| dc.description.abstract | The main aim of this master study has been to develop a cost-effective method to quantify microplastics in surface layers using a trawl towed from a kayak. The trawl was designed to sample microplastic in a wide range of aquatic ecosystems, including the marine Arctic. It seeks to raise awareness of freshwater, marine, and arctic microplastic pollution. The Plastsaq presented, is a modified neuston trawl capable of sampling microplastics in nearshore or difficult to access surface waters. This data collection by kayak, combined with subsequent Nile Red tagging of polymer particles and semi-automated scripts in ImageJ, allows for rapid microplastics screening. Microplastic data is presented from nearshore areas in the freshwater lakes of Southern Norway, marine waters of arctic Lofoten, Northern Norway, and Mediterranean samples from Barcelona and the Strait of Gibraltar. The data is used to describe potential differences in microplastic concentration as a result of different sources, e.g., nearby industry, inhabitants, or visitors to those areas. Our results provide insight into microplastic characteristics such as quantity, size, general distribution, and fragmentation dynamics. Obtaining data on these processes is a prerequisite for understanding how to mitigate the impacts of plastic pollution. This study allows to pinpoint sources of microplastics in nearshore environments by engaging the public in microplastic research. | |
