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Chemical composition of microplastics floating on the surface of the Mediterranean Sea
Kedzierski, M.; Palazot, M.; Soccalingame, L.; Falcou-Préfol, M.; Gorsky, G.; Galgani, F.; Bruzaud, S.; Pedrotti, M.L. (2022). Chemical composition of microplastics floating on the surface of the Mediterranean Sea. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 174: 113284. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113284
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Keyword
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Microplastics; Mediterranean Sea; FTIR; Chemical composition; Poly(ethylene)

Authors  Top 
  • Kedzierski, M.
  • Palazot, M.
  • Soccalingame, L.
  • Falcou-Préfol, M., more
  • Gorsky, G., more
  • Galgani, F.
  • Bruzaud, S.
  • Pedrotti, M.L.

Abstract
    The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most studied regions in the world in terms of microplastic (MP) contamination. However, only a few studies have analysed the chemical composition of MPs at the Mediterranean Sea surface. In this context, this study aims to describe the chemical composition as a function of particle size, mass and number concentrations of MPs collected in the surface waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The chemical composition showed a certain homogeneity at the Mediterranean Sea scale. The main polymers identified by Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy were poly(ethylene) (67.3 ± 2.4%), poly(propylene) (20.8 ± 2.1%) and poly(styrene) (3.0 ± 0.9%). Nevertheless, discrepancies, confirmed by the literature, were observed at a mesoscale level. Thus, in the North Tyrrhenian Sea, the proportion of poly(ethylene) was significantly lower than the average value of the Mediterranean Sea (57.9 ± 10.5%). Anthropic sources, rivers, or polymer ageing are assumed to be responsible for the variations observed.

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