Microplastic pollution in sediments of tropical shallow lakes.

Forty-eight tropical shallow lakes (depth ≤ 4 m) across a climatic gradient were assessed for microplastic (MPs; <5 mm) pollution based on MPs concentrations in archive samples from lake shore sediments. The MPs were classified by type (fragments or fibres), colour (yellow, black, red, green, blue, white, and transparent), size (0.55 to 4.

Cigarette butts in beach litter: Snapshot of a summer holiday.

Cigarette butts are considered the most common form of personal litter around the world. It is estimated that 5.5 trillion cigarettes are consumed globally each year and that 4.

Macroinvertebrates as biomonitors of pollutants on natural sandy beaches: Overview and meta-analysis.

This review synthesises information from published articles on the incorporation of pollutants by macroinvertebrates from sandy beaches, including both field samplings and bioassays. The hypothesis that macroinvertebrates quantitatively reflect the presence of pollutants in sediment, acting as biomonitors, was tested through a meta-analysis based on studies performed in situ. More than half of the studies were conducted in the Mediterranean.

Can the Atlantic ghost crab be a potential biomonitor of microplastic pollution of sandy beaches sediment?

The objective of the present study was to test whether the Atlantic ghost crab Ocypode quadrata is a reliable biomonitor of microplastic (MP) pollution of beach sediments. To test the hypothesis (H1) that the sediment is the main source of MP ingestion, the proportion of MP types (hard plastic, microfibers, pellet, soft plastic, and extruded polystyrene foam) in the gut content was compared with that on the strandline. The types of MPs in the gut content and sediment had similar proportions; black (~49%) and blue (~45%) microfibers were responsible for this similarity (55%), hence confirming H1.

Interannual water quality changes at the head of a tropical estuary.

Waters entering the small estuaries of the Brazilian north-east originate from drainage basins that cross semi-arid and tropical rainforest areas at various levels of use and conservation. Such rivers are often under heavy demand for water supply and other services, such as effluent dilution. The present study examines four consecutive years (2006-2009) of water quality-monitoring data divided by season (rainy and dry) just before the Goiana River enters its estuary.

The seasonal and spatial patterns of ingestion of polyfilament nylon fragments by estuarine drums (Sciaenidae).

Introduction: Artisanal fisheries in tropical estuaries are an important economic activity worldwide. However, gear (e.g.

Plastic litter on an urban beach---a case study in Brazil.

Beaches are subject to solid waste contamination at the strandline. Litter depositional dynamics is influenced by specific beach morphology and sources of solid wastes. The amount of items on the strandline of Boa Viagem beach (Recife, Brazil) was evaluated during dry and rainy seasons of 2005 to characterize their sources and depositional patterns.

Visual diagnosis of solid waste contamination of a tourist beach: Pernambuco, Brazil.

The solid waste accumulation patterns on Tamandaré beach, Pernambuco State (Brazil), was assessed from February 2001 to July 2002. This beach is easily accessible, frequently used, and there is a public cleaning service. The beach is under the influence of three small coastal drainage basins.