Thesis title: Caratterizzazione e monitoraggio di macro- e microplastiche in ambienti acquatici marini e fluviali
This research investigates the presence, spatial distribution, and typological diversity of macro- and microplastics across various aquatic environments, including marine, coastal, and inland water systems. The main objective was the characterization and monitoring of plastic debris in order to (1) validate rapid and low-cost approaches for environmental monitoring; (2) assess the degradation status of plastic materials under natural conditions; and (3) trace the origin and dispersion of plastic waste in the environment.
The study combines extensive field sampling with laboratory analyses to develop standardized and innovative protocols for the characterization and monitoring of plastic contaminants. Particular attention was given to the combined use of complementary analytical techniques — hyperspectral imaging, FTIR, micro-FTIR and microNIR spectroscopy, isotopic analysis, and stereomicroscopy — to enhance both precision and reproducibility in polymer identification and degradation assessment.
The developed methodologies were applied to several representative case studies. The first concerns the Toconao ship incident in the Atlantic Ocean, off the Iberian coast, which led to the release of numerous plastic pellets, analyzed to assess their compositional variability and degradation dynamics. Another case study focused on the characterization of microplastics collected from various coastal and marine sites on Vulcano Island (Sicily, Italy), highlighting spatial heterogeneity and material-specific degradation patterns. In a further case, a riverine monitoring protocol was tested along the Po River (Italy) through a 12-month survey, providing a scalable and replicable framework for quantifying microplastic fluxes in fluvial systems. Finally, microNIR was tested to identify the polymer composition of macroplastics in the Laguna de La Algaida (Natural Reserve of the Bay of Cádiz, Spain), alongside the assessment of their spatial distribution and degradation state, in order to understand how vegetation and tidal dynamics influence accumulation and transport.
Overall, this research contributes to advancing methodological standardization and improving scientific understanding of the behavior, transport, and degradation of plastics in interconnected aquatic environments.