Screening and quantification of micro(nano)plastics and plastic additives in the seawater of Mar Menor lagoon

In this work a suspect-screening approach was employed to assess the polymers and plastic additives of micro(nano)plastics (NPL/MPLs) of size ranges from the nm range to 20 μm present in seawater from the top 5 cm of the Mar Menor lagoon during two sampling campaigns (summer and winter), as well of other potentially adsorbed compounds onto the plastic particles surfaces and suspended material. The identification of NPL/MPLs has been based on characteristic Kendrick Mass Defect analysis for each polymer type in mass spectra. The applied methodology allowed to identify NPLs/MPLs of polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polyisoprene (PI), polybutadiene (PBD), polypropylene (PP), polyamides (PA), polyvinylchloride (PVC), n-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAm), and polydimethylsiloxanes. In addition, PS, PE, PI, PBD, PP, PA, and PVC were confirmed with standards, and the equivalent concentrations were quantified. The results of this study showed that most frequently found compounds were PP, PE, PA and PNIPAm, while the compound found at higher concentrations was by far PP reaching the 9,303 ± 366 ng/mL in one of the samples. A total number of 135 chemical compounds were tentatively identified, 74 of them plastic additives and compounds used in the polymers manufacture or coming from the polymer’s decomposition. In relation to plastic additives, the more frequently tentatively identified compounds were plasticizers such as phthalates group; stabilizers such as antioxidants (e.g., distearyl 3,3′-thiodipropionate, 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone), and UV filters as benzotriazoles. Several flame retardants of the group of phosphates were as well detected. The other compounds tentatively identified in the samples were pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food additives, flavors and natural products that were attached onto the plastic particles and particulate matter from surrounding waters. In regards to the seasonal variation, during the summer a major number of compounds were tentatively detected, while de concentrations of polymers were slightly higher in winter. The spatial distribution showed higher contamination in the southern part of the coastal lagoon.

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