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Project information
Arctic Microplastics in Svalbard (ARaMIS)
Call year: 2019
Status: active
IADC_id: 140
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Project description:
Environmental contamination by plastic debris is documented in marine environment from the 1970’s and is a top emerging global issue of the last decade, due to persistence, ubiquity and threat posed to biota. Together with microplastic particles, synthetic fibers, recognised as pollutants, contribute to ocean pollution and are estimated to be 85% of man-produced debris on world coasts. Accumulation of microplastics (20 µm-1 mm) in natural habitats threatens the biota since they can be ingested and accumulated within organisms, causing physical harm (internal abrasions and blockages). Toxic effects due to organic compounds and trace elements adsorbed on the microplastics may be a potential hazard, as well. An important source of microplastics in Svalbard comes from marine environment; microplastics carried from aerosol may settle in the land ice and be released with the melting to the inland waters. As sea ice extent reduces, microplastics may enter the region following ocean transport and increasing shipping and fishing activities. Release of untreated sewage is one of the most important unregulated local pollution sources. Although sewage treatment is generally lacking in the Arctic and untreated sewage is released directly in seawater, in 2015 in Ny-Ålesund a sewage treatment system was installed and the resulting sludge was correctly disposed to avoid further pollution. However, the Kortrapport 044 (2017) on local contamination indicates the complete absence of data on composition and concentrations of microplastics for Ny-Ålesund, Svea and Barentsburg areas.The main goal of this four-year project is the investigation of microplastic distribution in detritivorous macrobenthos (e.g.Amphipoda) collected from the intertidal zone, to understand the scale of their effects. Benthic detritivorous species are important component also in polar food webs, being prey for birds and fishes. By feeding on sediments, they can ingest microplastics, which can accumulate in their body and be transferred to higher trophic levels. In the first year of the project (February-June 2019) samples will be collected from Ny Ålesund surroundings by Massimiliano Vardè and Vittorio Pasquali. Another aim is to assess the microplastic contamination in inland freshwaters (during spring and summer), to better understand the introduction of microplastics in the inland food web analysing macroinvertebrates (e.g. Amphipoda and Notostraca, Insects). In subsequent years, in order to evaluate microplastic transport and impacts, samples will be collected also in the eastern part of Kongsfjorden, possible accumulation zone; in Engelsbukta area; and in a stretch of coast to the north of Kapp Mitra, a pristine area where we expect to not find microplastics. The close association, that exists between macrobenthos, sediment and waters, highlights the need to evaluate the accumulation of microplastics also in these environmental matrices, to investigate the potential accumulation in their bodies. The third aim is the identification of bio-indicator species, which accumulates microplastics; these species may then be employed to monitor the environmental health status. Microplastic particles and fibers will be detected, counted and identified. The quantitative analyses will be performed with fluorescence microscopy (after fluorescent Nile Red staining) and with Micro-FTIR (mapping and imaging). Microplastics will be chemically characterized by Micro-FTIR analysis (spectral collection and identification of polymers). Further research and developments are the investigation of other environmental matrices (i.d. aerosol and snow) and the evaluation of microplastic fibers from domestic washing; thereafter a) presence and possible transfer of trace elements and persistent organic compounds from microplastic to environment an d biota, b) transfer along the food web (e.g. non-invasive analysis of bird and/or other animal excrement, etc.) c) impacts mitigation will be investigate. It will also be important to detect and investigate the presence of bioplastics in biota and environmental matrices, to characterize the difference among biodegradable polymers, whose degradation pathways are different.
National/International Cooperation:
SSPT-PROTER-BES, Lab. Biodiversità e Servizi Ecosistemici, ENEA C.R. Casaccia, Roma (Rm); Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università La Sapienza di Roma; Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "Charles Darwin", Università La Sapienza di Roma;
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