Hydrographic Institute participates in study on microplastics

The Division of Chemistry and Pollution of the Marine Environment (QP) of the Hydrographic Institute is currently participating in several monitoring studies and environmental characterization of the marine environment, through the determination of a set of parameters considered pollutants, which include microplastics.

As part of the monitoring program for the marine environments of the Port of Sines (MAPSI 2021-2023), financed by the Administration of the Ports of Sines and the Algarve, and promoted by the University of Évora, sediment sampling was carried out in different places to assess the abundance and composition of microplastics (dimension less than 5 mm). The results obtained confirm the presence of microplastics in the collected samples, with polypropylene polymer being the most abundant, followed by low density polyethylene and polyacrylonitrile. As for morphology, it appears that plastic fragments were found in greater numbers, followed by fibers and plastic films. Regarding the size of the microplastics, those from 50 µm to 1 mm were found in a greater percentage. Since no work of this nature is known in the sampled region, the results of this study can be used for comparison with those obtained in other regions of the country and the world, and with results to be obtained in this monitoring program.

QP is also involved in other R&D projects in the area of microplastics, namely in the i-Plastic and PlasticTrace projects (www.i-plastic.net; www.inrim.it/en/research/projects/21grd07-plastictrace).