TY - JOUR
T1 - Occurrence of marine plastic litter and plasticizers from touristic beaches of Arauco Gulf in Central Chile
AU - Recabarren, Tatiana
AU - Torres, Mariett
AU - Gómez, Victoria
AU - Jacobsen, Camila
AU - Villablanca, Mathias
AU - Ahrendt, Camila
AU - da Silva Montes, Caroline
AU - Galbán-Malagón, Cristóbal
AU - Tombesi, Norma
AU - Pozo, Karla
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - Marine plastic litter (MPL) was collected from beaches (n = 3) of the Arauco Gulf in central Chile in spring 2021 and summer 2022. MPL was analyzed for physical and chemical characteristics, and plasticizers were also screened using FTIR-ATR. Three hundred seventeen plastic items with an accumulated weight of 226.8 g were found. MPL densities ranged from 0.4 to 17.1 items m−2. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between seasons were observed for Arauco and Maule beaches, being ∼ten times higher in summer compared to spring. Solid pieces were the predominant shape, macroplastics were the most abundant (>2.5 cm), and white and blue colors were dominant. Polypropylene (52 %) and polyethylene (31 %) were the predominant polymers. Plasticizers (n = 3) were detected in the MPL in the study area (dioctyl phthalate, polybutene, and alpha-methylstyrene) for the first time. This study contributes new information related to MPL in coastal areas of central Chile and their chemical composition.
AB - Marine plastic litter (MPL) was collected from beaches (n = 3) of the Arauco Gulf in central Chile in spring 2021 and summer 2022. MPL was analyzed for physical and chemical characteristics, and plasticizers were also screened using FTIR-ATR. Three hundred seventeen plastic items with an accumulated weight of 226.8 g were found. MPL densities ranged from 0.4 to 17.1 items m−2. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between seasons were observed for Arauco and Maule beaches, being ∼ten times higher in summer compared to spring. Solid pieces were the predominant shape, macroplastics were the most abundant (>2.5 cm), and white and blue colors were dominant. Polypropylene (52 %) and polyethylene (31 %) were the predominant polymers. Plasticizers (n = 3) were detected in the MPL in the study area (dioctyl phthalate, polybutene, and alpha-methylstyrene) for the first time. This study contributes new information related to MPL in coastal areas of central Chile and their chemical composition.
KW - Beaches
KW - Phthalates
KW - Plastic pollution
KW - Polymer composition
KW - Costa del Pacífico
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196016459&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116575
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116575
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85196016459
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 205
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
M1 - 116575
ER -
