In 2009 born the International Pellets Watch, (IPW, [1]), which aims to map the marine pollution from POPs worldwide using resin pellets (virgin plastic granules) as no-living tracers, instead of those that have always been used as pollution tracers, i.e. filtering organisms and, first of all, mussels.The result is the excellent correlation obtained (Pearson coefficient equal to 0.755) between the concentration of PCBs in pellets and the sampling in the same area and at the same time. Since the pellets can be found everywhere in the beach, and need fewer attention in transports, storage and analysis than mussels, their use as pollution tracers is an advantage from many points of view. The conclusions on which the IPW is based, however, lay on what was obtained in a previous study of 2005 [2], in which a small number of particularly degraded and yellowed polyethylene (PE) pellets were related to a high concentration of PCBs , hence the idea of taking only yellowed PE pellets from the beaches and using them as tracers for these substances. Subsequent studies have further investigated the absorption of PAHs and heavy metals by pellets [3, 4], but have not ascertained the validity of the correlation between yellowing and concentration of pollutants in PE pellets with an adequate statistical basis. Further objections are those due to the high mobility of pellets, non-permanent like mussels and therefore less correlated with a precise geographical location.
Nel 2009 nasce l'International PelletsWatch , che ha l'obbiettivo di mappare l'inquinamento marino da POPs a livello mondiale utilizzando i resin pellets (granuli di plastica vergine) come non-living tracers, al posto di quelli da sempre utilizzati come traccianti dii nquinamento, ovvero gli organismi ifiltratori e, prim ifra tutti ,i mitili. Alla base di tale progetto sta ottima la correlazione ottenuta (coefficiente di Pearson paria 0.755) fra la concentrazione dei PCB snei pellets e nei mitili campionati nella stessa area e nello stesso momento. Essendo i pellet sreperibiliormaiovunqueinmareeinspiaggia,epresentandopochedifficoltàditrasporto,conservazioneepreparazioneperleanalisi,unloropossibileutilizzocometracciantidiinquinamentosarebbeunvantaggiodamoltipuntidivista. Leconclusionisucuisibasal'IPW,però,posanosuquantoricavatoinunprecedentestudiodel2005[2],incuiunnumeroesiguodipelletsdiPolietilene(PE)particolarmentedegradatiedingiallitivenivanocorrelatiadunaaltaconcentrazionediPCBs,dacuil'ideadiprelevarenellespiaggesolopelletsdiPEingiallitiedusarlicometracciantipertalisostanze.Studisuccessivihannoulteriormenteindagatol'assorbimentodiIPAemetallipesantidapartedipellets[3,4],manonhannoaccertatolavaliditàdellacorrelazionefraingiallimentoeconcentrazionediinquinantineipelletsinPEconunaadeguatabasestatistica.Ulterioriobiezionisonoquelledovuteallaaltamobilitàdeipellets,nonstanzialicomeimitilieperciòmenocorrelaticonunprecisoluogogeografico.
Comparative study of absorption of persistent organic pollutants on polypropylene and polyetilene pellet and on Mytilus gallo provincialis
2019
Abstract
In 2009 born the International Pellets Watch, (IPW, [1]), which aims to map the marine pollution from POPs worldwide using resin pellets (virgin plastic granules) as no-living tracers, instead of those that have always been used as pollution tracers, i.e. filtering organisms and, first of all, mussels.The result is the excellent correlation obtained (Pearson coefficient equal to 0.755) between the concentration of PCBs in pellets and the sampling in the same area and at the same time. Since the pellets can be found everywhere in the beach, and need fewer attention in transports, storage and analysis than mussels, their use as pollution tracers is an advantage from many points of view. The conclusions on which the IPW is based, however, lay on what was obtained in a previous study of 2005 [2], in which a small number of particularly degraded and yellowed polyethylene (PE) pellets were related to a high concentration of PCBs , hence the idea of taking only yellowed PE pellets from the beaches and using them as tracers for these substances. Subsequent studies have further investigated the absorption of PAHs and heavy metals by pellets [3, 4], but have not ascertained the validity of the correlation between yellowing and concentration of pollutants in PE pellets with an adequate statistical basis. Further objections are those due to the high mobility of pellets, non-permanent like mussels and therefore less correlated with a precise geographical location.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
