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The use of microplastics as a reliable chronological marker of the Anthropocene onset in Southeastern South America
The Science of The Total Environment2022
28 citations
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Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Felipe Lopes Alves,
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Lara M. Pinheiro,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Lara M. Pinheiro,
Lara M. Pinheiro,
Lara M. Pinheiro,
Lara M. Pinheiro,
Carolina Bueno,
Felipe Lopes Alves,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Lara M. Pinheiro,
Lara M. Pinheiro,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Felipe Lopes Alves,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Carolina Bueno,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Lara M. Pinheiro,
Carolina Bueno,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Laura Pérez,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Laura Pérez,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Laura Pérez,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Elisa Helena Leão Fernandes,
Elisa Helena Leão Fernandes,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Jair Weschenfelder,
Felipe Lopes Alves,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Jair Weschenfelder,
Felipe Lopes Alves,
Adriana Leonhardt,
Jair Weschenfelder,
Adriana Leonhardt,
M. Domingues,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
M. Domingues,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Elisa Helena Leão Fernandes,
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Grasiela Lopes Leães Pinho,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Vanessa Ochi Agostini,
Felipe García‐Rodríguez
Summary
Researchers analyzed microplastics in sediment cores from the world's largest coastal lagoonal system in southeastern South America, identifying a clear transition from microplastic-free sediments to contaminated layers that aligns with the onset of the Anthropocene.
Microplastics (MPs) represent an emergent contamination marker. For this reason, we analyzed the vertical distribution of MPs in six sediment cores retrieved from the Patos-Mirim System, the world's largest coastal lagoonal system. The sediment cores span from mid Holocene to present times according to both radiocarbon and lead dating and are located close to both urban/industrial and agricultural regions. We identified a basal pre-disturbance MP-free zone in all cores and an uppermost contaminated 70-cm-zone, where a general increasing trend in MPs content resembling the human anthropization process was recorded. The predominant format of MPs was fiber, followed by fragments. The most commonly identified polymers were rayon, PVC, acrylate, polycarbonate and cellophane. Urban/industrial and agricultural activities were shown as clear sources of MPs, leading to comparable MPs concentration values in the sediment cores. Thus, MPs are collectively a reliable indicator of the Anthropocene onset, and in the Patos-Mirim System the most appropriate chronology can be assigned to the beginning of 1970s, matching the intensification of anthropogenic activities in the area.