Microplastics Transport in Seawater and Strategies against Marine Pollution

Dear Colleagues,

Marine plastic litter, which is omnipresent in the marine environment, is a constant threat to wildlife, a hindrance to human activities, incurs immense economic costs world-wide, is unsightly and reduces the recreational value of our coasts. Plastic, the main component of marine litter world-wide, is slow to decompose and breaks down into even smaller pieces, so-called micro plastics, the environmental impact of which is largely unknown. Sources of marine litter are varied and can be sea or land-based. In the last decade, a great effort has been devoted to monitor the litter and plastic abundance in the marine and riverine environments, using direct sampling or remote sensing estimates. There is a rising concern regarding the accumulation of floating plastic debris in the open ocean, coastal areas and estuaries. However, the magnitude and the fate of this pollution are still open questions. The aim of the present Special Issue is to collect original contributions on two main aspects of marine plastic pollution: transport processes and remediation strategies. The former is of paramount importance to answer to the pressing need of reliable forecast of plastic pathways in coastal and open ocean. Transport of plastic is influenced by several physical, chemical and biological processes that require complex modelling approaches. Remediation strategies are an emerging topic to face plastic pollution in aquatic environments and still requires sound scientific data to prove their efficiency. 

Prof. Dr. Alessandro Stocchino

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