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Monitoring methods for large micro- and meso-litter and applications at Baltic beaches

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Abstract

To complement existing micro-, meso and macro-litter monitoring strategies at sandy beaches, two user-friendly methods were further-developed and tested. The Rake-method and the Frame-method focus on large-micro (>2 mm) and meso-litter (5–25 mm) in the 30–50 mm upper sediment layer and were applied at 58 surveys at 15 sandy beaches of the German and Lithuanian Baltic Sea coast between 2014 and 2016. The Rake-method investigates sandy sediments to a depth of up to 50 mm. In average, we found 2.6 items / m2 in Germany (65% micro and meso-litter) and 0.6 items / m2 in Lithuania (66% micro and meso-litter). Using the Frame-method, covering the upper 30 mm, we received 1.8 items / m2 in Germany (64% micro and meso-litter) and 5.3 items / m2 in Lithuania (86% micro and meso-litter). Mostly found were cigarette butts, artificial polymers and in Lithuania paraffin. To test the reliability of both methods, recovery experiments were carried out. Depending on color and structure between 31 and 100% of all items were recovered by the Frame-method and 31–77% by the Rake-method. Using the Matrix Scoring Technique, tourism was identified as major pollution source. Both methods turned out to be suitable for sandy beaches, even if they are regular cleaned, and to assess pollution hot-spots. Both methods do not require elaborated equipment or a laboratory, are low in costs and can be carried out by volunteers. In comparison, the Rake method turned out to be more robust and cost-effective.

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Acknowledgement

This study was carried out within the framework of an UBA (Umweltbundesamt) project on marine litter (FKZ 3713 25 220) and the MikrOMIK project funded by the Leibniz Association (SAW-2014-IOW-2). We like to thank the following persons for supporting the field work: Vincent Ohnesorge, Phillip Paysen, Jana Otten, Svenja Höft, Kristina Klesse, Sylvie Wesnigk, Leonie Buschbeck, Anne Hiller, Larissa Polidoro, Rutger van Meer, Luisa Wiegel, Yann Morin, Claudia Lorenz, Sarah Piehl and Matthias Mossbauer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz-Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), Seestrasse 15, D-18119, Rostock, Germany

    Mirco Haseler, Gerald Schernewski, Arunas Balciunas & Viktorija Sabaliauskaite

  2. Marine Science and Technology Center (MARSTEC), Klaipeda University, H. Manto 84,, LT-92294, Klaipeda, Lithuania

    Gerald Schernewski & Arunas Balciunas

Authors
  1. Mirco Haseler
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  2. Gerald Schernewski
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  3. Arunas Balciunas
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  4. Viktorija Sabaliauskaite
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Correspondence to Mirco Haseler.

Annex

Annex

Table 2 Material used for the recovery rate experiments. Categorization in: primary pellets and secondary material, ID number, characterization, color, size in mm (average seize of 10 items measured), weight (average weight of 10 items weighed), type of plastic of the used items for the Rake and the Frame-method. (PE: polyethylene, PP: polypropylene, PET: polyethylene terephthalate, PS: polystyrene, CA: Cellulose acetate and – unidentified). Results of the 3 recovery rate experiments per method in average, minimum and maximum (in %)
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Table 3 The advantages and disadvantages of the Rake-method at the beach
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Table 4 The advantages and disadvantages of the Frame-method at the beach
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Table 5 The list of litter and the likelihood scores per item for the Matrix Scoring Technique found at the beaches for each possible source. The possible scores per source are: Very unlikely (0), Unlikely (1), Possible (2), Likely (3) and Very likely (4)
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Haseler, M., Schernewski, G., Balciunas, A. et al. Monitoring methods for large micro- and meso-litter and applications at Baltic beaches. J Coast Conserv 22, 27–50 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-017-0497-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-017-0497-5

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