Beached microplastics at the Bahia Blanca Estuary (Argentina): Plastic pellets as potential vectors of environmental pollution by POPs

Arias, Andrés; Álvarez, Guadalupe; Pozo, Karla; Příbylová, Petra; Klánová, Jana; Pirani, Lucas S. Rodríguez; Picone, Andrea; Álvarez, Mónica B.; Tombesi, Norma

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114520

Cited by 34 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…These data, in terms of microparticle classification, are similar to those registered by Bouzekry et al [ 26 ], Abulouah et al [ 46 ], and Ben-Haddad et al [ 47 ]. They are different from those mentioned by Rangel-Buitrago et al [ 27 ] and Arias et al [ 48 ].…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 96%

Macroplastic and Microparticle Pollution in Beach Sediments from Urias Coastal Lagoon (Northwest Mexico)

Alvarado-Zambrano,

Rivera-Hernández,

Green-Ruiz

2024

Toxics

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This study investigates the occurrence and characteristics of macroplastic and polymer microparticles in the Urias coastal lagoon’s beach sediments, in northwest Mexico. Coastal lagoons, productive and vulnerable ecosystems, are impacted significantly by anthropogenic activities, leadings to their pollution by various contaminants, including plastics. Our research involved sampling sediments from four sites within the lagoon that were influenced by different human activities such as fishing, aquaculture, thermoelectric power plant operations, industrial operations, and domestic wastewater discharge. Our methodology included collecting macroplastics and beach sediment samples, followed by laboratory analyses to identify the plastic debris’ size, shape, color, and chemical composition. The results indicated a notable presence of macroplastic items (144), predominantly bags, styrofoam, and caps made of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The polymer microparticles were mainly fibers, with cotton and polyester as the most common polymers, suggesting a significant contribution from clothing-related waste. The dominant colors of the microparticles were blue and transparent. High densities were observed in areas with slower water exchange. Our findings highlight the urgent need for better waste management practices to mitigate plastic pollution in coastal lagoons, preserving their ecological and economic functions.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 96%

Macroplastic and Microparticle Pollution in Beach Sediments from Urias Coastal Lagoon (Northwest Mexico)

Alvarado-Zambrano,

Rivera-Hernández,

Green-Ruiz

2024

Toxics

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“…At the regional level, the plastic particles found, as well as the predominance of fibers, coincide with the results found in other matrices, such as fish, seabirds and coastal sediments [ 26 , 40 , 41 ], suggesting that atmospheric transport and deposition are key pathways to understanding the sources of contamination in other compartments and which complete the cycle of MPs in the environment.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Microplastics and anthropogenic debris in rainwater from Bahia Blanca, Argentina

Villafañe,

Ronda,

Rodríguez Pirani

et al. 2023

Heliyon

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“…Comparison of PAH content for the plastic spilled during the M/V X-Press Pearl disaster analyzed in this study and plastic found in the ocean globally. Ranges of pollution level are those defined according to Yeo et al Data presented for the nurdles and plastic debris were collated from literature-reported absolute, mean, or median values, ,,− details of which are available in Table S13. A comparison of each study is included in Figure S8.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To contextualize the PAH content of the spilled plastic, we compared our results to the PAH content measured and reported in the literature from 19 studies of plastic pellets (317 data points) and 15 studies of plastic debris (198 data points) found globally in the marine environment (Figure ). ,,− When they arrived onshore on May 25, 2021, the white nurdles had an EPA16 PAH content (∼1260 ng/g) double the median for nurdles found globally in the marine environment (∼589 ng/g). It should be noted that many of these other studies examined nurdles with a yellowness index of 30 to 50, assuming that the yellowing indicated that these nurdles had been in the environment long enough to accumulate significant amounts of PAHs .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire and Oil Led to Complex Mixtures of PAHs on Burnt and Unburnt Plastic during the M/V X-Press Pearl Disaster

et al. 2023

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In May 2021, the M/V X-Press Pearl container ship burned for 2 weeks, leading to the largest maritime spill of resin pellets (nurdles). The disaster was exacerbated by the leakage of other cargo and the ship's underway fuel. This disaster affords the unique opportunity to study a time-stamped, geolocated release of plastic under real-world conditions. Field samples collected from beaches in Sri Lanka nearest to the ship comprised nurdles exposed to heat and combustion, burnt plastic pieces (pyroplastic), and oil-plastic agglomerates (petroplastic). An unresolved question is whether the 1600+ tons of spilled and recovered plastic should be considered hazardous waste. Due to the known formation and toxicity of combustion-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), we measured 20 parent and 21 alkylated PAHs associated with several types of spilled plastic. The maximum PAH content of the sampled pyroplastic had the greatest amount of PAHs recorded for marine plastic debris (199,000 ng/g). In contrast, the sampled unburnt white nurdles had two orders of magnitude less PAH content. The PAH composition varied between the types of spilled plastic and presented features typical of and conflicting with petrogenic and pyrogenic sources. Nevertheless, specific markers and compositional changes for burning plastics were identified, revealing that the fire was the main source of PAHs. Eight months after the spill, the PAH contents of sampled stray nurdles and pyroplastic were reduced by more than 50%. Due to their PAH content exceeding levels allowable for plastic consumer goods, classifying burnt plastic as hazardous waste may be warranted. Following a largely successful cleanup, we recommend that the Sri Lankans re-evaluate the identification, handling, and disposal of the plastic debris collected from beaches and the potential exposure of responders and the public to PAHs from handling it. The maritime disaster underscores pyroplastic as a type of plastic pollution that has yet to be fully explored, despite the pervasiveness of intentional and unintentional burning of plastic globally.

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Beached microplastics at the Bahia Blanca Estuary (Argentina): Plastic pellets as potential vectors of environmental pollution by POPs

Cited by 34 publications

References 61 publications

Macroplastic and Microparticle Pollution in Beach Sediments from Urias Coastal Lagoon (Northwest Mexico)

Macroplastic and Microparticle Pollution in Beach Sediments from Urias Coastal Lagoon (Northwest Mexico)

Microplastics and anthropogenic debris in rainwater from Bahia Blanca, Argentina

Fire and Oil Led to Complex Mixtures of PAHs on Burnt and Unburnt Plastic during the M/V X-Press Pearl Disaster

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