Environmental Surveillance of Microplastics in Burgas Bay Sediments Using μFTIR Imaging

Author : Sevdalina Turmanova

Abstract : This work examines the occurrence and polymer composition of microplastics in marine sediments from Burgas Bay, the western Black Sea. Sediment samples were collected from six stations located in three coastal zones with different anthropogenic pressures. Microplastics were extracted using density separation with NaCl and MgCl2 solutions, followed by oxidative treatment and μFTIR imaging analysis. Microplastic abundance ranged from 0.0 to 5497.8 MPs kg⁻¹ dry sediment, depending on the station and extraction solution. In most samples, MgCl2 resulted in the recovery of more particles than NaCl, indicating higher extraction efficiency for denser polymers. μFTIR analysis identified nine polymer types. Polyamide was the dominant polymer (48.6%), followed by polypropylene, polyethylene and ethylene vinyl alcohol. The predominance of polyamide suggests an important contribution from fishing-related activities, while polyolefins are likely associated with packaging materials and urban plastic waste. These findings show that Burgas Bay sediments act as a reservoir for microplastic accumulation and highlight the usefulness of μFTIR imaging in the monitoring of coastal sediment contamination.

Keywords : Microplastics, marine sediments, Burgas Bay, Black Sea, μFTIR imaging, polymer composition, density separation, coastal pollution.

Conference Name : International Conference on Microplastic Particle Dynamics and Transport (ICMPDT-26)

Conference Place : Ruse, Bulgaria

Conference Date : 13th May 2026