In this study, a two-year monitoring programme (July 2020 to April 2022) of macro-litter was conducted on two beaches in Funchal, the largest city and capital of the Madeira island. The abundance, composition, sources, and pathways of the stranded marine litter were assessed following OSPAR guidelines. The mean litter density was found to be 0.29 items/m2, and the beaches’ cleanliness index ranged between ‘very clean’ and ‘dirty’. It was assessed that cigarette butts (30.9%) and plastic objects (30.7%) were the most frequent marine litter items that were identified, followed by paper or cardboard (9.2%) and metal items (8.3%). The present study reveals that most of the monitored marine debris has a land-based source, with a strong contribution from smoking-related activities and littering in streams. By characterising the waste and identifying its source, it is possible to propose integrated management actions at a local level. The study highlights that outreach activity and raising awareness campaigns, together with actions to limit single-use plastic items and stimulate a circular economy, can help limit marine litter pollution on the studied island.
This paper characterizes the fungal and bacterial colonizers of 5 types of plastic films (High-Density Polyethylene, Low-Density Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polystyrene, and Polyethylene Terephthalate) throughout a 242-day incubation in the south-eastern Mediterranean and relates them to the chemical changes observed on the surface of the samples via ATR-FTIR. Neither bacterial nor fungal community structures were related[…]
This paper provides insights into the sustainable alternatives that can replace conventional plastic mulches, such as biodegradable mulches made from natural fibers and biopolymers. The microscopic and FTIR analyses conducted during the study showed the degradation of the fibers from the mulches during the exposure time to a certain extent. The nonwoven mulches provide higher[…]
This paper investigates the degradation of biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate/polylactic acid (PBAT/PLA) and traditional polyethylene (PE) plastic under two typical abiotic conditions: ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and mechanical abrasion (MA) for up to nine months. The quantitative analysis of the degradation products was carried out using membrane filtration and total organic carbon determination (MF-TOCD). The results[…]
This paper identifies technological innovation, policy formulation, advocacy and sensitization, and bioremediation as some of the approaches that are currently used for the mitigation of plastic pollution in Nigeria. This chapter also highlights the need to encourage, enhance, and disseminate scientific research on mitigating the harmful effects of plastic pollution in Nigeria. It concluded with[…]
This review provides insights into the sources of microplastics, the ecotoxicity of microplastics, and the impact microplastics have on aquatic and marine life, management, and bioremediation of microplastics. Policies and strategies adopted by the government to combat microplastic pollution are also discussed in this review. Microplastics tend to accumulate in many aquatic systems, contaminate them,[…]