Master's in Ocean Pollution and Microplastics

This master's follows microplastics from their source to their removal. You will begin with the definition, classification and primary and secondary sources of microplastics; learn sampling protocols for the water column, sediments and biota with manta nets, filtration pumps and passive methods; prepare samples through chemical digestion and density separation; identify polymers with micro-FTIR, ATR, Raman, SEM, mass spectrometry and automated image analysis; study bioaccumulation, trophic transfer and ecotoxicological effects with in vitro and in vivo tests; model dispersion, accumulation hotspots and source traceability with GIS, remote sensing and hydrodynamic models; assess risks with risk matrices and multicriteria and probabilistic methods; explore remediation through bioremediation, nanomaterials, advanced filtration and autonomous platforms; and work with MARPOL, the Basel Convention, the single-use plastics directive, the global plastics treaty, extended producer responsibility and plastic reduction plans.

What sets this master's apart: it connects the laboratory, the ocean and policy in one program, so you learn not only how to measure microplastics reliably but also how to model where they go, judge the risk they pose and turn that evidence into prevention, remediation and regulatory decisions; it pays specific attention to the circular economy, port waste management and fishing gear recovery; and it closes with a Final Project in which you develop an integrated model for the monitoring, assessment and sustainable remediation of microplastics in ocean ecosystems.