The fifth SEA Plastics expedition “sails” since March 2021 between Spain, France, and Italy. It is entitled: “Evaluation of sampling methods and characterization of polymer particles smaller than 5 mm discharged into the marine environment.”
Mediterranean route 2021
Helene, Irene, Manon, Dimitri, Lorraine:
Hello from the team!
This year, SEA Plastics and National Metrology and Testing Laboratory (LNE) are managing the expedition. The Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM), the Industrial Technical Center for Plastics and Composites (CT-IPC), and INRAE-AgroParisTech (INRAE INSTIT) have joined through a project call entitled “Evaluation of methods of microplastic particles characterization into the marine environment,” initiated and financed by the Technical Center Association of the Food Industry, representing the government through the Food Ministry.
In line with the previous years, microplastic pollution is analyzed with 20 sampling points from different areas of the Mediterranean Sea, considering their particular characteristics with sea currents, natural environments, shellfish farming environment, high sea, etc.
The new challenge of this expedition is to evaluate the sampling methods and characterization of polymer particles smaller than 5 mm, the nano-plastic particles. Four “Neskin bottles” are dived into the seawater column. The samples are filtrated in sieves with thinner stitches and then passed into a glass microfibre filter, which keeps all the particles between 700 nanometres and 50 micrometers. The objective of those methods is to bring into the light and analyze the presence of nano-plastic particles.
Another part of the tasks, called “monitoring,” consists of collecting samples from the seawater column using a manta net and a closing net. The analysis of the collected samples is shared as followed: LNE and IPC are taking charge of methods analyzing very small-sized microplastic particles (under 125 micrometers and nano-plastics). The INRA-AgoParisTech and the CNAM analyze the rest of the microplastic particles sized between 5 millimeters and 125 micrometers. They will also study the maturation of microplastic particles of a size bigger than 1 millimeter. Another positive aspect of the expedition is that it recruited two trainees, one working with the LNE and the IPC, the second one working with the CNAM and INRAE-AgroParisTech.
In port, the team raises public awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution with the help of the port manager, the municipality, and the schools. They address kids from kindergarten to seniors in high schools and organize conferences with adapted speeches. Some of their programs are playful* so that children can participate in activities like marine litter collection on the beaches.
*cf Isa la Mouette (Isa the seagull), children’s book written by Cécile Davrinche and Cosme Mosneron Dupin, illustrated by Caroline Gaiffe Figerod, edited each year by SEA Plastics.
The students of the 2021 SEA Plastics Association organized the scientific expedition. They are at sea until the end of July. The students are Manon Vichot (AgroParisTech) responsible for Science and Spanish ports; Lorraine Wemaere (AgroParisTech) responsible for French ports; Irène Creton de Limerville (AgroParisTech) responsible for partnerships; Hélène Lovato (UTC Compiègne) responsible for Italian Ports and public awareness; Dimitri Jelinski (AgroParisTech) responsible for Science and expedition management. Sébastien and Valentine are the two voluntary skippers of SEA Plastics onboard the Im’possible… (Isis the cat and Isa the seagull are part of the trip as well!)
Mercator Ocean supports the SEA Plastics association with a dedicated service. The marine data products come from the Copernicus Marine Service portfolio in Map formats and numerical files and define the sampling context, the routing, and the comparison with data collected previously. They are products from CMCC, (ref. MEDSEA_ANALYSIS_FORECAST_PHY_006_013), and the forecasting system is MedBFM d’OGS Trieste Near Real-Time (ref. MEDSEA_ANALYS_FORECAST_BIO_006_014).
We encourage them in their mission and wish them the best in this human and scientific experience. Regularly updated news is available when you subscribe to the SEA Plastics newsletter.
Lorraine observes microplastic particles collected offshore Banyuls port
Dimitri raises public awareness with children at school.
Manon shows a sea water sample containing nano-plastic particles.