbo, Via S.M. in Gradi 4, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
Andrea
A
Camedda
National Research Council - IAMC-CNR Oristano Section, Italy.
Stefania
S
Coppa
ISPRA, National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Rome, Italy.
Luigi
L
Alcaro
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Tommaso
T
Campani
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy; Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Matteo
M
Giannetti
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Daniele
D
Coppola
ISPRA, National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Rome, Italy.
Anna Maria
AM
Cicero
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Cristina
C
Panti
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Matteo
M
Baini
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Cristiana
C
Guerranti
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Letizia
L
Marsili
Penisola del Sinis - Isola di Mal di Ventre MPA, Cabras, Italy.
Giorgio
G
Massaro
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Maria Cristina
MC
Fossi
ISPRA, National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Rome, Italy.
Marco
M
Matiddi
D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007558:Italy; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D010795:Phthalic Acids; D010969:Plastics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Environmental impact; Marine Strategy; Marine litter; Micro-plastics; Phthalates; Pollution monitoring; Sardinia