Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in water, sediments and commercial fish species from Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta lagoon complex, Colombian Caribbean

Microplastics were detected in water, sediment, and fish from the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta lagoon in the Colombian Caribbean, with concentrations varying by matrix and site. The study represents an early baseline for plastic pollution monitoring in this ecologically important tropical lagoon ecosystem.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine litter and microplastic pollution on mangrove soils of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombian Caribbean

Researchers assessed marine litter and microplastic contamination in mangrove soils of Colombia's largest coastal lagoon system for the first time. They found significantly higher litter concentrations near populated areas, with plastics comprising up to 96% of all debris, and microplastic levels varying widely across sampling sites. The study highlights the link between inadequate waste management in coastal communities and microplastic accumulation in ecologically important mangrove habitats.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 220 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, distribution, and characteristics of microplastics in coastal surface waters of the Colombian Caribbean and Pacific

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.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics of surface waters of Colombian Caribbean

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.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Impacts of marine debris contamination in the mangrove ecosystem of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombian Caribbean

This study assessed the impacts of marine debris, including plastic, on the mangrove ecosystem of Colombia's Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, finding widespread contamination with negative effects on both ecology and local communities. Mangroves are important coastal filters but are being overwhelmed by plastic inputs.

2019 Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Rural village as a source of microplastic pollution in a riverine and marine ecosystem of the southern Venezuelan Caribbean

Researchers quantified microplastic pollution in a rural Venezuelan Caribbean coastal community (Chichiriviche de la Costa) and its adjacent riverine and marine environment across dry and rainy seasons. MPs were detected in river water and sediment, marine water, sediment, fish, and sponges, demonstrating that even low-population rural settlements contribute meaningful MP loading to downstream ecosystems.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The impact of tourism on marine litter pollution on Santa Marta beaches, Colombian Caribbean

Tourism significantly increased litter pollution on beaches in Santa Marta, Colombia, with plastics making up 30-77% of macroplastic waste and microplastics ranging from 1 to 355 items per square meter during peak tourist season. Local residents identified tourism as the primary source, highlighting the need for better waste management and public education at coastal destinations.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 150 citations
Article Tier 2

Invisible Footprints: Exploring Microplastic Pollution in the Colombian Caribbean Sea

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.

2026 Water
Article Tier 2

Quantifying fluxes of microplastics from the magdalena river into the caribbean sea

This study quantified how many microplastics the Magdalena River — Colombia's largest river — carries into the Caribbean Sea, establishing a baseline for understanding South America's contribution to marine plastic pollution. River-to-ocean flux measurements like this are essential for building accurate global models of how plastic pollution accumulates in marine ecosystems.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in water and fish of commercial interest: Distribution and relation to ecology in the colombians caribbean region, south america

Researchers evaluated microplastic contamination in surface waters and the gastrointestinal tracts of commercially important and invasive fish species along the Colombian Caribbean coast and San Andrés Island, examining the relationship between microplastic distribution and species ecology and geography.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Review Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in coastal areas of Colombia: Review

This review summarized the state of microplastic research in Colombia's coastal areas, finding that Caribbean coasts are most contaminated with secondary polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics in sediments, and that 7% of 302 fish species sampled contained microplastics, while noting a lack of standardized methods across studies.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in water and fish of commercial interest: Distribution and relation to ecology in the colombians caribbean region, south america

Researchers evaluated microplastic contamination in surface waters and the gastrointestinal tracts of two commercially important fish species and one invasive species along the Caribbean coast of Colombia's Atlantico department and San Andres Island, relating distribution patterns to the ecology and geographic range of each species.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Identification, Abundance, and Distribution of Microplastics in Surface Water Collected from Luruaco Lake, Low Basin Magdalena River, Colombia

Researchers documented microplastic contamination in Luruaco Lake, Colombia, for the first time, assessing the identification, abundance, and seasonal distribution of microplastic particles in surface waters of this important Magdalena River basin lake.

2023 Water 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal analysis of microplastic concentration on the surface of the Guartinaja water body, Bajo Sinú Wetland Complex

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution on the surface of the La Guartinaja marsh in Colombia during rising and falling water periods. The study found concentrations ranging from about 45 to 260 microplastics per liter depending on the season, with fibers being the dominant type at over 80 percent, and used geospatial analysis to map contamination hotspots across the wetland.

2026
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics: Impacts in a marine-coastal environment of the Colombian Caribbean

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.

2024 Global Journal of Ecology
Article Tier 2

Quantifying fluxes of microplastics from the magdalena river into the caribbean sea

This study measured how much microplastic the Magdalena River—Colombia's largest river—carries into the Caribbean Sea, providing one of the first flux estimates for a major South American river system. Quantifying these inputs is essential for understanding how rivers contribute to the growing burden of plastic pollution in tropical marine environments.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution on Colombian Central Caribbean beaches

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.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 133 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in bivalves: First assessment in three coastal lagoons of the colombian caribbean, south america

Researchers conducted the first assessment of microplastic contamination in bivalves from three coastal lagoons, examining filter-feeding mollusks that concentrate suspended particles from surrounding waters. Microplastics were detected in bivalve tissues across all sites, establishing baseline contamination levels in these coastal ecosystems.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in marine ecosystems: spatiotemporal assessment in beach sediments of protected coastal areas

Researchers conducted a spatiotemporal assessment of plastic pollution including microplastics in beach sediments across 13 beaches in marine protected areas in Colombia and the Canary Islands, Spain, evaluating plastic debris under varying environmental conditions in ecologically sensitive coastal zones.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in bivalves: First assessment in three coastal lagoons of the colombian caribbean, south america

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in bivalves from three coastal lagoons, finding that filter-feeding species readily accumulate particles from surrounding water and sediment. The study characterized particle types and polymer compositions across different lagoon environments.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Temporal variability of plastic litter in two sand beaches of San Andres Island, Colombian Caribbean

Beach surveys on San Andres Island in the Colombian Caribbean over three seasons found that microplastic fragments dominated plastic litter across both beaches, with the highest totals occurring during the dry season. The seasonal and spatial patterns suggest that ocean currents and tourism activity both contribute to contamination, and the findings highlight ongoing plastic pollution pressures on a biodiverse Caribbean island ecosystem.

2024 Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic pollution along the Caribbean coast of La Guajira, Colombia

Researchers conducted the first assessment of microplastic pollution along 125 km of the Caribbean coast of La Guajira, Colombia. They found microplastics at four of seven beaches sampled, with filaments from fishing activities predominating and polymers primarily consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Impactos de la contaminación por basura marina en el ecosistema de manglar de la Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Caribe colombiano

Researchers identified and assessed the negative impacts of marine debris pollution on the mangrove ecosystem of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta in the Colombian Caribbean, documenting observed and potential impacts through field surveys conducted in February 2018.

2019 Revista Ciencias Marinas y Costeras 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of marine litter in the mangrove forest in the Ciénaga de Mallorquín, Colombian Caribbean region

This paper is not directly about microplastics; it assesses macro marine litter (including plastic debris) in a Colombian mangrove lagoon, finding that plastics dominate the waste but focusing on litter at scales larger than the microplastic size range.

2023 Boletín de Ciencias de la Tierra 6 citations