Jachimowicz Piotr, Klik Barbara, Osińska Adriana Dorota
Institute of Environmental Technology, CEET, VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 15/2172, 708 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
Toxics. 2024 Aug 3;12(8):568. doi: 10.3390/toxics12080568.
This study investigates plastic litter on two beaches in Malta, Golden Bay and Rivera Beach, with a focus on plastic abundance, characteristics, sources, and the influence of human activity on pollution levels. Conducted in March 2023 during the low-tourist season, 13 sediment samples were collected from a depth of 5 cm using a systematic square sampling method. Plastic litter was quantified and sorted by size, shape, color, and polymer type, and concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were measured (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Fe via ICP-OES). Golden Bay exhibited significantly higher plastic quantities (53.9 ± 4.3 n/m) compared to Rivera Beach (29.7 ± 4.0 n/m). Microplastics were dominant on both beaches, with Golden Bay showing a higher proportion (57.0%) than Rivera Beach (50.6%). The plastic litter predominantly consisted of PE (59.6-68.0%) and PP (29.6-38.8%). Golden Bay plastics had PTE concentrations up to 4.9 times higher than those in Rivera Beach, notably for Mn (309.0 μg/g vs. 63.1 μg/g). This research contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of plastic pollution in coastal environments, particularly in areas influenced by tourism.
本研究调查了马耳他的两个海滩——金湾和里韦拉海滩上的塑料垃圾，重点关注塑料的数量、特征、来源以及人类活动对污染水平的影响。研究于2023年3月旅游淡季期间进行，采用系统方格采样法从5厘米深度采集了13个沉积物样本。对塑料垃圾进行了量化，并按大小、形状、颜色和聚合物类型进行分类，同时测量了潜在有毒元素（PTEs）的浓度（通过电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法测量镉、钴、铬、铜、锰、镍、铅、锌和铁）。与里韦拉海滩（29.7±4.0个/平方米）相比，金湾的塑料数量显著更高（53.9±4.3个/平方米）。两个海滩上微塑料均占主导地位，金湾的比例（57.0%）高于里韦拉海滩（50.6%）。塑料垃圾主要由聚乙烯（59.6 - 68.0%）和聚丙烯（29.6 - 38.8%）组成。金湾塑料中的潜在有毒元素浓度比里韦拉海滩高4.9倍，特别是锰（309.0微克/克对63.1微克/克）。这项研究为沿海环境中塑料污染的动态，特别是受旅游业影响地区的塑料污染动态提供了有价值的见解。
