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Microplastic occurrence and distribution in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Sampling of water and sediments throughout the Gulf of Guayaquil estuary in Ecuador revealed extremely high microplastic concentrations — particularly polycarbonate, polystyrene, and polypropylene particles — with levels peaking near the city of Guayaquil. The findings document a largely unreported pollution hotspot in South America and highlight urban wastewater and shrimp farming as key contamination sources requiring management.
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). MPs made of Polycarbonate, Polyestyrene, and Polypropylene were the most common in all samples. Giving MPs characteristics, likely mapped sources were wastewater from Guayaquil and surrounding towns, boats, and shrimp farms. The samples with the highest MPs were found near Guayaquil, and those with the least were found in the estuary mouth. Monitoring and managing plastic disposal in estuaries are fundamental, as we report a small part of an undocumented issue here.
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Preliminary Assessment of Plastic Litter and Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater Depositional Areas: The Case Study of Puerto Misahualli, Ecuadorian Amazonia
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Researchers conducted a preliminary assessment of plastic litter and microplastics in sediments at a riverine depositional area in the Ecuadorian Amazon, finding low-density polyethylene bags as the dominant macroplastic and documenting microplastic presence in an upper Amazon basin location.
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Researchers quantified microplastic abundance and identified polymer types in sand samples from three beaches in Crucita, Ecuador, characterizing the contamination profile of this South American coastal environment and contributing to regional baseline data on MP pollution.
Microplastic pollution on beaches in Crucita, Ecuador: Polymer abundance and composition
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Researchers quantified microplastic abundance and polymer types on three beaches in Crucita, Ecuador, finding sub-millimeter particles highly abundant (653-1,460 items/kg) while the 1-5 mm fraction was less dense, with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating and a terpolymer of styrene, acrylonitrile, and methyl methacrylate found exclusively near the Portoviejo River mouth, indicating fluvial transport.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.