First multi-compartment approach to microplastics in an urbanized estuary of Argentina: The case of Magallana gigas.

This study assesses MP in water, sediment, gills, and digestive tract of the oyster Magallana gigas in three Bahía Blanca estuary sites, Argentina, using, Pollution Load Index (PLI) and SEM/EDX (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) and FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) techniques. A total of 51 MPs were detected in water (mean: 16 items L) and 126 in sediments (mean: 1399 items Kg) with no significant differences between sites. In oysters, 186 MPs were found, with no significant differences in the MPs load between gills (mean: 2.

Marine coastal chemistry related to inland inputs in San Jorge gulf and the adjacent north coast.

Coastal regions are sectors where human activities impact the marine ecosystem, and if necessary control measures are not taken, they can generate negative consequences for health and ecosystem services. Within the framework of the Pampa Azul initiative and under the One Health paradigm, the interconnection between the terrestrial and marine environments of the San Jorge Gulf and the adjacent north coast has been studied. In November, 2022, a campaign was carried out aboard the R/V "Mar Argentino" at thirty-four stations near the coast.

Influence of the geographic location and house characteristics on the concentration of microplastics in indoor dust.

Microplastics (MPs) are known for their ubiquity, having been detected in virtually any environmental compartment. However, indoor MPs concentrations are poorly studied despite being closely related to human exposure. The present study aims to evaluate the presence of MPs in settled atmospheric dust in 60 houses distributed in 12 districts of the metropolitan city of Lima, Peru, and investigate the influence of their geographical location and house characteristics.

Assessment of meso- and microplastics distribution in coastal sediments and waters at the middle estuary of the Rio De La Plata, Argentina (SW Atlantic Ocean).

Estuarine coastal water and sediments collected from multiple locations within the middle Río de la Plata (RDLP) estuary were analyzed in order to identify the presence of microplastics (MPs, <5 mm) and mesoplastics (MePs, 5-25 mm) in one of the most significant estuaries in the Southwestern Atlantic. The present study represents one of the first researches to survey MPs and MePs contamination in key stations at RDLP estuary. Average concentrations of 14.

Plastic and paint debris in marine protected areas of Peru.

Contamination with anthropogenic debris, such as plastic and paint particles, has been widely investigated in the global marine environment. However, there is a lack of information regarding their presence in marine protected areas (MPAs). In the present study, the abundance, distribution, and chemical characteristics of microplastics (MPs; <5 mm), mesoplastics (MePs; 5-25 mm), and paint particles were investigated in multiple environmental compartments of two MPAs from Peru.

Chemical-analytical characterization and leaching of heavy metals associated with nanoparticles and microplastics from commercial face masks and the abundance of personal protective equipment (PPE) waste in three metropolitan cities of South America.

In this study, we surveyed the presence of personal protective equipment (PPE) waste on the streets of Bogotá-Colombia, Lima-Perú, and Mar del Plata-Argentina. Furthermore, this work is also focused on the release capacity of Ag, Cu, and Zn metals associated with nanoparticles, and microplastics (MPs) from textile face masks (TFMs) and disposable face masks. According to our results, an association between low-income areas and PPE waste was found, which may be related to the periodicity of waste collection and economic activity.

Rajids ovipositing on marine litter: A potential threat to their survival.

Marine litter is a complex environmental issue threatening the well-being of multiple organisms. In the present study, we present an overlooked pathway by which marine litter interaction with certain ovigerous skates (Family: Rajidae) communities could compromise their survival. We propose that skates from the genus Sympterygia deposit their egg capsules on marine litter substrates by accident, which are then washed ashore still unhatched.

Microplastics in commercial seafood: Pleoticus muelleri as a case study in an estuarine environment highly affected by human pressure (Southwestern Atlantic).

Plastic pollution in seafood has become a worldwide safety concern due to its possible harm to humans. This is the first study which has investigated the length-weight relationship, growth patterns and condition factor, together with the concentrations of microplastics (MPs) and mesoplastics (MesoPs) in Pleoticus muelleri from the Bahia Blanca Estuary (BBE), Argentina. Forty-nine individuals were collected from three sampling stations in the BBE, and each abdominal muscle with the gastrointestinal tract was analyzed.

Tracking synthetic microdebris contamination in a highly urbanized estuary through crabs as sentinel species: An ecological trait-based approach.

Synthetic microdebris (particles of <5 mm) are a worldwide concern because they can affect the community structure of the aquatic ecosystems, organisms, and even food webs. For the biomonitoring of synthetic microdebris (especially microplastics, MPs), mainly benthic invertebrates are used, but crabs have been less studied in the literature. We studied the synthetic microdebris contamination in water, sediments, and three representative intertidal crabs (Neohelice granulata, Cyrtograpsus angulatus and Leptuca uruguayensis) with different lifestyles from the Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina.

Degradation of plastics associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented form of plastic pollution: personal protective equipment (PPE). Numerous studies have reported the occurrence of PPE in the marine environment. However, their degradation in the environment and consequences are poorly understood.

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

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) found in both countries were comparable to previous studies.

Occurrence, distribution, and characterization of suspended microplastics in a highly impacted estuarine wetland in Argentina.

Microplastics have been a global concern due to their potential and widespread risks to organisms and environments. In this study, we investigated the abundance, distribution, and characteristics of microplastics (MPs) in the surface waters of the Bahía Blanca Estuary (BBE), specifically in its inner and middle zone. The results showed the dominant shape of MPs were fibers, being black, transparent, and blue the main colors.

Chromium behavior in a highly urbanized coastal area (Bahía Blanca Estuary, Argentina).

The contamination of estuaries by heavy metals from anthropogenic activities in the industrial, domestic, and agricultural sectors is a global concern. In this study, the Cr, Fe, and Mn levels in the suspended particulate matter (SPM) were analyzed in estuarine waters from Bahia Blanca Estuary, during 2014-2015. The values of particulate Cr ranged from 7.

COVID-19 pandemic repercussions on plastic and antiviral polymeric textile causing pollution on beaches and coasts of South America.

The propagation of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has been alarming in the last months. According to recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), the use of face masks is essential for slowing down the transmission rate of COVID-19 in human beings. This pandemic has generated a substantial increase in the use, as well as in the production, of face masks and other elements (gloves, face protectors, protective suits, safety shoes) manufactured with polymeric materials, including antiviral textiles most of which will end as microplastic pools.

Microplastics and suspended particles in a strongly impacted coastal environment: Composition, abundance, surface texture, and interaction with metal ions.

The composition and the interaction of the suspended particulate matter (SPM) with metal ions, along with the presence and characteristics of microplastics, were analyzed for the first time in the water column of the inner zone of Bahía Blanca Estuary during winter (June, July, and August) 2019. Surface analysis techniques (Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and X-ray Diffraction) were employed to obtain an in-depth characterization of the particulate matter, suggesting the presence of Fe in our samples, with a mixture of Fe/Fe oxidation states. Microplastics ranged in concentrations between 3 and 11.

Chemical composition and abundance of microplastics in the muscle of commercial shrimp Pleoticus muelleri at an impacted coastal environment (Southwestern Atlantic).

Microplastics (plastics <5 mm) contamination is of worldwide concern and represents a threat to the environment, biota, and humans. Also, they are potential carriers of other contaminants, increasing their adverse effects. In this study, it was analyzed for the first time the chemical composition and abundance of microplastics (MPs) in the commercial shrimp Pleoticus muelleri.

A baseline study of microplastics in the burrowing crab (Neohelice granulata) from a temperate southwestern Atlantic estuary.

Growing evidence has demonstrated that microplastics (MPs) are available for a wide range of marine organisms, with filter-feeding bivalves and crabs being especially vulnerable. The crab Neohelice granulata is considered a key and structuring species in the Bahía Blanca Estuary (BBE) (SW Atlantic) and its ecological role makes this species especially vulnerable to several pollutants. In this study, male specimens of N.

Assessment of surf zone environmental variables in a southwestern Atlantic sandy beach (Monte Hermoso, Argentina).

The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal dynamics (monthly/tidal) of water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a (chlo-a), suspended particulate matter (SPM), particulate organic carbon (POC), and dissolved nutrients in the surf zone of Monte Hermoso sandy beach, Argentina. We also aimed to understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for the observed variability. Sampling was carried out approximately monthly (September 2009-November 2010), and all samples were collected in a fixed station during high and low tide.

Heavy metals concentrations in zooplankton and suspended particulate matter in a southwestern Atlantic temperate estuary (Argentina).

The present work includes part of the first studies of metals concentrations in the zooplankton from a heavily industrialized estuary of Argentina, the Bahía Blanca estuary. Cd, Cu, and Pb concentrations in the zooplankton (macro- and mesozooplankton) and the suspended particulate matter were measured at stations with different degree of pollution. Physicochemical variables and zooplankton composition and abundance were also analyzed.

Sewage pollution effects on mesozooplankton structure in a shallow temperate estuary.

The effects of a sewage effluent with no treatment on the mesozooplankton structure and the environmental quality were evaluated in the Bahía Blanca Estuary, during June to November 1995. The highest values of particulate organic matter, nutrients and specially phosphate, were observed in the effluent discharge zone. In addition, taxa richness, mesozooplankton abundance and Shannon diversity values were lower in the sewage discharge area compared with the less polluted area.

Lead concentrations in zooplankton, water, and particulate matter of a southwestern Atlantic temperate estuary (Argentina).

This study presents for the first time valuable results of lead (Pb) accumulation in zooplankton from a southwestern Atlantic temperate estuary, the Bahía Blanca estuary, one of the most important and industrialized coastal environments of Argentina. It considers Pb concentrations in zooplankton organisms as well as in the dissolved and particulate phases. These fractions were analyzed on account of their important role in the biogeochemical cycles of trace elements in estuarine environments.