Marine macroinvertebrates inhabiting plastic litter in Peru

De-la-Torre, Gabriel Enrique; Dioses-Salinas, Diana Carolina; Pérez-Baca, Barnaby Licinio; Cumpa, Leslye Alexandra Millones; Pizarro-Ortega, Carlos Ivan; Torres, Fernando G.; Gonzales, Karen N.; Santillán, Luis

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112296

Cited by 46 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Face masks have been recognized as an important source of MPs ( De-la-Torre et al, 2021b ), particularly in aquatic environments. For instance, Wang et al, 2021 , Wang et al, 2021 estimated that a single surgical face mask could release up to 16 million MPs under simulated environmental conditions (stirring water in the presence of sand and UV-light irradiation).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by the COVID-19 pandemic along the shoreline of Lake Tana, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Aragaw

De-la-Torre

Teshager

2022

Science of The Total Environment

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Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution has become one of the most pending environmental challenges resulting from the pandemic. While various studies investigated PPE pollution in the marine environment, freshwater bodies have been largely overlooked. In the present study, PPE monitoring was carried out in the vicinity of Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia. PPE density, types, and chemical composition (FTIR spectroscopy) were reported. A total of 221 PPEs were identified with a density ranging from 1.22 × 10 −5 PPE m −2 (control site S1) to 2.88× 10 −4 PPE m −2 with a mean density of 1.54 × 10 −4 ± 2.58 × 10 −5 PPE m −2 . Mismanaged PPE waste was found in all the sampling sites, mostly consisting of surgical face masks (93.7%). Statistical analyzes revealed significantly higher PPE densities in sites where several recreational, touristic, and commercial activities take place, thus, revealing the main sources of PPE pollution. Furthermore, polypropylene and polyester fabrics were identified as the main components of surgical and reusable cloth masks, respectively. Given the hazard that PPEs represent to aquatic biota (e.g., entanglement, ingestion) and their ability to release microplastics (MPs), it is necessary to implement sufficient solid waste management plans and infrastructure where lake activities take place. Additionally, local authorities must promote and ensure sustainable tourism in order to maintain the ecosystems in Lake Tana. Prospective research priorities regarding the colonization and degradation of PPE, as well as the release of toxic chemicals, were identified and discussed.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by the COVID-19 pandemic along the shoreline of Lake Tana, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Aragaw

De-la-Torre

Teshager

2022

Science of The Total Environment

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“…A baseline study conducted in the city of Lima revealed PP, HDPE, PS, and polyester as the main polymer types constituting MPs in sandy beaches ( De-la-Torre et al, 2020a ). Also, the colonization of LDPE, PP, PA, and latex macroplastics by marine macroinvertebrates has been reported and discussed as a potential source of spreaders of potentially invasive species ( De-la-Torre et al, 2021a ). Also, according to the structure and layers topography of the face mask, there may be preferential growth of microorganism communities (i.e., bacteria and/or fungi) on the face mask surface during the first stages of biofilm formation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, solid waste management across the country is very poor, mainly consisting of open dumpsites and a limited number of certified controlled landfills ( Walmsley et al, 2018 ). Particularly, marine litter and microplastic pollution have been evidenced along the coast of Peru ( De-la-Torre et al, 2021a , De-la-Torre et al, 2020a , De-la-Torre et al, 2020b , Santillán et al, 2020 ), which may be associated with poor coastal management and environmental awareness.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the case of the headband frame, a section was cut into small pieces and pressed into a pellet with KBr. The readings were carried out in transmittance mode at wavelengths between 500 and 3500 cm −1 at a resolution of 8 cm −1 ( De-la-Torre et al, 2021a ). The adsorption bands were analyzed manually to determine the presence of several functional groups and suspected polymer identities.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, they may leach pollutants with ecotoxicological effects, such as heavy metals (e.g., Cd, Pb), plastic additives (phthalate esters), organic contaminants, nanoparticles (NPs) (Ag and Cu) from the face masks, gloves, and wipes during their degradation in the environment ( Kutralam-Muniasamy et al, 2022 , Sullivan et al, 2021 , Chen et al, 2021 ). On the other hand, this type of waste (in particular, face masks) could contaminate water bodies with the SARS-CoV-2 virus because these materials can be hosting sites for viruses and microorganisms ( Tran et al, 2021 ) and be colonized by marine macroinvertebrates present in the water column ( De-la-Torre et al, 2021a ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Binational survey of personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by the COVID-19 pandemic in coastal environments: Abundance, distribution, and analytical characterization

De-la-Torre

Dioses-Salinas

Pizarro-Ortega

et al. 2022

Journal of Hazardous Materials

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In the present contribution, two nationwide surveys of personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution were conducted in Peru and Argentina aiming to provide valuable information regarding the abundance and distribution of PPE in coastal sites. Additionally, PPE items were recovered from the environment and analyzed by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and compared to brand-new PPE in order to investigate the chemical and structural degradation of PPE in the environment. PPE density (PPE m −2 ) found in both countries were comparable to previous studies. FTIR analysis revealed multiple polymer types comprising common PPE, mainly polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyester. SEM micrographs showed clear weathering signs, such as cracks, cavities, and rough surfaces in face masks and gloves. EDX elemental mapping revealed the presence of elemental additives, such as Ca in gloves and face masks and AgNPs as an antimicrobial agent. Other metals found on the surface of PPE were Mo, P, Ti, and Zn. XRD patterns displayed a notorious decrease in the crystallinity of polypropylene face masks, which could alter its interaction with external contaminants and stability. The next steps in this line of research were discussed.

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Pollution by microplastic in highly crowded sandy beaches in Lima, Peru

Santillán

Dioses-Salinas

Pretell

et al. 2023

Environmental Quality Mgmt

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Plastic accumulation in coastal areas is a worldwide concern and Peruvian beaches are not exceptions. We visited three sandy beaches in Lima, Peru in spring 2019 and summer 2020, those were San Pedro, Costa Azul, and Las Conchitas. We collected sand to test microplastics (MP) occurrence and characterization. Fragments and fibers were the most common particle, FTIR spectrometry indicated evidence of polypropylene and polyethylene of low and high‐density. The abundance of MP was not the same in the three beaches; San Pedro presented the lowest abundance and Costa Azul the highest. MP occurred in both seasons, however, there was a decrease in summer, among the three beaches, the reduction in Costa Azul was not significant. MP decrease in summer is vinculated by cleaning campaigns to welcome visitors for the summer season. However, that procedure seems not relevant in Costa Azul because maintained a high pollution level. Synergy with other human activities occurs, like fisheries in San Pedro and Las Conchitas and informal dumps in Costa Azul. Our research describes the pollution of microplastics in three important and crowded beaches during summer. Our information provides a baseline about the beach condition mainly related to microplastic pollution and the effectiveness of environmental measures like cleaning campaigns.

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Marine macroinvertebrates inhabiting plastic litter in Peru

Cited by 46 publications

References 59 publications

Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by the COVID-19 pandemic along the shoreline of Lake Tana, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by the COVID-19 pandemic along the shoreline of Lake Tana, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Binational survey of personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by the COVID-19 pandemic in coastal environments: Abundance, distribution, and analytical characterization

Pollution by microplastic in highly crowded sandy beaches in Lima, Peru

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