Plastic Busters embarked on the Mediterranea boat on Monday May 27 at Bari!

The researchers of the Plastic Busters have joined the efforts of the Mediterranea Cultural and Scientific expedition in fighting the presence of plastics in the Mediterranean Sea. In particular, during this trip, the Plastic Busters will recover data from the region between Bari and Otranto Puglia.

The Plastic Busters’ team has conducted several missions during the last year to collect data on the presence of microplastics and the impacts of these on marine life, including the potential risks for human health. As Professor Maria Cristina Fossi explains “when the plastics reach the stomach of different affected species, they release pollutants, such as phthalates, which interact to varying degrees with the health of marine organisms.”

Read more about the Plastic Busters expedition in these Italian articles:

I ricercatori “acchiappa plastica” dell’Università di Siena salpano sulla barca “Mediterranea”

Mediterranea fa rotta verso sud per le tappe pugliesi. A bordo i ricercatori “acchiappa plastica” di Siena per salvare il Mediterraneo

Progetto Mediterranea: la spedizione fa rotta sulle Tremiti

Storify: I “PlasticBusters” al lavoro nel mare pugliese