School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Crete, Greece.
School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Crete, Greece.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2018 Aug;133:578-589. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.06.011. Epub 2018 Jun 19.
Plastic pollution in the marine environment is one of the foremost environmental problems of our time, as it affects wildlife and human health both directly and indirectly through the effects of contaminants carried by microplastics. This study investigates the temporal and spatial distribution of plastic pellets and fragments in sandy beaches along the coastline of Northern Crete, during 2013. Their densities varied throughout the year in each beach, with highest densities during the summer and towards the upper parts of the beaches. The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sorbed on microplastics sampled from nine sandy beaches of Northern Crete was quantified using Gas chromatography - Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (GC-ITMS). PAHs concentrations ranged from non-detectable levels to 1592 ng/g and fluctuated between sampling periods. Based on the observed patterns of meso- and microplastics distribution, practical guidelines are proposed to minimize the entrance of microplastics into the seawater wherefrom they are exceptionally difficult to collect, if mitigation actions are to be applied.
海洋环境中的塑料污染是我们这个时代最重要的环境问题之一，因为它通过微塑料携带的污染物的影响直接或间接地影响野生动物和人类健康。本研究调查了 2013 年克里特岛北部沿海沙滩上塑料颗粒和碎片的时空分布。它们的密度在每个海滩全年都有所不同，夏季和海滩上部的密度最高。使用气相色谱-离子阱质谱（GC-ITMS）定量分析了从克里特岛北部九个沙滩采集的微塑料中吸附的 16 种多环芳烃（PAHs）的浓度。PAHs 浓度范围从无法检测到 1592ng/g，并且在采样期间波动。基于中观和微观塑料分布的观察模式，提出了实用指南，以尽量减少微塑料进入海水的数量，因为如果要采取缓解措施，从海水中特别难以收集微塑料。
