PASQUINI FABIANA

Microplastics and hydrocarbon contamination are emerging environmental concerns in marine ecosystems, with potential impacts on marine organisms and ecosystem health. This PhD project focuses on improving and applying the Aqualis device, developed by Aquageo Srl for the recovery of microplastics, hydrocarbons and other small floating debris from seawater. Following sample pre-treatment, the recovered microplastics are characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to provide information on their polymer composition and morphological characteristics. Hydrocarbons collected by the sponge positioned under the device are analysed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify and characterise the different compounds present in the mixture. The project aims to investigate the potential of the Aqualis device for reducing marine pollution while supporting the monitoring and characterisation of environmental contaminants.