Sept. 27 – The adventure for the University of Siena researchers takes place among whales, fin whales and dolphins. The team is involved in the “Plastic Busters ” monitoring campaign for macro and micro plastics that pollute the Mediterranean Sea, sponsored by the Tuscan University under the aegis of the UN. The team will follow the route from Livorno to Toulon aboard the Navy training ship, “Amerigo Vespucci.” Aboard, the researchers carried out sampling for the monitoring of micro and macroplastics at intervals of 20-30 miles to finally map microplastic along the cetacean kingdom in the Mediterranean. Attention is focused mainly on the whale sanctuary, established in Italy by the Ministry of Environment and Protection of Land under the name of ” Sanctuary for marine mammals ” and known in France as ” Sanctuary Pelagos.” The marine area is located within French, Italian and Monegasque territory, classified as a “Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Interest.” Not the material has been collected and distributed in subsamples divided in microplastic, contaminants and possible pathogens (carried by plastics), they will be analyzed in the next few days in the laboratories at the University of Siena, while the macroplastics surface will be monitored, so as to not missing important whale or mammal sightings. The project “Plastic Busters” will serve to determine with certainty the presence and effects of pollution on marine animals from plastic and plan at the international level adequate mitigation and prevention policies. Sea pollution is primarily related to the production of waste: every European citizen produces an average of 520 kg of waste per year, destined to become 580 kg per person by 2020 in the absence of enforcement actions. However, the EU has set 2020 as the limit to achieve a good state of health of the sea under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Touching the main Italian and French ports, the researchers will involve both institutions and citizens through information and dissemination campaigns.
