Giuseppe Suaria

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Verified

Giuseppe verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• PhD in Marine Ecology
• Senior Scientist at Italian National Research Council

The Mediterranean Sea has been recently proposed as one of the most impacted regions of the world with regards to microplastics, however the polymeric composition of these floating particles is still largely unknown. Here we present the results of a large-scale survey of neustonic micro- and meso-plastics floating in Mediterranean waters, providing...

Microfibres are one of the most ubiquitous particulate pollutants, occurring in all environmental compartments. They are often assumed to be microplastics, but include natural as well as synthetic textile fibres and are perhaps best treated as a separate class of pollutants given the challenges they pose in terms of identification and contamination...

While macroplastics have been washing up on Southern Ocean islands for decades and microplastics have been found in seabirds from the region since 1960, there are still relatively few quantitative data on the amount of plastic pollution, especially with regard to floating plastics, at high southern latitudes. We present a baseline estimate of the a...

Microfibers are ubiquitous contaminants of emerging concern. Traditionally ascribed to the “microplastics” family, their widespread occurrence in the natural environment is commonly reported in plastic pollution studies, based on the assumption that fibers largely derive from wear and tear of synthetic textiles. By compiling a global dataset from 9...

Plastic pollution is a widespread issue in marine ecosystems worldwide, and at the basin level, the Mediterranean represents one of the main hotspots for plastic debris. Here, we present MPs pollution levels in the bivalve Donax trunculus, commonly known as wedge clam, considering both young and adult individuals, as well as sediment and water matr...

Early-career researchers face many challenges. These include balancing work and personal life, gaining professional recognition, achieving long-term job security and managing mental health. For international early-career researchers, these challenges are compounded owing to the need to adapt to new cultural environments and overcome language barrie...

Paints, coatings and varnishes play a crucial role in various industries and daily applications, providing essential material protection and enhancing aesthetic characteristics. However, they sometimes present environmental challenges such as corrosion, wear, and biofouling which lead to economic losses and ecological harm. Paint particles (PPs), i...

The vertical distribution of microfibers in surface, intermediate and deep water masses in different Mediterranean regions are affected by the complex circulation pattern of circulation typical of the Mediterranean Sea. MF in surface waters were generally homogenous in all regions. MF in intermediate and deep layers were different from different wa...

Anthropogenic litter, such as plastic, is investigated by the global scientific community from various fields employing diverse techniques. The goal is to assess and finally mitigate the pollutants' impacts on the natural environment. Plastic litter can accumulate in different matrices of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, impacting both biota and...

Microfibers (MFs) are ubiquitous in natural environments and are considered as an an-thropogenic litter that has become a global concern. Approximately 2 million tons of MFs are released into the ocean every year and once in the marine environment, it can be hypothesized that their accumulation and transport are largely controlled by oceanographic...

Anthropogenic litter, such as plastic, is investigated by the global scientific community from various fields employing diverse techniques. The goal is to assess and finally mitigate the pollutants' impacts on the natural environment. Plastic litter can accumulate in different matrices of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, impacting both biota and...

Worldwide, governments are implementing strategies to combat marine litter. However, their effectiveness is largely unknown because we lack tools to systematically monitor marine litter over broad spatio-temporal scales. Metre-sized aggregations of floating debris generated by sea-surface convergence lines have been reported as a reliable target fo...

Using seabirds as bioindicators of marine plastic pollution requires an understanding of how the plastic retained in each species compares with that found in their environment. We show that brown skua Catharacta antarctica regurgitated pellets can be used to characterise plastics in four seabird taxa breeding in the central South Atlantic, even tho...

Textile microfibers are the most commonly reported type of anthropogenic particle found by microplastic pollution surveys around the globe, often representing 80–90% of all particle counts. Significant concentrations of this emerging pollutant have been detected in most marine ecosystems surveyed to date, including sea ice, deep sea sediments, surf...

Flying fishes (Teleostei: Exocoetidae) and flying squids (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae) are key components of tropical and subtropical epipelagic ecosystems, but information about their ecology, abundance and global distribution is still scant. Here we present some notes on the occurrence of flying fishes and flying squids in the Eastern Atlantic Oc...

This publication is a Conference and Workshop knowledge service. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the European policymaking process. The scientific output expressed does not imply a policy position of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for...

Plastic and oil pollution are closely linked to our dependence on petroleum derivatives. Their excessive use and inefficiencies in their management, have led to negative impacts on marine ecosystems since their very introduction. Agglomerates of tar, plastic, paraffins, and other petrochemicals and oil derivatives with naturally occurring materials...

A new geological formation consisting of plastic debris admixed to petroleum oil residue, termed “plastitar”, has been recently described in the Canary Islands. Here, we report its widespread occurrence across the Mediterranean coast and new insights into its biogeochemical composition. Specifically, we found marked differences in the diagenetic st...

We report the distribution of floating plastics in the eastern and southern sectors of the Atlantic Ocean based on 35 neuston net trawl samples collected during two research cruises in 2016 and 2017. Plastic particles (>200 μm) were found in 69% of net tows, with median densities of 1583 items⋅km−2 and 5.1 g⋅km−2. Most particles (80% of 158) were m...

Plastic pollution in aquatic environments is a recognized environmental threat on a global scale and is fed by the linear economy model of “make-use-dispose,” which underpins both the fossil fuel and plastic industries. This chapter examines the issue of microplastic pollution in different freshwater environments: (i) rivers and tributaries, (ii) l...

This paper aims to guide the stakeholder engagement process related to plastic pollution research in marine environments. We draw on advice identified during an online workshop (Ocean Plastic Workshop 2022) organized by Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) from 11 countries, held in April 2022. International experts and workshop participants di...

Flexible decision-making tools are needed to support action plans for plastics and other pollutants. Reproducible Analytical Pipelines (RAPs) and technological readiness levels (TRLs) will enable systematic validation and global harmonization of plastic pollution monitoring methods.

Floating anthropogenic litter occurs in all ocean basins, yet little is known about their distribution and abundance in the coastal waters off east Africa. Neuston net and bulk water sampling shows that meso-and micro-litter (8567 ± 19,684 items•km−2 , 44 ± 195 g•km−2) and microfibres (2.4 ± 2.6 fibres•L−1) are pervasive pollutants off the coasts o...

NAUTILOS is an H2020 project funded under the Future of Seas and Oceans Flagship Initiative and it is developing new generation of cost-effective sensors and samplers to democratize the marine environment monitoring to Citizen Science activities. More specifically, samplers and scanners for the identification of micro-plastics, as well as devices f...

Large-area, artificial floating marine litter (FML) targets were deployed during a controlled field experiment and data acquisition campaign: the Plastic Litter Project 2021. A set of 22 Sentinel-2 images, along with UAS data and ancillary measurements were acquired. Spectral analysis of the FML and natural debris (wooden planks) targets was perfor...

The number of sailboats venturing northward to places like Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, and the Northwest Passage has increased in recent years. Sailboats are affordable, sustainable, and agile research platforms. Sailboats obviously cannot replace research vessels but they can be used to conduct detailed process studies that are difficult to cond...

The worldwide disruption caused by the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted the activities of marine scientists working towards the goals of the UN Ocean Decade. As in other disciplines, marine early-career researchers (ECRs) are essential contributors to the development of novel and innovative science. Based on a survey of...

Microfibers (MFs) are ubiquitous in natural environments and are considered as an an-thropogenic litter that has become a global concern. Approximately 2 million tons of MFs are released into the ocean every year and once in the marine environment, it can be hypothesized that their accumulation and transport are largely controlled by oceanographic...

Floating debris is one of the primary criteria of MSFD D10C1, but still few EU Member States put in place sampling strategiies to systematic monitoring this element. Italy, in the 2021-2023, set a monitoring programme for systematic monitoring of Floating Marine Macro Litter stratified for the most representative areas, i.e. at the mouth of rivers,...

Microfibers (MFs) are ubiquitous in natural environments and are considered as an anthropogenic litter that has become a global concern. Approximately 2 million tons of MFs are released into the ocean every year and once in the marine environment, it can be hypothesized that their accumulation and transport are largely controlled by oceanographic p...

This chapter provides a concise overview of the entire monograph by assembling summaries of 10 individual chapters starting with a global review of large-scale, persistent nutrient fronts of the World Ocean followed by regional chapters on the Arctic Ocean, North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, Kuroshio Current, and the Yellow Sea, a global review of CDOM dy...

Microplastics are increasingly recognized as being globally widespread, but relatively little is known about the presence and abundance of microplastics in samples collected in Polar Regions. Here we review the current knowledge about microplastic occurrence and distribution in polar environments, with a particular focus on the relevance of the dat...

Every year, vast quantities of plastic debris arrive at the ocean surface. Nevertheless, our understanding of plastic movements is largely incomplete and many of the processes involved with the horizontal and vertical displacement of plastics in the ocean are still basically unknown. In this chapter we review the dynamics associated with the transp...

Floating Marine Litter (FML) are mainly plastics or synthetic polymers that float on the sea surface after being deliberately discarded or unintentionally lost along beaches, rivers or marine environments. In recent years, much focus has been placed on locating, tracking and removing plastic items in both coastal areas and in the open ocean. The us...

Riverine systems act as converging pathways for discarded litter within drainage basins, becoming key elements in gauging the transfer of mismanaged waste into the ocean. However, riverine litter data are scarce and biased towards microplastics, generally lacking information about larger items. Based on the first ever database of riverine floating...

Coastal waters worldwide are widely contaminated with various-size plastics, whose presence in aquatic ecosystems has been shown to produce a wide range of economic and social impacts and harmful effects on marine ecosystems. While microplastics have been reported from many regions of the Mediterranean Sea, very few data exist regarding microplasti...

The ocean and human activities related to the sea are under increasing pressure due to climate change, widespread pollution, and growth of the offshore energy sector. Data, in under-sampled regions of the ocean and in the offshore patches where the industrial expansion is taking place, are fundamental to manage successfully a sustainable developmen...

Many people are now aware of the danger microplastics pose to oceanic wildlife. However, textile fibers released from fabrics we use every day have been overlooked until recently. The vast majority of these tiny thread-like particles - which have long been assumed to be plastic - are actually natural fibers like cotton and wool.

Microplastics are increasingly recognized as being globally widespread, but relatively little is known about the presence and abundance of microplastics in samples collected in Polar Regions. Here we review the current knowledge about microplastic occurrence and distribution in polar environments, with a particular focus on the relevance of the dat...

Globally, plastic pollution generates a dramatic environmental impact, posing an increasing hazard to wildlife and human health. Complex measures are needed at the societal level to curb this pollution trend: from changing consumer behavior, enhanced research for innovative solutions to reduce plastic production and increase plastic recycling ratio...

Textile microfibres are emerging pollutants with widespread distribution in natural environments [1, 2]. They are mostly discharged into wastewater from domestic washings [3] and arrive into the environment through wastewater effluents, aerial dry or wet deposition, or through the application of contaminated sludge on agricultural soils [4]. Microf...

Marine plastic debris floating on the ocean surface is a major environmental problem. However, its distribution in the ocean is poorly mapped, and most of the plastic waste estimated to have entered the ocean from land is unaccounted for. Better understanding of how plastic debris is transported from coastal and marine sources is crucial to quantif...

We report the results of a microfiber pollution survey performed in Mediterranean waters in 2017. Microfibers were found in all surface water samples collected with a mean concentration of 5.1 ± 2.3 fibers/liter. According to FTIR analysis (n=336), most of these fibers were made of non-synthetic materials such as cotton, cellulose and wool. Only 6....

Marine ecosystems are experiencing substantial disturbances due to climate change and overfishing, and plastic pollution is an additional growing threat. Microfibres are among the most pervasive pollutants in the marine environment, including in the Southern Ocean. However, evidence for microfibre contamination in the diet of top predators in the S...

We report the results of a visual survey of floating natural (NML) and anthropogenic (AML) macro-litter (>2.5 cm) performed in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea during a dual-use campaign onboard the Italian Navy tall ship “Amerigo Vespucci” which circumnavigated the Italian peninsula during May-June 2016. The distribution, abundance and co...

Microplastic pollution is presently considered a high concern topic by scientists, policy makers, governmental bodies, non-governmental organizations and the general public. Microplastics are highly widespread in all environmental compartments (e.g. air, water, sediments and biota) and increasing empirical evidence points towards potential negative...

In this study, abundance, distribution and composition of floating and seabed macro and micro litter in the Central Adriatic Sea were assessed. Floating macro litter observations were made. Floating and seabed micro litter were sampled with manta net and Van Veen grab, respectively. Micro litter particles visually found under the microscope were ch...

The JRC exploratory project RIMMEL provides information about litter, mainly plastic waste, entering the European Seas through river systems. RIMMEL has collected data on riverine floating macro litter inputs to the sea. Data acquisition was based on the Riverine Litter Observation Network (RiLON) activities, which collected data from rivers in the...

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most polluted areas of the world with regard to microplastics. However, detailed knowledge about the spatial variability in microplastics abundance and composition is lacking. We present here the result of a large-scale survey of microplastic pollution in Mediterranean surface waters, demonstrating sub-basin scal...

Marine anthropogenic litter has long been recognised as an emerging pollutant of global concern. Its ubiquitous distribution and its direct and indirect impacts on aquatic ecosystems, marine fauna and local economies have been recently highlighted by several studies and international organisations around the world. Although comprised of different m...

Recenti indagini hanno dimostrato la presenza di un'elevata densità di detriti antropogenici marini (AMD) tra il Mar Tirreno e il Mar Ligure, con concentrazioni di oggetti galleggianti, sia macroscopici che microscopici, comparabili con i valori riscontrati nell'Oceano Pacifico. L'accumulo di AMDs in mare e lungo la costa sta diventando un argoment...

Among the various materials that make up marine debris, lumps of petroleum waxes such as paraffin and microcrystalline wax, are regularly found on beaches worldwide, although not included in the current definition of marine litter. Ingestion by marine organisms is occasionally documented in the scientific literature and mass beaching events are fre...

Ship-based visual surveys are a powerful and inexpensive tool to monitor the abundance of floating macro-litter (FML) at sea, however the comparison among different studies is often hampered by substantial differences in counting techniques. Two main methods are currently used: distance sampling (line-transect) and strip transects (fixed-width), al...

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most impacted regions of the world by marine litter, however detailed knowledge on the existing relationship between the distribution of different plastic size classes in off-shore environments is still limited. We present the results of a large-scale synoptic survey of floating macro (> 2 cm) and micro (< 5 mm)...

La presenza di macro e microplastica in mare è aumentata negli ultimi anni. L'interesse verso questo tema che colpisce molto l'immaginario collettivo ha generato ampia letteratura divulgativa e molti report di varie associazioni e organizzazioni. Questo lavoro fornisce informazioni scientifiche di base sulla quantità di plastica in ambiente marino...

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most polluted areas of the world with regard to microplastics. However, detailed knowledge about the spatial variability in microplastics abundance and composition is lacking. We present here the result of a large-scale survey of microplastic pollution in Mediterranean surface waters, demonstrating sub-basin scal...

This volume contains the main results of the EC FP7 “The Ocean of Tomorrow” Project CoCoNet, divided in two sections: 1) a set of guidelines to design networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas; 2) a smart wind chart that will allow evaluating the possibility of installing Offshore Wind Farms in both seas. The concep...

The non-indigenous crabs Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) and Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1896) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Portunidae) are reported from Genoa and La Spezia, respectively, in the Ligurian Sea at the northern rim of the Mediterranean Sea. Both specimens were collected by fishermen who then brought them to the attention of profes...

Visual ship transect surveys provide crucial information about the density, and spatial distribution of floating anthropogenic litter in a basin. However, such observations provide a ‘snapshot’ of local conditions at a given time and cannot be used to deduce the provenance of the litter or to predict its fate, crucial information for management and...

We report the results of a large-scale survey of neustonic microplastics in Mediterranean waters. Plastics particles were found in all samples collected with an average concentration of 1.25 ± 1.62 particles/m^2 and 703.16 ± 1573.95 g/km^2. Thirteen different classes of synthetic polymers were identified, including polyethylene, polypropilene, poly...

Surface drifters and virtual particles are used to investigate transport between seven coastal regions in the central and southern Adriatic Sea to estimate the degree to which these regions function as a network. Alongshore coastal currents and cyclonic gyres are the primary circulation features that connected regions in the Adriatic Sea. The histo...

This volume contains the main results of the EC FP7 " The Ocean of Tomorrow " Project CoCoNet, divided in two sections: 1) a set of guidelines to design networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas; 2) a smart wind chart that will allow evaluating the possibility of installing Offshore Wind Farms in both seas. The conc...

Abstract Results from a large-scale visual survey of anthropogenic floating debris (>2 cm) carried out between 2013 and 2015 in the Mediterranean and NW Black Sea are reported. In both basins, similar densities and composition of floating debris were found and a mean abundance of 36.9±75.2 litter items/km2 was found throughout the study area. Plast...

Seasonal and inter-annual changes in the occurrence of floating anthropogenic (AMD) and natural (NMD) debris (>2 cm) were investigated during two visual surveys carried out in the Southern Adriatic and Northern Ionian Sea between May-June 2013 and March 2015. Despite a very similar geographic coverage and sampling effort (e.g. 328.8 km vs 300.5 km...

Reliable data regarding marine debris pollution in the Black Sea are lacking. This study provides the first account of the abundance and types of litter floating in the north-western part of the Sea. This information will help to develop effective solutions for marine litter in the region and therefore to achieve the EU objective of ‘Good Environme...

Neustonic micro-plastic abundance and polymeric composition were determined after a cruise conducted in the Southern Adriatic Sea between May 9th and 17th 2013. Plankton samples were collected using a Neuston net (200 µm mesh size) which sampled the first 50 cm of the sea surface at a speed of ~2 kts for 5-6 minutes. Samples were then stored in eth...

The general aim of this paper is to present a possible multidisciplinary approach to the problem of connectivity among marine protected areas (MPAs) describing some of the mechanisms and vectors that control the dispersal of propagules among spatially distributed marine communities of MPAs in the Southern Adriatic Sea. A joint approach is described...

Results from the first large-scale survey of floating natural (NMD) and anthropogenic (AMD) debris in the central and western part of the Mediterranean Sea are reported. The abundance, distribution and composition of floating macro (>2cm) and mega (>100 cm) debris were investigated during three shipboard sighting surveys conducted between May and O...

Results from the first large-scale survey of floating natural and anthropogenic debris in the central and western part of the Mediterranean Sea are reported. The abundance, distribution and composition of floating macro (>2cm) and mega (>100 cm) debris were investigated during three shipboard sighting surveys conducted between May and October 2013....

Floating debris is ubiquitous in the world ocean, and its presence is very widespread also in the Mediterranean Sea. The conservative nature of an important fraction of marine litter allows it to travel for distances up to the basin scale, causing local accumulation, posing a serious environmental threat, offering a rafting opportunity to marine or...