Microplastics in beaches within the influence area of the Veracruz Reef System National Park (PNSAV), Mexico

Background. Plastic production has increased considerably in the last decades, with production during 2019 of 368 million tons, where a considerable amount is discarded into the environment, where it wears out and decomposes into microplastics. Objectives. Quantify and characterize the microplastics on the beaches of the area of influence of the Parque Nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano (PNSAV). Methods. The present study sampled sand beaches on the coasts of Veracruz, more specifically in La Mancha, Chachalacas, Chalchihuecan, Antón Lizardo, and El Sendero, in the municipalities of Actopan, Úrsulo Galván, La Antigua and Alvarado, respectively. Plastic particles were obtained after drying and sieving the sand and were quantified and characterized by spectroscopy (FTIR) and electron microscopy (SEM). Results. A total of 180 plastic pieces (4.5 pieces /m2 ) were found in the zone of influence of the PNSAV. El Sendero and Chachalacas’s beaches presented the most plastic pieces. Of the total number of particles in the system, 92.35% were irregularly shaped, and the rest were fibers, pellets, and films. Regarding the type and dominance of plastic polymers found on the beaches, the three primary materials were high and low-density polyethylene (26.67 and 27.22 %, respectively) and polypropylene (23.33 %). Conclusions. Microplastics were found on all the beaches analyzed, most of which were irregular in shape, representing a risk for organisms that ingest them since they serve as vectors of pathogenic microorganisms and dispersers of toxic chemicals.