Microplastic occurrence and distribution in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Microplastics (MPs) were assessed in water and sediment samples along the Salado Estuary, an estuarine system composed of a complex river drainage network in Guayas, Ecuador. MPs were quantified and categorized according to shape, size, and composition. Pellet morphology (237,490 MP/L) and transparent color MPs (252,990 MP/L) were the most common in water, while fragments (27,330 MP/m) and silver color MPs (25,310 MP/kg) were the most common in solid samples (river sediments, mangrove mud, and sand).

Innovative biopolyelectrolytes-based technologies for wastewater treatment.

Developing eco-friendly, cost-effective, and efficient methods for treating water pollutants has become paramount in recent years. Biopolyelectrolytes (BPEs), comprising natural polymers like chitosan, alginate, and cellulose, have emerged as versatile tools in this pursuit. This review offers a comprehensive exploration of the diverse roles of BPEs in combating water contamination, spanning coagulation-flocculation, adsorption, and filtration membrane techniques.

A Descriptive Qualitative Study of the Perceptions of Regulatory Authorities, Parents, and School Canteen Owners in the South of Ecuador about the Challenges and Facilities Related to Compliance with the National Regulation for School Canteens.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Ecuadorian school population continues to increase. An important factor in children's nutrition is the food offered in school canteens. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of the challenges faced by and facilities of school canteens in the provinces of southern Ecuador in terms of complying with national regulations.

Occurrence of emerging contaminants in surface water bodies of a coastal province in Ecuador and possible influence of tourism decline caused by COVID-19 lockdown.

Emerging contaminants in water bodies is an issue of concern due to their impact on the ecosystem and human health. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the implementation of protective measures such as social distancing, lockdowns, and remote work, which have affected the tourism influx. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of emerging pollutants in bodies of water in Esmeraldas, a coastal province of Ecuador, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a highly touristic region.

Acute Toxicity of Daphnia magna Neonates Exposed to Single and Composite Mixtures of Four Emerging Contaminants.

The effects of emerging contaminants on environmental health are of high concern, especially those potentially induced by mixtures. We assessed single and composite mixtures of triclosan (T), 17β-estradiol (E2), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and nicotine (N) at various concentrations, on neonates of Daphnia magna. When used in single exposure, T and N induced high toxicity (100% immobility, each one), compared to SMX and E2 (2.

Insights into Palladium Deactivation during Advanced Oxidation Processes.

A key step in creating efficient and long-lasting catalysts is understanding their deactivation mechanism(s). On this basis, the behavior of a series of Pd/corundum materials during several hydrogen adsorption/desorption cycles was studied using temperature-programmed desorption coupled with mass spectrometry and aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. The materials, prepared by impregnation and by sputtering, presented uniform well-dispersed Pd nanoparticles.

Human health risk assessment of metals and metalloids in mining areas of the Northeast Andean foothills of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Gold mining (GM) is a major source of metals and metalloids in rivers, causing severe environmental pollution and increasing the exposure risks to the residents of surrounding areas. Mining in Ecuadorian Amazonia has dramatically increased in recent years, but its impacts on Indigenous local populations that make use of rivers are still unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the risks to adults and children caused by the exposure to metals and metalloids in freshwater ecosystems contaminated with tailings released by GM activities in 11 sites of the upper Napo River basin, Ecuador.

Microplastics in rivers and coastal waters of the province of Esmeraldas, Ecuador.

This study represents the first assessment of microplastic (MP) contamination in the coastal area of the Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador. MPs were quantified in 14 coastal waters in beaches with different urbanization level and in 10 rivers. The most abundant MP types were transparent fibres, brown fragments, grey fragments, transparent fragments, and black fragments, which together represented 84% of the total count.

An Integrative Approach to Assess the Environmental Impacts of Gold Mining Contamination in the Amazon.

As the number of legal and illegal gold mining sites increases in the Andes-Amazonia region, integrative methods to evaluate the effects of mining pollution on freshwater ecosystems are of paramount importance. Here, we sampled water and sediments in 11 sites potentially affected by gold mining activities in the Napo province (Ecuador). The environmental impacts were evaluated using the following lines of evidence (LOEs): water physicochemical parameters, metal exposure concentrations, macroinvertebrate community response (AAMBI), and toxicity by conducting bioassays with and .

Emerging Contaminants in the Northeast Andean Foothills of Amazonia: The Case of Study of the City of Tena, Napo, Ecuador.

This work is a study on the occurrence of emerging pollutants in the northeast Ecuadorian Amazon. Emerging contaminants (ECs)-caffeine, triclosan, estradiol, acetaminophen, nicotine, and ibuprofen-were quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in rivers and streams of the Amazon basin near the city of Tena, Ecuador. For that, a total of 16 natural water samples were taken in 8 locations.

Catalytic Palladium-Based and Iron-Based Membrane Reactors: Novel Strategies of Synthesis.

Several procedures were employed in the preparation of different Pd- and Fe-based catalytic membrane reactors (CMRs) via the normal wet impregnation method, reverse filtration of a microemulsion, sputtering method, and the precipitation of a Fe complex. Depending on the chosen procedure, the metal active phase can be found on the exterior and/or interior part of the CMR or even in its pores in concentrations between 0.05 and 2 wt %.