Synthetic microfibers in bottom sediments and surface seawater from the southwest of the Argentinean sea

ARIAS, ANDRÉS H.; MARCOVECCHIO, JORGE; ANA LAURA OLIVA; ANA CAROLINA RONDA; RECABARREN-VILLALÓN, TATIANA

Mar del Plata

Congreso; XVIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Ciencias del Mar- COLACMAR; 2019

Asociación Latinoamericana de Investigadores de Ciencias del Mar

Microplastics (MPs) are defined as small pieces of plastic, less than five millimeters long and can be found in some personal care products or can be formed in situ from degradation of larger plastic parts subjected to the weathering of oceanic and open coastal environments. Microfibers (MFs) are considered the most prevalent kind of microplastic observed in natural environments (Browne et al., 2011) and it has been found in marine sediments and seawater in a higher number compared to other microplastic particles such as pellets or fragments (Nerland et al., 2014). In this work, samples were collected from seven points of the southwest of the Argentinean continental shelf to assess the occurrence and distribution of MFs. Sediment samples were collected using a ?shipek? dredger and MFs particles were separated using a saturated solution of NaCl while seawater samples were collected using a floating Manta trawl net and digested with 30% H2O2. All samples were finally filtered and visualized under Stereomicroscope. Results reveal that MFs were present at 100% of the samples showing an average concentration of 182.85 ± 115.14 items/Kg of dry sediment and 0.14 ± 0.08 items/m3 of marine water. MFs less than 1 mm were the most abundant (56.4% and 63%, for sediment and surface seawater respectively), followed by 1-2 mm and then 2-3 mm. In regards to the color, both sediments and water had the major percentage of black MFs (25.6 % and 28%, respectively) and the lowest one of green MFs (2.5% and 3%, respectively). Finally, MFs content in sediments was inversely correlated with depth (r = -0.93, p