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Microplastics in Brazilian coastal environments: a systematic review
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This systematic review assessed microplastic research across Brazilian coastal areas, including beaches, estuaries, mangroves, and reefs. Researchers analyzed 102 studies and found microplastics present across all types of coastal environments in Brazil. The findings underscore how widespread plastic contamination is in coastal waters, which matters because these are areas where seafood is harvested and people swim and recreate.
Esta revisão sistemática teve por objetivo avaliar o cenário atual da pesquisa com microplásticos (MP) em ambientes costeiros brasileiros, considerando praias e também ambientes ainda não relatados em revisões anteriores, como estuários, manguezais e recifes. Cinco bases de dados foram consultadas, e foram selecionados 102 artigos sobre o tema, publicados entre 2018 e 2023. As instituições de ensino e pesquisa que mais publicaram nesse período foram da Região Sudeste (37,3% dos artigos), seguida da Região Nordeste (34,3%). Universidades dos estados do Rio de Janeiro (15,7%) e Pernambuco (15,7%) lideram o número de publicações, seguidas pelas de São Paulo (11,8%), Rio Grande do Sul (11,8%) e Espírito Santo (7,8%). Acerca dos ambientes costeiros estudados, 70% dos estudos avaliaram a presença de MP em praias, 26% em manguezais, 2% em estuários e 2% em recifes de corais. Estudos que avaliaram a sua presença na biota marinha corresponderam a 43% dos artigos, sedimento (42%) e água (14%). Os organismos mais estudados foram os peixes ósseos (42%), bivalves (17%), crustáceos (7%), aves marinhas (7%), tartarugas (7%) e microfauna (5%). Apesar de crescente, a distribuição das localidades dos estudos ainda é desigual e não relacionada à extensão de faixa litorânea de cada estado. Quanto à origem, os trabalhos compilados no presente estudo permitem inferir que as principais fontes de MP são o turismo, a pesca e a descarga de rios, enquanto a ação das ondas e ventos contribui para a dispersão dessas partículas para praias menos urbanizadas e localidades remotas.
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