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Small plastic debris along the coast of Peru
Summary
Small plastic debris including meso- and microplastics were surveyed along Peru's coastline, finding contamination at all sampled sites with significant variability by season and location. Higher concentrations were found near urban centers and river mouths, reflecting poor solid waste management and land-based inputs. The study provides the most comprehensive baseline data yet for plastic pollution along the Peruvian coast.
Peru suffers from poor solid waste and coastal management, as well as evidenced plastic pollution in various forms. However, studies on small plastic debris (i.e., meso- and microplastics) are still limited and inconclusive. Thus, the present study investigated the abundance, characteristics, seasonality and distribution of small plastic debris along the coast of Peru. The analysis revealed that the abundance of small plastic debris is predominantly driven by specific locations, where a source of contamination is present, rather than presenting seasonal patterns. Fishing and culinary activities are regarded as some of the most important sources of plastic pollution, as identified by the morphological and polymeric analysis of the samples. Additionally, heavy metals (e.g., Cu, Pb) were found on the surface of some mesoplastics at low concentrations. Here, we aimed to provide a baseline on the multiple factors involving small plastic debris on the Peruvian coast and preliminarily identify associated contaminants. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/425904/document