Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Rethinking the Environmental Quality of Brazilian Beaches: The Incidence of Microplastics as Indicator for Sea Water and Sand Quality

This paper proposes using microplastic levels in beach sand and seawater as indicators of beach environmental quality, arguing that current assessments in Brazil focus too narrowly on microbial contamination. The authors present evidence that microplastic contamination poses health risks to swimmers and coastal communities that should be incorporated into beach quality standards.

2020 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Textural characteristics and abundance of microplastics in Tecolutla beach sediments, Gulf of Mexico

Researchers analyzed the textural characteristics and abundance of microplastics in surface sediments from Tecolutla beach on the Gulf of Mexico coast, contributing baseline data on coastal microplastic pollution in an understudied region of Mexico.

2022 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in tourist beaches of Huatulco Bay, Pacific coast of southern Mexico

Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastics on tourist beaches in Huatulco Bay, Mexico, collecting 70 sediment samples across two seasons and finding fibrous microplastics at all sampled beaches, with the highest counts linked to tourism activity and hotel and restaurant effluent discharge.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 162 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination and fluxes in a touristic area at the SE Gulf of California

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in beach sands, surface waters, and sediment traps in the tourist city of Mazatlan, Mexico, finding higher concentrations during the rainy season and in urban areas, with polyethylene and polypropylene fragments being the most abundant types.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating Microplastic Pollution in Beach Sands from the Mexican Pacific Coast: Insights from a Standardized Monitoring Approach

Researchers implemented a standardized REMARCO/IAEA monitoring protocol at two tourist beaches and a coastal lagoon in Mazatlan, Mexico, collecting 124 beach sand samples between June 2020 and July 2021 to assess microplastic pollution (1-5 mm) and temporal variability, identifying fragments and foam as dominant types and synthetic polymers including polyethylene and polypropylene as primary constituents via ATR-FTIR analysis.

2025
Article Tier 2

Dataset of quantification and classification of microplastics in Mexican sandy beaches

This dataset presents the first national survey of microplastic contamination on 35 Mexican beaches across five coastal regions. Microplastics were found at all beaches, with fragments and pellets being the most common types, providing baseline data for monitoring plastic pollution along Mexico's coasts.

2020 Data in Brief 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution level of microplastics in sand beaches of four locations in the coast of El Salvador, Central America

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution levels in sandy beaches at four coastal locations in El Salvador, Central America, characterizing the concentration, spatial distribution, physical and chemical properties, and potential sources of microplastics and applying the Nemerow pollution index to categorize overall contamination levels at each site.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on sandy beaches of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico

Microplastics were found on all 21 sandy beach sites surveyed along the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico, with pellets and fragments as the dominant types and higher concentrations near urban areas. The study provides baseline data on microplastic contamination along a lengthy stretch of Mexican Pacific coastline largely lacking previous environmental monitoring.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 181 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastic pollution on coastal ecosystems using comprehensive beach quality indices

This study applied three beach quality indices to assess microplastic pollution in Chinese beach sediments, finding that all sampled beaches rated "very high" pollution and "bad" environmental status. The work provides a standardized framework for quantifying microplastic impact on beach environments, which is useful for guiding cleanup priorities and policy decisions.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in brazilian marine environments: a study on beaches in São Francisco do Sul - SC

Beach surveys along São Francisco do Sul in southern Brazil confirmed widespread microplastic presence in coastal sediments, with polymer composition reflecting regional plastic waste streams. The study adds to the body of evidence that Brazilian coastlines are significantly contaminated and calls for national monitoring standards to track and manage the problem.

2023 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on Santos Beach: Sources of Pollution, Waste Characteristics and Possible Collection Solutions

Researchers characterized microplastics collected from three zones of Santos beach in Brazil, finding contamination dominated by fragments and films near sewage outfalls. The study highlights inadequate waste management as the primary driver of beach microplastic accumulation and assessed feasibility of mechanical collection interventions.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Water Quality and the Potential Ecological and Health Risk in the Cajititlán Lagoon

Not relevant to microplastics — this ecological study tracks physicochemical water quality parameters and heavy metal concentrations in a Mexican lagoon over 14 years to assess ecosystem health and human health risk, with no focus on plastic pollution.

2023 Journal of Geography Environment and Earth Science International 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in surface waters surrounding a touristic beach at the Gulf of California, Mexico

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in surface waters around a popular tourist beach in Mexico's Gulf of California, finding that particle levels roughly doubled after spring vacation compared to before. Fibers were the most abundant type, and concentrations were highest closest to tourist activity. The results directly link human recreational activity to spikes in coastal microplastic pollution, underscoring the role of tourism in contaminating marine environments.

2025 International Journal of Environmental Health Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Mesoplastics and large microplastics along a use gradient on the Uruguay Atlantic coast: Types, sources, fates, and chemical loads

Plastic debris was found on Uruguayan beaches along a gradient of tourist use, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common polymers and various toxic chemicals detected on the particles. The study shows that recreational beach use is linked to higher plastic contamination in coastal environments.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Geotechnical Characteristics of the Sand at Praia Do Futuro, Ceará, Brazil

A survey of microplastic concentrations in beach sediments at Praia do Futuro, Brazil found levels that exceeded those in other Brazilian studies but were lower than many international benchmarks, with no significant difference between tourist-heavy and quieter zones. The study also characterized the sand's physical properties, providing baseline data for future monitoring in a region where coastal microplastic research has been limited.

2026 Pesquisa Operacional
Article Tier 2

Anthropogenic Litter on Beaches With Different Levels of Development and Use: A Snapshot of a Coast in Pernambuco (Brazil)

Beach litter was surveyed at nine sites in northeastern Brazil, finding plastic dominated at all beach types but with differences in litter composition linked to local activities. Characterizing litter sources at specific beaches is essential for targeted waste reduction policies.

2018 Frontiers in Marine Science 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Sea Turtle Nests on the Beaches of Nautla and Vega de Alatorre, Veracruz

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in sea turtle nesting beaches in Veracruz, Mexico, documenting contamination levels and types that could alter sand properties and negatively affect turtle egg incubation conditions.

2023 Microplastics 12 citations
Article Tier 2

(Micro)plastics: A possible criterion for beach certification with a focus on the Blue Flag Award

This paper argues that microplastic pollution should be incorporated as a criterion in beach quality certification programs like the Blue Flag Award. Including plastics monitoring would better reflect actual environmental health and encourage cleaner beach management.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics and microplastics on recreational beaches in Punta del Este (Uruguay): Unseen critical residents?

Researchers assessed plastic and microplastic pollution on recreational beaches in Punta del Este, Uruguay, finding contamination levels that reflected tourist activity and coastal currents, and raising concerns for beach users and coastal ecosystems.

2016 Environmental Pollution 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in beaches within the influence area of the Veracruz Reef System National Park (PNSAV), Mexico

Researchers quantified and characterised microplastics from five beaches within the influence area of the Veracruz Reef System National Park, Mexico, using FTIR spectroscopy and SEM analysis on sieved sand samples. A total of 180 plastic pieces (4.5 pieces/m2) were identified, dominated by irregular fragments (92%) composed primarily of high-density polyethylene (27%), low-density polyethylene (27%), and polypropylene (23%).

2023 Hidrobiológica 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characterization of microplastics on sandy beaches along the coastal area of Belize

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastic abundance on sandy beaches along the coastal zone of Belize, establishing baseline contamination data for a region of Central America and the Caribbean where such pollution assessments are critically lacking.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Sandy Beaches of Puerto Vallarta in the Pacific Coast of Mexico

Researchers surveyed three beaches around Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and found microplastics at every site, with the most tourist-heavy and river-adjacent beach (Los Muertos) carrying the highest load at nearly 100 particles per square meter. The dominant materials were polyester, polyethylene, cellophane, and polystyrene — common packaging and textile polymers — underscoring how local tourism and river runoff drive coastal microplastic contamination.

2023 Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Saúde ambiental de praias arenosas: distribuição e níveis de contaminação na biodiversidade bêntica

This Portuguese-language study assessed environmental health of sandy beaches in Brazil, measuring microplastic distribution, contamination indices, and bioindicator organisms to evaluate ecological status and identify pollution sources along the coastline.

2025 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Macro-, meso- and microplastic abundance in sandy beaches and factors influencing their distribution in an SW Atlantic resort

Researchers surveyed macro-, meso-, and microplastic abundance in marine sediments of tourist beaches in the Southwest Atlantic (Argentina), using generalized linear models to identify how beach morphology, grain size, and human activity influence plastic distribution.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 22 citations