1. Marine Microplastics Research
Dror Angel
And the AMBER lab
Dept of Maritime Civilizations
Charney School of Marine Science
University of Haifa
Israel

2. Ongoing research

3. Noam van der Hal & Dror Angel
MP ingestion dynamics over six decades in Israeli Mediterranean herbivorous fish
Noam van der Hal
& Dror Angel

4. Plastic and microplastic debris as substrates for jellyfish in the sea
Dror Angel & Noam van der Hal

5. Diana Shukis & Dror Angel MA project University of Haifa
Plastics and microplastics ingested by sea-turtles : incorporation of POPs?
Diana Shukis & Dror Angel
MA project
University of Haifa

6. GoJelly Gelatinous solution to microplastic pollution
Jamileh Javidpour, GEOMAR - coordinator
Madeira January 2018
30 April 2019
Welcome to gojelly

7. 30 April 2019

8. Plastics and Aquaculture (postponed to AE2019) … session aims to address the interaction between aquaculture and plastic debris to map the current situation and to consider how we may act to reduce risks associated with plastic pollution in farmed products

10. Challenges
Public, regulators and policy makers want to reduce the flux of MP to the ocean²⁰.
Methods available can define type of polymer, but not its origin - making it difficult to determine the source of the MPs; difficult to reduce MP flux to the sea
Proposal – establish plastics FTIR or Raman libraries, based on common products in use as basis for comparison

11. Identification problems
4 main methods used for identification: Raman, FTIR, GCMS and SEC ¹⁰.
All are different – need 1 accepted method
Most studies use FTIR; what is the acceptable “cut- off” level of confidence of identification?
Even when level of confidence is low (e.g %) it is almost never mentioned in peer reviewed papers ¹¹ ̛ ¹².
Ageing and weathering of particles may change their spectra ¹³.
For very small particles (e.g. fibers or nanoparticles) µFTIR is needed ¹³ ̛ ¹⁴, but most labs do not have access to this…

12. Plastic identification
There are several methods for separating MP from organic / inorganic particles ¹⁶̛ ¹⁷ ̛ ¹⁸ ̛ ¹⁹. Which method to use?
Identification usually starts with naked eye inspection, followed by a stereo-microscope ⁶.
Need a single protocol for future studies ¹⁰.
Separating particles manually – hard & time consuming. Need for automation

13. What are MicroPlastics?
“size”: mm¹ ? <1mm ²? 20µm-1mm and 1-5mm ³? <5mm ⁴ ? … And what about nano- plastics?
“type”: nurdles, beads, filaments, films, fibers, threads, lines, fishing lines… ⁵̛ ⁶
“color”: Is it transparent or white? Dark or light? Problems with subjective decisions ⁷

14. How do we sample for MP? What mesh size do we use to collect MPs ⁶ ?
How do we report on “quantities” of MPs: -by weight? –by abundance?
What units do we use: MP/km², MP/m³, MP/m² , MP/L ... ⁶̛ ⁸̛ ⁹ ??

15. Bibliography
Arthur,M.A., Baker, J., Bamford, H., Proceeding of the International Research Workshop on the Occurrence, Effect, and Fate of Microplastic Marine Debris, September 9–11, 2008 Washington, NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-30. (49 pp.).
Galloway, T. S. (2015). Micro- and nano-plastics and human health. In M. Bergmann, L. Gutow & M. Klages (Eds.), Marine anthropogenic litter (pp. 347–370). Berlin: Springer.
Hanke, G., Galgani, F., Werner, S., Oosterbaan, L., Nilsson, P., Fleet, D., et al. (2013). MSFD GES technical subgroup on marine litter. Guidance on monitoring of marine litter in European Seas. Luxembourg: Joint Research Centre–Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Publications Office of the European Union.
Andrady A. L., The plastic in microplastics: A review, Marine Pollution Bulletin 119, Issue 1, 15 June 2017, Pages
Masura, J., et al Laboratory methods for the analysis of microplastics in the marine environment: recommendations for quantifying synthetic particles in waters and sediments. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-48.
Hidalgo-Ruz, V., Gutow, L., Thompson, R.C., Thiel, M., Microplastics in the marine environment: a review of the methods used for identification and quantification. Environ. Sci. Technol. 46, 3060e3075.
Shaw, D.G., Day, R.H., Colour and form dependent loss of plastic micro-debris from the North Pacific Ocean. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 28, 39–43.
Suaria, G., Avio, C. G., Mineo, A., Lattin, G. L., Magaldi, M. G., Belmonte, G., et al. (2016). The Mediterranean Plastic Soup: synthetic polymers in Mediterranean surface waters. Sci. Rep. 6:37551.
Cózar, A., Sanz-Martìn, M., Martì, E., González-Gordillo, J.I., Ubeda, B., Gálvez, J.Á., Irigoien, X., Duarte, C.M., Plastic accumulation in the Mediterranean sea. PLoS One 10, e (12 pp.).
Elert, A.M., Becker, R., Duemichen, E., Eisentraut, P., Falkenhagen, J., Sturm, H., Braun, U., Comparison of different methods for MP detection: what can we learn from them, and why asking the right question before measurements matters? Environ. Pollut. 231, 1256e1264.

16. Rios L. M. , Jones P. R. , Moore C. , and Narayana U. V
Rios L. M. , Jones P. R., Moore C., and Narayana U. V., Quantitation of persistent organic pollutants adsorbed on plastic debris from the Northern Pacific Gyre’s ‘‘eastern garbage patch’’ , J. Environ. Monit., 2010, 12, 2226–2236.
Löder M.G.J., Gerdts G. (2015) Methodology Used for the Detection and Identification of Microplastics—A Critical Appraisal. In: Bergmann M., Gutow L., Klages M. (eds) Marine Anthropogenic Litter. Springer, Cham.
Harrison, J.P., Ojeda, J.J., Romero-González, M.E., The applicability of reflectance micro-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for the detection of synthetic microplastics in marine sediments. Sci. Total Environ. 416, 455–463.
Renner G. , Schmidt T. C. , Schram J., Analytical methodologies for monitoring micro(nano)plastics: Which are fit for purpose?, Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health Volume 1, February 2018, Pages 55–61.
Claessens, M., Van Cauwenberghe, L., Vandegehuchte, M.B., Janssen, C.R., New techniques for the detection of microplastics in sediments and field collected organisms. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 70, 227e233.
Cole, M., Webb, H., Lindeque, P.K., Fileman, E.S., Halsband, C., Galloway, T.S., Isolation of microplastics in biota-rich seawater samples and marine organisms. Sci. Rep. 4, 4528.
Dehaut, A., Cassone, A.-L., Frere, L., Hermabessiere, L., Himber, C., Rinnert, E., Riviere, G., Lambert, C., Soudant, P., Huvet, A., Duflos, G., Paul-Pont, I., Microplastics in seafood: benchmark protocol for their extraction and characterization. Environ. Pollut. 215, 223e233.
Brandon Jennifer, Goldstein Miriam, Ohman Mark D., Long-term aging and degradation of microplastic particles: Comparing in situ oceanic and experimental weathering patterns, Marine Pollution Bulletin Volume 110, Issue 1, 15 September 2016, Pages
Imhof, H.K., Schmid, J., Niessner, R., Ivleva, N., Laforsch, C., A novel, highly efficient method for the separation and quantification of plastic particles in sediments of aquatic environments. Limnol. Oceanogr. Methods 10, 524e537.
Ivar do Sul, J.A., Costa, M.F., The present and future of microplastic pollution in the marine environment. Environ. Pollut. 185, 352e364.