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Waste and microplastic pollution on Acapulco beaches
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Researchers studied trash and tiny plastic pieces (microplastics) on two Acapulco beaches after Hurricane Otis, finding much higher levels during the high season (1852.56 pieces per square meter) than the low season (531.58 pieces per square meter). Most microplastics were foam fragments made of polystyrene, and the beaches showed more litter and plastic pollution than similar studies elsewhere, possibly linked to hurricane damage.
Microplastic (MP) pollution in marine and coastal ecosystems, particularly in areas affected by climatic phenomena such as hurricanes, poses a significant challenge. The aim of this research was to analyze the composition and concentration of solid waste and microplastics on two beaches in two tourist areas of Acapulco during two seasons following Hurricane Otis. Sampling was carried out in a 100 m transect parallel to the high tide line of each beach. Solid waste was collected manually, classified into different categories, and the pollution index (PI) was determined. For MP, 10 sand samples were taken per beach, and MP were extracted by density separation and filtration. Potential false positives were eliminated by immersing floating particles in two solutions, 16% HNO 3 and 30% H 2 O 2 . The MP were counted and classified using an optical microscope (A. KRUSS Optronic, MBL2000). The observed MP varied in size from 0.10 mm to 4.75 mm. The average PI values were 1.71 pcs/m² and 22.15 pcs/m² in the low and high seasons, respectively, classifying the municipality's beaches as clean and very dirty. Foam, rigid, and semirigid plastics were the most common waste categories in both seasons. The average MP abundance was 531.58 and 1852.56 MP/m 2 for the low and the high season, respectively. The MP were mainly foams, with an overall predominant size of 2.1–3.0 mm and made of polystyrene. The high presence of MP, in comparison to other studies, could have been influenced by Hurricane Otis, which resulted in damage and destruction of infrastructure adjacent to the beach. This study highlights the urgent need for effective mitigation strategies to combat plastic pollution in coastal areas, particularly those vulnerable to hurricanes and other extreme weather events.
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