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Microplastic contamination in surface waters in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2018 134 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Renato S. Carreira, Theodore B. Henry Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Maria Clara T. Martins, Maria Clara T. Martins, Glaucia Peregrina Olivatto, Renato S. Carreira, Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Renato S. Carreira, Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Renato S. Carreira, Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Theodore B. Henry Cassiana Carolina Montagner, Theodore B. Henry

Summary

Researchers sampled surface waters of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by horizontal plankton net trawling, finding microplastic concentrations ranging from 1.40 to 21.3 particles/m2 with chemical compositions identified by infrared spectroscopy. The results document widespread microplastic contamination in this heavily urbanised coastal bay.

Polymers

Microplastics (MPs) are contaminants of environmental concern that represent a threat to marine systems. Here we report data on the abundance and characteristics of MPs collected from surface waters of the urban Guanabara Bay. Samples were collected, by horizontal trawling of a plankton net on two occasions (summer of 2016). The MPs were obtained from samples by sieving and particles were manually sorted with microscope. Characterization of MPs was accomplished by gravimetry and digital image processing (for quantification and morphology categorization), and chemical composition identified by infrared spectroscopy and elemental analyses. Total MPs ranged from 1.40 to 21.3 particles/m, which places Guanabara Bay amongst the most contaminated coastal systems worldwide by microplastics. Polyethylene and polypropylene polymers ≤1 mm were the most abundant particles. Therefore, the occurrence of MPs in Guanabara Bay is relevant to understand ecological hazards of exposition to marine biota and merits further investigation.

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