Presence of nanoplastics in rural and remote surface waters

It is now established that microplastics are a pervasive presence in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The same is assumed to be true for nanoplastics but data are lacking due to technical difficulties associated with sample analysis. Here, we measured nanoplastics in waterbodies at two contrasting sites: remote Siberian Arctic tundra and a forest landscape in southern Sweden. Nanoplastics were detected in all sampled Swedish lakes (n = 7) and streams (n = 4) (mean concentration = 563 µg l− 1) and four polymer types were identified. In Siberia nanoplastics were detected in 7/12 sampled lakes, ponds and surface flooding, but only two polymer types were detected and concentrations were lower (mean 51 µg l− 1). Based on back-calculation of air mass trajectories, we infer that nanoplastics arrive at both sites by aerial deposition from local and regional sources. Our results suggest that nanoplastics may be a near-ubiquitous presence even in remote ecosystems.

Microplastic and Fibre Contamination in a Remote Mountain Lake in Switzerland

The contamination of aquatic environments by microplastics has been largely documented in the last years, especially in oceans, rivers, and lakes, but their occurrence in remote mountain lakes has been scarcely considered. This work aims to investigate the presence and abundance of microplastics and fibres in a remote, alpine, and uninhabited lake in Switzerland (Sassolo). In this study, the water column as well as the sediments were analysed. The isolation of microplastics and fibres from the samples of the sediment was achieved with a digestion process using H2O2 and a density separation technique with NaI. Classification of microparticles (from 5 mm to 125 μm) was first developed with an optical microscope. Infrared spectroscopy was then used to identify and characterize the chemical nature of the microplastics and fibres. On average, 2.6 microplastics and 4.4 fibres per litre were identified in the water column. On the other hand, the results of the sediment samples revealed significant fibre concentrations compared to plastic microparticles (514 fibres and 33 microplastics per kilogram). The most abundant types of microplastic identified in the samples were composed of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Microplastic and fibre sources were not determined, but it is likely that the number of human activities in this area as well as aerial deposition are contributing to contaminate this remote environment with microplastics and fibres.

TIPOLOGI, DINAMIKA, DAN POTENSI BENCANA ALAM DI KAWASAN PESISIR KABUPATEN TULUNGAGUNG

This study aims to determine the typology, dynamics and potential of natural disasters in the coastal area of Tulungagung Regency, East Java Province. The results of this study indicate that the typology in the coastal area of Tuluagung Regency consists of structurally shaped coast, wave erosion coast, marine deposition coast, land erosion coast, sub aerial deposition coast and several forms of typology impact from human activities utilizing coastal resources. The form of dynamics that develop in the coastal area of Tulungagung Regency is generally influenced by environmental conditions, factors of sea water waves and human activities in meeting the needs of life as well as for meeting the means of tourism development. While the potential for disasters in the coastal areas of Tulungagung Regency such as tsunami, abrasion, and sea water intrusion.

Typology, Dynamics, and Potential Disaster in The Coastal Area District Karst Gunungkidul

This study aims to determine the typology, dynamics and potential disasters in the coastal area of Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta Special Province. The results showed that the typology formed in the coastal region is structurally shaped karst Gunungkidul coast, Wave Erotion Coast, marine deposition coast, coast erosion land, coast and sub-aerial deposition of man-made coastal typology. Coastal dynamics that occur in karst Gunungkidul coastal areas affected by dominant geodinamic processes, hydrodynamic and antropodinamic. There are several potential disaster in the karst Gunungkidul coastal region, namely tsunami, rip currents, abrasion, and waves reflection.