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Invisible Footprints: Exploring Microplastic Pollution in the Colombian Caribbean Sea
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Researchers documented microplastic contamination throughout the surface and mid-waters of the Colombian Caribbean, detecting plastic particles in every single water sample collected across 16 stations in two departments. Concentrations were higher near the coast and in areas with strong river influence, with fibers and fragments of PET and polypropylene most common, and several rare high-risk polymers also detected. As one of the first systematic studies of its kind in this region, the work establishes baseline data for a relatively understudied stretch of the Caribbean and identifies urban river inputs as a key contamination driver.
Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a significant and emerging threat to global marine ecosystems; however, regional data for the Caribbean remain limited. This study presents a spatial and temporal characterization of MPs in surface and mid-waters of the Colombian Caribbean (Atlántico and Magdalena departments), which were analyzed as independent compartments due to methodological differences in sampling strategies. Sixteen sampling stations were established across two anthropogenic influence zones: Zone 1 (nearshore/bather zone) and Zone 2 (offshore). MPs were quantified and characterized according to shape, color, size, and polymer composition using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (µATR-FTIR) and multivariate techniques. MPs were detected in 100% of samples. Surface water MP abundance was higher in Magdalena (4.5 MPs m−3) than in Atlántico (1.7 MPs m−3). Mid-water MP concentrations reached maximum values during the high rainfall season in Atlántico, reflecting localized hydrological and anthropogenic influences rather than vertical gradients. Higher concentrations were generally observed in the nearshore Zone 1 compared to offshore Zone 2, although these differences were not consistently statistically significant. Fibers and fragments were the predominant shapes, and synthetic–natural polymer blends, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polyacrylic acid (PAA) were the most prevalent. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) indicated that strong fluvial inputs and proximity to urban and riverine sources were factors driving MP distribution. Additionally, the detection of polymers reported in the literature as rare and high-risk, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS), and polyvinyl stearate (PVS), highlights the complexity of MP sources in the region. Overall, these results provide the first spatial and temporal characterization of MPs in the surface and mid-water of the Colombian Caribbean and identify critical contamination hotspots that warrant targeted mitigation strategies.
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Abundance, distribution, and characteristics of microplastics in coastal surface waters of the Colombian Caribbean and Pacific
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This study documented microplastic abundance, distribution, and characteristics across Colombian Caribbean and Pacific coastal surface waters during the 2017 rainy season, finding concentrations up to 8.96 items per square meter and establishing the first national baseline for microplastic pollution in Colombian coastal waters.
Microplastics of surface waters of Colombian Caribbean
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Researchers collected and characterized microplastics from the surface waters of two Colombian Caribbean sectors influenced by major rivers, sampling across dry and rainy seasons and also analyzing the microbial communities living on the plastic surfaces. The study provides baseline pollution data for a region where microplastic research has been minimal, while the metagenomic analysis of plastisphere microbes adds ecological context. Understanding which microbes colonize plastic in tropical Caribbean waters is relevant to assessing whether those particles serve as vectors for harmful or antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Microplastics of marine sediments of the Colombian Caribbean
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This study quantified and characterized microplastics in marine sediments from two sectors of the Colombian Caribbean influenced by the Magdalena and Sinú rivers. Microplastics were found at all sampling sites, providing baseline data for this understudied region.
Presence of microplastics: Impacts in a marine-coastal environment of the Colombian Caribbean
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Researchers surveyed microplastic presence in a marine-coastal environment in Colombia, characterizing particle abundance, polymer types, and size distribution in water and sediment samples. Fibres dominated the samples, with polyester and nylon the most common polymers, pointing to synthetic textile washing as a key local source.
Microplastics pollution on Colombian Central Caribbean beaches
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Researchers conducted a baseline survey of microplastic contamination on Colombia's Central Caribbean Coast beaches, documenting MP types, sizes, and polymer compositions for the first time in that region and finding primarily secondary microplastics from fragmented larger debris.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.