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Microplastics in the Amazon biome: State of the art and future priorities

Heliyon 2024 20 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 65 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Leonardo Mario Siqueira Morais, Arnaldo Fabrício dos Santos Queiroz, Tommaso Giarrizzo José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Leonardo Mario Siqueira Morais, Leonardo Mario Siqueira Morais, Arnaldo Fabrício dos Santos Queiroz, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Arnaldo Fabrício dos Santos Queiroz, Arnaldo Fabrício dos Santos Queiroz, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Bárbara Brito, Bárbara Brito, Norbert Fenzl, Tommaso Giarrizzo José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Tommaso Giarrizzo Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Leonardo Mario Siqueira Morais, Leonardo Mario Siqueira Morais, José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Tommaso Giarrizzo Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Tommaso Giarrizzo Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Tommaso Giarrizzo José Eduardo Martinelli Filho, Tommaso Giarrizzo Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo Marcelo de Oliveira Soares, Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo

Summary

This review examines microplastic pollution in the Amazon region and finds contamination levels comparable to heavily polluted areas worldwide. Poor sanitation is a major source, with fibers being the most common particle type found in water, sediment, and wildlife. Despite the Amazon's global ecological importance, research on microplastics there has been very limited, and the authors call for urgent expansion of scientific monitoring.

Polymers
Study Type Environmental

Microplastics (MPs) have been identified as a major potential threat to the biota and human health. Despite the exponential increase in MP research worldwide, few studies have focused on the extensive Amazon biome. To assess research priorities, the present study reviewed and summarized the available scientific knowledge on MPs in the Amazon, in addition to analyzing population and waste-management data, to evaluate potential sources of MPs in the hydrographic system. Poor sanitation conditions are a main source of MPs for the vast hydrographic basin, and, consequently, for the adjacent ocean. Secondary MPs predominated, mostly fibers (96% of debris), composed of polyamide (32%). Mean MP concentrations ranged from 0.34 to 38.3 particles.individual in biota, 5 to 476,000 particles.m in water, and 492.5 to 1.30848 × 10 particles.m in sediment, values in close comparison with those found in areas profoundly affected by anthropogenic pollution. MPs were widespread in a range of Amazonian environments and species, and negative effects are probably occurring at various ecological levels. However, limited research, methodological constraints, flaws and the lack of standardization, combined with the continental dimensions of the Amazon, hampers the collection of the fundamental knowledge needed to reliably evaluate the impacts and implement effective mitigation measures. There is an urgent need to expand scientific data available for the region, improving local research infrastructure, and training and deploying local researchers.

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