Marine microplastics in the Baltic Sea under stormy conditions: the case of Dudley, Eunice and Franklin storms in February 2022

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This study investigates the distribution, characteristics, and composition of marine microplastics (MPs) in the Baltic Sea during winter, under the meteorological conditions associated with the Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin storms of 2022. Sampling was conducted aboard r/v Oceania in February 2022 at 16 stations and along 13 transects under both calm and stormy conditions, using a dedicated microplastic net, a stainless-steel pump, and Niskin bottles. The mean MPs concentration was 273.8 ± 181.1 MPs m3, with markedly higher concentrations in deeper waters, particularly in the Bothnian Sea (up to 1083.3 MPs m3). Fibres dominated the MPs pool (70.1%), followed by fragments (29.8%) and beads (0.1%). Black (38.5%), blue (24.3%), and transparent (15.6%) particles were the most common. Raman spectroscopy analysis identified polyester (other than PET, 28.6%), polyethylene (12.5%), polypropylene (7.4%), polyurethane (6.1%), PET (3.3%), rubber (1.9%), and polyamide (1.2%), while 39.1% of MPs were classified as aged and unidentifiable. Significant differences in polymer composition were found between surface and deep-water samples. MPs density strongly influenced vertical distribution in the Gulf of Gdańsk and the Bothnian Sea, whereas vertical patterns were less distinct in the storm-exposed central Baltic (Gotland Basin). The accumulation of MPs in both surface and deep waters indicates potential ecological and human-health risks.

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