Fieldwork 1
During June and July 2020, we successfully completed fieldwork (respecting all epidemiologic measures) across the Croatian middle Adriatic Sea coast. We sampled at four locations: Šibenik Bay (Mala Martinska Cove) as an estuarine environment, Kaštela Bay as a polluted coastal environment and two sampling locations on the Island of Žirje as a remote coastal environment. Seawater and sediment (marine and beach) were sampled for the analysis of trace metals and microplastics, as well as for geological characterization.
Martinska, Ruđer Bošković Institute research station, near Šibenik. Photo taken in June 2020, just before complete renovation.
Day 1 - Željko is focusing on the upcoming sampling in the Mala Martinska Cove, Šibenik Bay.
Day 2 - Neven in preparation for the field trip to Island of Žirje (the only permanently inhabited offshore island of the Šibenik archipelago).
Two hours later and 12 nautical miles away, Hana, Neven, Željko and Vlado (taking photo) in Mala Stupica Cove on Island of Žirje ready for sampling.
Floating material after sediment sampling - (micro)plastics.
Hana in search of representative sediment sample on Island of Žirje.
Embossed plastic material - Mala Stupica Cove, Island of Žirje.
Day 3 - Fourth sampling location in Kaštel Sućurac Cove in Kaštela Bay, 80 km southeast from the Martinska research station .
Željko and Neven in tidal zone of Kaštela Bay
Coastal mix - washed up
Fieldwork 2
From 15 to 17 December 2020, we performed the second fieldwork within the project. Our efforts were focused on microplastic and seawater sampling for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, as well as for trace metal analysis. We sampled at locations in the middle Adriatic Sea, specifically in the Mala Martinska Cove near Šibenik, on the beach of settlement Marina and in Kaštela Bay, on the beach of Kaštel Sućurac.
Day 1 - We are ready, the gear is packed and we are off...The weather is perfect, which is common on the Croatian Adriatic, even in December.
After the strong southeast wind Jugo, there is always a noticeable amount of marine debris with (micro)plastics.
Separated plastic pellets in autoclaved water solution ready for the extraction of eDNA. (Photo Z. Ljubešić)
Day 3 - Perfect day on empty beach - sampling (Photo Z. Ljubešić)
A handfull of sample (Photo Z. Ljubešić)
Beach after cleaning - debris ready for sampling
Day 3 - Željko takes samples for Hg analysis
Vlado is checking marine debris on the Kaštela Bay beach (Photo Z. Ljubešić)
Zrinka documents the samples for eDNA
Zrinka and Željko: sampling at Croatian middle Adriatic coast
Fieldwork 3
During May & June 2021, we successfully completed fieldwork (respecting all epidemiological measures) at the Croatian middle and south Adriatic Sea coastal areas. We sampled at four locations: Šibenik Bay, Kaštela Bay and Island of Čiovo in the middle Adriatic and on the Island of Lastovo as a remote coastal environment in the southern Adriatic. Seawater, sediment and weathered microplastic samples from the accumulated material on the natural beaches were sampled for the analysis of trace metals and microplastics, as well as for geological characterization.
Affected beach on the Island of Čiovo, Croatian middle Adriatic coast (May 2021).
Samples to be collected (May 2021).
Home-made device for sampling microplastics from the sediment and accumulated material on the beach: Uska Cove, Island of Lastovo (June 2021).
Remains of Posidonia oceanica seagrass, commonly known as Mediterranean tapeweed, Uska Cive, Island of Lastovo (June 2021).
Accumulated material on the Zace Cove beach, Island of Lastovo (June 2021).
Kristina is sampling sediment in Zace Cove, Island of Lastovo (June 2021).
Željko is processing samples in provisional laboratory on the Island of Lastovo (June 2021).
Aegagropilae (Neptune sea balls) full of microplastics from the Uska Cove, Island of Lastovo (June 2021).
Systematized plastic pellets from the Uska Cove, Island of Lastovo (June 2021).
Systematized plastic ear sticks from the Uska Cove, Island of Lastovo (June 2021).