Photo Eco Vitae Botjan Mlja Overview of the

Photo: Eco Vitae, Boštjan Mljač Overview of the proposed De. Fish. Gear Monitoring and Assessment Strategy of micro litter Andreja Palatinus, IWRS dr. Manca Kovač Viršek, IWRS WP 3 Conference 25 th March 2015, Split Croatia The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Main goal of WP 5 • To choose common approach to assess microplastic pollution on sea surface (accumulation zones, fishery areas, river outflows), beach sediment and ingested by biota (commercially available fish); • Analyse chemical composition of found microlitter; • Analyse POPs on pellets and larger pieces; • Start research activities on nanoplastic (<0, 3 mm) analysis. The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Partnership Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia The National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia ARPA Emilio-Romagna, Italy Ca‘Foscari University of Venice, Italy University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries, Croatia Hydro-engineering Institute of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Sarajevo Bosnia&Herzegovina Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece Euro-Mediterranean Center or Climate Change, Italy The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

WP 5 Timeline 5. 1 - Defining an assessment and monitoring strategy for microplastics in the Adriatic 5. 2 - Pilot survey I based on modeling results (sea surface, beach sediment) 5. 3 - Data collection, evaluation, processing, validation of modeling 5. 4 - Pilot survey II in fishing areas (sea surface, biota) 5. 5 - Data analysis and reporting The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

WP 5 Activities Sampling and sample analysis of nanoplastics (size/shape distribution, chemical composition, OCl and PCB analysis*) 5. 5 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 5. 4 Nov 2013 May 2014 Oct 2014 Nov 2014 Mar 2014 May 2014 October 2014 Defining an assessment and monitoring strategy for microplastics in the Adriatic Pilot survey I based on modeling approach (sea surface, beach sediment, rivers)* Data collection, evaluation, processing, validation of modeling Pilot survey II in fishing areas (sea surface, biota)* Data analysis and reporting Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Sampling activities • 2014 seasurface + riverine outflow + beach sediment sampling locations were determined by the calculation of the accumulation zones of pollution by CMCC (except Bosnia & Herzegovina and Slovenia) • 2015 seasurface + biota sampling locations will be in fishing areas (except Bosnia & Herzegovina and Slovenia) Foto: CMCC The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Seasurface • IWRS & ARPA experience • Manta net (Eriksen) • Out of the wake zone using a spinnaker boom or „A“ frame • 30 min, speed 2. 5 - 3 knots • Only in calm weather (1 -2 beaufort) • Seasonality Precaution to minimise contamination & Metadata recording as in TG ML Guidelines The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Foto: Eriksen

Beach sediment HCMR experience Sand sampling 5 samples / location Sampling separately for Small (<1 mm) and Large microplastics (1, 1 -5 mm) • 1 season in 2014 • • Precaution to minimise contamination & Metadata recording as in TG ML Guidelines The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Biota • HCMR & IOF experience • Commercially available fish species • Sampling and analysis protocol in developme • Only in 2015 The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

POPs analysis • University of Nova Gorica, Slovenija experiences • Extraction of POPs from pellets and other smallplastic particles (2 -5 cm) • Samples sent to Nova Gorica from all countries • Beach litter sampling The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Chemical analysis • Chemical Institute Ljubljana experiences • Validation of material characterization of plastic particles discovered in WP 5 sampling procedures • Analysis done in one location from particles from all countries The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Nanoplastics (0. 03 -0. 3 mm) • Ca‘ Foscari UNIVE experience and work • Experimental part of the project Aim: • Development of specific protocols for the determination of nanoplastics by modification/adaptation of methodologies and protocols already available (proposed/applied) for microplastics, as those recently recommended by European Commission Technical Subgroup on Marine Litter The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Nanoplastics • data to be obtained and reported for a correct assessment of nanoplastic pollution and identification of impacts on marine biota • metrics (number, mass) • size distribution • shape (sphere, fiber, platelet, etc. ) • chemical composition (polymer composition) • impurities (organic, inorganic) The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Monitoring of sea surface microplastic Number of samples per country Country Year 2014 Number of sampling days samples Year 2015 (fishery area) Number of sampling samples days Sea surface River outflow surface 1 day 5 5 1 day 5 Beach sediment 6 periods 40 Sea surface 2 days 8 2 days 10 River outflow surface 1 day 3 Beach sediment 3 days+ 2 days 16 + 10 Type of sample Croatia Italy Albania Greece Slovenia Bosnia Herzegovina Sea surface River outflow surface 1 day 2 Beach sediment 2 days 15 Sea surface Beach sediment Sea surface 1 period) 15 11 4 Beach sediment 2 days 12 + biota samples 1 day 5 2 days 10 1 day 5 Project is co-founded by the Sea. The surface 1 day 2 European Union, 1 day 5 Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Thank you very much for your attention! Andreja. palatinus@izvrs. si Manca. virsek@izvrs. si The Project is co-founded by the European Union, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)