Browsing by Author "Stenzl, Sebastian Georg"

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    Assessing the vertical distribution of microplastics in the sediments of a MAR basin
    (University of the Western Cape, 2024) Stenzl, Sebastian Georg
    Globally, cumulative plastic production since 1950 is estimated to have reached 2.5-8.3 billion tons of plastic. It is estimated up to 60% of this plastic is resting in landfills and the natural environment. Microplastics (MP) are small pieces of plastic ranging between 1μm - 5mm in size and have been found in every ecosystem and environment on the planet. Much of the available literature on microplastics is focused on biology and marine environments, with few in comparison focused on freshwater environments, and even fewer on groundwater settings. Therefore, the aim of this research was to determine if MPs are present in basin 7 of the AWSS, and if present to assess its distribution within the subsurface. To achieve this aim, three objectives were set. (1) Determine the vertical distribution of MPs and analyse correlation between this distribution and their physical characteristics. (2) Determine the particle size distribution of the subsurface and statistically analyse the relationship between MP abundance and D60 of sediments. (3) Examine and analyse the spatial distribution of sediments according to their D60, and the physical characteristics of MPs in the sediments of basin 7. 10 sediment cores 30cm in depth were collected from around basin 7. Post sampling, these cores were split into 6cm sections before undergoing pre-processing for organic matter removal. MPs were extracted from the sediment cores using ZnCl2 and filtered through 0.45μm fiberglass filters. The extracted MPs were then identified and characterized using a stereomicroscope and graticule. This data was then analysed and mapped using SPSS and QGIS software.