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Papers
17 resultsShowing papers from Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral
ClearA Call to Include Plastics in the Global Environment in the Class of Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Pollutants
This viewpoint paper argues that plastics in the environment should be formally classified as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants, the same category as chemicals like DDT and mercury. The authors present evidence that plastics meet all three criteria: they resist degradation, accumulate in organisms and food chains, and release harmful chemicals. Reclassifying plastics this way could trigger stronger regulatory protections worldwide.
Environmental and Economic Viability of Chitosan Production in Guayas-Ecuador: A Robust Investment and Life Cycle Analysis
Researchers evaluated the environmental and economic feasibility of producing chitosan, a biopolymer derived from shrimp shell waste, in Ecuador. They found that the process is financially viable and offers environmental benefits compared to disposing of shrimp waste, which is generated in enormous quantities by Ecuador's shrimp industry. The study suggests that converting seafood processing waste into valuable biopolymers could reduce both pollution and dependence on petroleum-based plastics.
COVID-19 Impacts on Beaches and Coastal Water Pollution at Selected Sites in Ecuador, and Management Proposals Post-pandemic
Researchers studied how COVID-19 lockdown measures temporarily improved environmental conditions at beaches and coastal waters in Ecuador by reducing direct human activities like tourism and port operations. The study found decreases in plastic litter, hydrocarbon contamination, and microbiological pollution during confinement periods, though conditions are expected to revert as activities resume.
Informal waste pickers in guayaquil: Recycling rates, environmental benefits, main barriers, and troubles
Researchers studied the role of informal waste pickers in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and found they contribute significantly to recycling efforts that formal waste management systems miss. By calculating the carbon footprint avoided through their recycling activities, the study quantified substantial environmental benefits. The findings highlight that integrating informal recyclers into official waste systems could improve both recycling rates and environmental outcomes in developing cities.
Ecotoxicological Assessment of Microplastics and Cellulose Particles in the Galápagos Islands and Galápagos Penguin Food Web
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination around the Galapagos Islands, using the endangered Galapagos penguin as an indicator species. They found microplastics and cellulose particles in seawater, zooplankton, and fish that penguins eat, confirming that contamination has reached this remote ecosystem's food web. The study raises concerns about the cumulative effects of microplastic exposure on already vulnerable species in one of the world's most important marine biodiversity hotspots.
Modelling microplastic bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential in the Galápagos penguin ecosystem using Ecopath and Ecosim (EwE) with Ecotracer
Researchers used ecosystem modeling to trace how microplastics move through the food web of the Galapagos penguin, from small prey organisms up to the penguins themselves. The model predicted that microplastics accumulate and magnify as they move up the food chain, with top predators like penguins carrying the highest concentrations. The study offers a non-invasive way to assess microplastic risks to endangered species without the need for lethal sampling.
A microplastic size classification scheme aligned with universal plankton survey methods
This paper proposed harmonizing microplastic size classification with existing plankton research categories established over 120 years, arguing that aligning the two frameworks would enable biologically meaningful size comparisons and facilitate integration of MP data with plankton ecology literature.
A first step to assess suspended microplastics in a freshwater wetland from the coastal region of Ecuador
Researchers conducted the first assessment of suspended microplastics in La Segua wetland in Ecuador, a Ramsar-designated site threatened by agricultural and aquaculture pressures, evaluating potential risks to filter-feeding organisms in aquatic food webs.
Bibliometric Analysis of the Effects of Aquaculture on Mangrove Forests
Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of 993 documents from 39 countries examining the effects of aquaculture on mangrove forests, with major contributions from China, the United States, and Indonesia. The study identified four priority research areas: heavy metal pollution assessment, blue carbon and climate change mitigation, conservation strategies, and the use of remote sensing and machine learning for monitoring mangrove loss. The findings highlight that aquaculture remains a significant threat to these critical coastal ecosystems that provide biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and flood protection services.
Marine microplastics on the rise in the Eastern Tropical Pacific: Abundance doubles in 11 years and a ten-fold increase is projected by 2100
Analysis of a microplastic time-series dataset collected in the Eastern Tropical Pacific off Ecuador from 2008 to 2018 revealed a significant doubling of surface microplastic abundance over the decade, documenting a sustained and accelerating increase in ocean plastic contamination.
Hg, Cd, As, and Pb in surface sediments from the tropical coastal lagoon Estero Salado, Gulf of Guayaquil-Ecuador
Surface sediments from the tropical coastal lagoon Estero Salado in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador, were analyzed for mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and lead contamination. Metal concentrations reflected inputs from the surrounding city of Guayaquil and revealed spatial patterns linked to industrial and urban discharges into this highly productive coastal ecosystem.
Health risk-benefit assessment of the commercial red mangrove crab: Implications for a cultural delicacy
Researchers conducted a risk-benefit assessment of red mangrove crabs from Ecuador's Guayas estuary, finding that inorganic arsenic was the primary contaminant of concern and that safe consumption is possible in limited portions, underscoring how environmental pollution quality directly constrains the safety of culturally important seafood.
Microplastics and Macroplastic Debris as Potential Physical Vectors of SARS-CoV-2: A Hypothetical Overview with Implications for Public Health
This hypothesis paper proposes that macro- and microplastic debris could act as physical vectors for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, reviewing evidence on viral persistence on plastic surfaces and the surge in pandemic-related plastic waste. The authors argue that plastic pollution represents an underexamined dimension of COVID-19 transmission risk, particularly in coastal and aquatic environments.
Preferential grazing and repackaging of small polyethylene microplastic particles (≤ 5 μm) by the ciliate Sterkiella sp.
Researchers found that the ciliate Sterkiella sp. preferentially ingested small polyethylene microplastic particles over algal prey (Isochrysis galbana) when offered a mixed diet, and repackaged these microplastics into fecal pellets, suggesting ciliates may play a role in the vertical transport of microplastics in marine systems.
Preparation and Characterization of Ecuadorian Bamboo Fiber-Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Biocomposites
Researchers prepared and characterized biocomposites made from Ecuadorian bamboo fiber reinforced in low-density polyethylene, finding that the natural fiber reinforcement improved several material properties compared to pure LDPE. The study highlights bamboo fiber composites as a more sustainable alternative that reduces reliance on purely synthetic plastics.
The Environmental and Economic Viability of Chitosan Production in Guayas-Ecuador: A Robust Investment and Life Cycle Analysis
Ecuadorian researchers analyzed the environmental and economic feasibility of producing chitosan—a biodegradable biopolymer—from shrimp shell waste. Chitosan has potential applications as a natural plastic alternative and as a flocculant for removing microplastics from water.
Factores que influyen en el pH del agua mediante la aplicación de modelos de regresión lineal
This study applies regression models to predict water pH based on physicochemical variables. It is an environmental chemistry methods paper with no direct connection to microplastic research.