THE DYNAMIC OF PLASTIC AND MICROPLASTIC WASTE IN THE ISHMI RIVER WAS ANALYZED USING VIBRATIONAL METHODOLOGY, THE FTIR NICOLET 6700, AND RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY

Albania is considered one of the countries with the highest percentage of untreated plastic in the Mediterranean, about 73%. Approximately 14% of total waste in our country is plastic witch consist in a daily production of plastic waste amounts to 198 tons of low-density and 111 tons of high-density plastic. Plastic - a "silent invader" can stay in the environment for hundreds of years, slowly breaking down into pieces smaller than 5mm called microplastics (MP). MP can seep into ecosystems, contaminate water sources, soil and biota consequently all food chains. Furthermore, the widespread use of plastic in everyday products means that plastic pollution affects almost every corner of the globe, making it an insidious and widespread threat. There is a pressing need for enhanced monitoring and information regarding microplastic pollution in both freshwater and marine environments in Albania, along with an evaluation of the primary sources of plastic pollution in rivers and lakes. The Ishmi River, stretching 74 km and flowing through Rinas, Fushë Kruja, ultimately reaching the Adriatic Sea via Cape Rodoni, is identified by the National Environmental Agency as the most polluted basin. The primary contributors to pollution in the Ishmi River are plastic and primary microplastic waste originating from domestic products, local activities along the river basin, and natural processes. Through this paper, the reader is presented with the dynamics of plastic polymers and microplastics present in five different stations of the river, involving specific steps such as collection, chemical treatment, density separation, and sample filtration. This study aimed to evaluate the importance of using vibrational methodology in determining the dynamics of plastic polymers in freshwater ecosystems by using comparative techniques, such as the FTIR Nicolet 6700 and Raman Spectroscopy.