On board Bark Europa we will be conducting a research on the abundance and distribution of microplastic in the Atlantic Ocean on a crossing from Scheveningen, the Netherlands to Montevideo, Uruguay by collecting data from the sea surface using a manta trawl.
Photo from www.barkeuropa.com
Microplastics have been observed in diverse environments across varied geographical areas and have a devastating effect on the marine environment and marine animals.
Microplastics are defined as plastic objects with a size < 5 mm. A more recent definition describes microplastic as solid-synthetic particles or polymeric matrices, with regular or irregular shape, and dimensions between 1 μm and 5 mm, of primary or secondary manufacture origin, which are water-insoluble. Primary sources can be sewage or plastic particles used in commercial and industrial products and include fibers from textiles, cosmetics, paints etc. Secondary microplastics are present as a result of the wear and tear of larger plastic debris found in the environment. Secondary microplastics dominate the marine environment due to the constant fragmentation of larger plastics.
Microplastics in the marine environment are transported by means of physical processes such as surface drifting, vertical mixing, beaching, and settling. These physical processes are driven by the properties of the ocean and its currents, gyres, and physical oceanographic characteristics such as salinity and temperature. The transport of microplastics is also influenced by the particles themselves, as their size, shape, and physical characteristics affect the way they are transported. While it is known that physical processes facilitate the transport of microplastics, understanding of how microplastics are transported to different parts of the ocean is lacking.
This project aims to investigate the presence and abundance of microplastics on a transect across the Atlantic Ocean, and to use both current and historical oceanographic data to predict how the microplastic may have been transported to that area.
You can read the full research proposal here.
Photo by Jordi Plana
Photo by Jordi Plana
A manta trawl is a net system for sampling the surface of the ocean. It resembles a manta ray, with wings and a broad mouth, and the whole trawl is towed behind the vessel. The manta trawl is useful for collecting samples from the surface of the ocean, such as sampling microplastics.
”Start/Stop Data” and “Sea and Boat Conditions” as well as Sea State, Boat Speed, Boat Direction, Wind Direction, and Wind Speed will be recorded at deployment and recovery of each trawl. Furthermore the saltwater concentration as well as the water temperature is recorded during trawling.
Photo by Jordi Plana
