The amount of plastic in soil from Mausund and Froan Nature reserve, Norway. – A Comparison with concentrations in laboratory exposure studies.

, Cyvin Jakob Bonnevie, Ervik Hilde, Kveberg Anne Aasen.

On the Norwegian coast, on uninhabited islands of Mausund, there are by visual analysis found high concentrations of macro and microplastic. When turning the grassy soil close-to-shore upside down, there are multiple places found a layer of macro and micro plastic. Plastics is so far found to be quite harmless in environmental realistic concentrations. At the other side there are challenges in comparing different studies when different methodologies, size-classes and terminology are used; and in that manner of fact it is also difficult to conclude on witch concentrations there actually are in the environment. In laboratory studies is consumption of high concentrations of microplastic, found to affect the dietary function, trigging inflammations, change egg production and endocrine system of different species of low-trophic organisms. In this presentation, we are presenting data and methodology for upper soil-layer analysis of macro- and microplastic. We are presenting the proportion of plastic, compared to natural materials in soil, and we are comparing these results to the concentrations used in laboratory studies looking at ecotoxicological effects of microplastic exposure to biota.

View online