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Plastic Pellets on Campeche Beach (Santa Catarina Island, Brazil): A Seasonality and Composition Study
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Researchers measured the abundance of plastic pellets on a beach in Santa Catarina Island, Brazil, across seasons, finding higher levels in summer and lower levels in winter. Seasonal variation in pellet abundance was linked to wind and wave patterns, which influence both pellet deposition and resuspension from beach sediments.
Alerts regarding marine contamination by microplastics motivated this study, conducted in Santa Catarina Island, South Brazil. During 12 sampling events, spatial and temporal distribution of plastic resin pellets, collected at two locations of Campeche beach, was analyzed, and polymer composition was identified. Plastic pellets were found in every sampling day, with a mean average of 1.16 pellets/ m2. Their abundance was influenced by two factors: Sampling location and Sampling day nested in each Season. There was a variable abundance along the monitoring period, with an increase of pellets in autumn. A significantly higher amount of pellets was found in one sampling place. The composition of the sampled pellets was heterogeneous, with a prevalence of low density polyethylene polymers. It is clear that a series of proceedings regarding production, stocking, transport and transformation of plastic pellets, must be considered, to avoid pellets loss of into the environment.
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Researchers mapped the spatial distribution of plastic pellets on Santos Beach in Brazil, collecting nearly 12,000 pellets during a summer sampling campaign in 2020. Pellet abundance varied along the beach longitudinal axis and across tidal zones, with the highest concentrations near the waterline, suggesting active transport by ocean currents.
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Researchers analyzed microplastics in beach sediments at three sites on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, across all four seasons. Microplastic abundance was higher at more urbanized beaches and varied seasonally, reflecting differences in anthropogenic pressure and local conditions.
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Seasonal Variations in the Abundance and Characteristics of Microplastics in the Coatzacoalcos Beach Sediments, Southwestern Gulf of Mexico
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Beach sand from Coatzacoalcos, Mexico was tested for tiny plastic pieces in both dry and rainy seasons. More microplastics were found during the rainy season than the dry season, with differences in plastic type and surface wear likely linked to rainfall, river flow, and ocean currents.
Effects of spatial and seasonal factors on the characteristics and carbonyl index of (micro)plastics in a sandy beach in Aveiro, Portugal
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination on a Portuguese sandy beach across wet and dry seasons, finding that surface concentrations were dominated by polyethylene pellets in the wet season (3-6 items/m) and that density separation revealed fibers at 23 times higher concentrations. Seasonal and spatial factors significantly influenced particle type, size, and carbonyl index, highlighting how sampling method choice affects pollution estimates.
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