Assessing levels of microplastics along the Portuguese Coast and in the European Union
What levels of microplastics are detected along the Portuguese coast? What impact do they have on aquaculture and salt production? Will microplastics be transferred from mothers to their children? Maria João Bebianno, coordinator of the Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA), is the researcher responsible for the PlasticSea – Impact of Microplastics on the Ocean, Sea Salt and Aquaculture project. Funded by the Blue Fund, it seeks to find answers to these and other questions.
PlasticSea seeks to assess the current extent of the impact of microplastics on the Portuguese coastline, monitoring levels of microplastics in water, biota and sediment to identify possible contamination “hot spots”. It also aims to identify the primary sources of microplastics, and evaluate their levels in aquaculture and sea salt production facilities, in order to produce standardised methods that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can implement to assess and minimise their impact.
This project will also present data on the impact of microplastics on economic activities. The possible transfer of microplastics from mothers to their newborns will also be investigated.
Forecasts for 2050 point to there being more plastic in the oceans than fish. The objective of this project is therefore to gain familiarity with this problem, in order to minimise the effects of it on both the marine environment and humanity.
PlasticSea allows microplastics to be monitored in the production of sea salt and shellfish aquaculture in Portuguese coastal areas. The impact of this presence on human beings will be presented through data modelling and analysis, which will also contribute to improving the quality of the marine environment and its living resources.
As well as the analysis carried out on the Portuguese coast, a “Risk Assessment of Micro and Nanoplastic Pollution in Marine Ecosystems” will also be carried out in the European Union, through the JPI Oceans – RESPONSE Project.
This project will allow us to pinpoint which European marine areas have the highest concentrations of not only micro-, but also nanoplastics, and how they are transferred along the food chain.
RESPONSE thus aims to identify areas of micro- and nanoplastic accumulation in European coastal ecosystems, characterising their distribution, as well as the transfer and impact of these plastics on the food chain and the relevant functions of ecosystem services.
Innovative mesocosm and laboratory studies will allow for toxicological thresholds to be validated for micro- and nanoplastics and the combination of these with other environmental stressors. A Smart Tech Hub will support the consortium’s analytical needs. The project also aims to develop a quantitative Weight of Evidence (WOE) model for micro- and nanoplastics in the marine environment to support the development of monitoring strategies for these compounds under the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
This investigation will make it possible to assess the state of European ecosystems, identify the most contaminated sites and consequently apply measures to reduce the impact of micro- and nanoplastic contamination.
These projects come under SDG 14, “Life Below Water”, as they aim to “prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all types, including marine litter, as well as protecting and implementing sustainable management systems for marine and coastal ecosystems.” They will also contribute to the following goals: SDG 3, “Good Health and Well-being”, SDG 6, “Clean Water and Sanitation”, SDG 9, “Industry, innovation and infrastructure”, SDG 11, “Sustainable cities and communities”, SDG 12, “Responsible Consumption and Production” and SDG 17, “Partnerships for the Goals”.
Maria João Bebianno HAS A Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineerin, a PhD in MarineEcotoxicology, a PhD equivalent in Oceanography and is a researcher at the Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA) of the University of Algarve.
