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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics, Contaminants, and Waste Hotspots: Divergences and Faults in Prioritizing Control Efforts
ClearContamination by plastics and microplastics: (re)knowing the lived reality.
This Brazilian literature review examines the environmental impact of plastics and microplastics across different pollution scenarios, discussing the history of plastic production and consumption, relevant environmental legislation, and the importance of recycling in addressing plastic contamination.
A local-to-global emissions inventory of macroplastic pollution.
This study developed a high-resolution global inventory of macroplastic pollution by distributing nationally reported waste management data down to sub-national and local scales, producing maps of plastic emission hotspots. The dataset is intended to support negotiations for a global plastics treaty by providing a data-driven baseline for identifying sources and prioritizing interventions.
How natural and anthropogenic factors should drive microplastic behavior and fate: The scenario of Brazilian urban freshwater
This review examines the factors driving microplastic contamination in Brazilian freshwater systems, including the country's massive plastic production and limited recycling infrastructure. Researchers highlight that more than half of post-consumer plastic packaging in Brazil goes unmonitored, and most microplastic research has focused on marine environments while freshwater data remains scarce. The study calls for more systematic monitoring of Brazilian rivers and lakes, especially given the country's continental-scale waterways and diverse ecosystems.
Microplastics on Santos Beach: Sources of Pollution, Waste Characteristics and Possible Collection Solutions
This Brazilian study mapped and characterized microplastic contamination on Santos beach near submarine sewage outfalls and storm drains, finding plastic pollution hotspots linked to coastal discharge infrastructure. The authors estimated that ~60 tons of solid waste enter the sea daily in the region and identified possible collection solutions.
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.
Microplastics as contaminants in the Brazilian environment: an updated review
A comprehensive review of 79 Brazilian microplastic studies published between 2018 and 2022 found microplastics widespread across marine and terrestrial environments, with marine coastal studies dominating the literature and polyethylene and polypropylene fragments being the most common types detected. The review highlights significant gaps in inland and atmospheric monitoring and a lack of standardized methods that hinders cross-study comparisons — critical issues for a country with one of the world's longest coastlines and major river systems.
An ecotoxicological approach for criteria and standards of sanitary effluent control in Brazil
A review of ecotoxicological criteria for effluent release in Brazil found only six states have more protective legislation than federal standards, with emerging contaminants including microplastics not addressed by conventional sewage treatment or most current regulations.
Prevention and control strategies for non-regulated industrial microplastic spills
Researchers examined prevention and control strategies for microplastic spills from industrial activities, analyzing the challenges of identifying industrially sourced primary microplastics in the environment and proposing management frameworks to reduce pollution from non-regulated industrial sources.
Overcoming Plastic Pollution: Challenges Faced by Brazilian Policies and Perspectives for Stakeholder Engagement and Global Governance Opportunities
This policy paper reviewed the history of plastic production and mismanagement in Brazil, identifying structural barriers to effective plastic pollution control and proposing policy perspectives to overcome dependence on single-use plastic.
Bottlenecks of Global Plastic Strategy and the Way Forward of Microplastics Management
This review examines bottlenecks in global plastic waste management strategies, arguing that rising plastic use in everyday activities has outpaced regulatory and logistical capacity, and proposing pathways forward for more effective microplastics management at a global scale.
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.
Litter assessment on sandy beaches along the Brazilian coast: a large-scale analysis of macrolitter and microplastics
Researchers conducted a large-scale assessment of macrolitter and microplastic contamination on sandy beaches along the Brazilian coast, characterizing pollution patterns, dominant polymer types, and potential anthropogenic sources across multiple sites.
Microplastic pollution in Brazil's coastal marine surface waters: The first macroregional baseline from the global south
Researchers conducted the largest microplastic survey in the Global South, sampling 4,134 surface water sites across 7,500 km of Brazilian coastline, finding the highest concentrations in the Eastern Coastline (16.87 MPs/L) and lowest in the Amazonian Equatorial region (1.29 MPs/L), with spatial patterns driven by hydrodynamic conditions, salinity, proximity to sewage, and anthropogenic inputs.
Macro problems from microplastics: Toward a sustainable policy framework for managing microplastic waste in Africa
Researchers critically reviewed regulatory and policy approaches to managing microplastic pollution across African countries. They found that while environmental monitoring studies demonstrate an urgent need for action, the effectiveness of existing plastic waste policies in Africa remains poorly understood. The study proposes a sustainable policy framework tailored to the unique challenges African nations face in reducing microplastic waste generation and environmental contamination.
Microplastic Hotspots on a Tropical Estuarine-Bay System
Researchers mapped microplastic hotspots in the Santos Estuarine System in Brazil — the most populous estuary and largest seaport in the country — characterizing accumulation and export dynamics of microplastics in a high-traffic coastal environment.
Meso- and microplastic composition, distribution patterns and drivers: A snapshot of plastic pollution on Brazilian beaches
A standardized survey of plastic pollution across 22 sandy beaches spanning over 4600 km of Brazilian coast found widespread contamination in coastal sediments, with polymer type, size, and distribution patterns reflecting diverse sources including fishing activity and urban runoff.
Challenges on environmental regulation and monitoring of microplastics: the case of the State of São Paulo (Brazil)
Researchers examined the challenges of developing environmental regulation and standardized monitoring protocols for microplastics in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, highlighting the need for harmonized collection, analysis, and reporting procedures to enable long-term comparable monitoring programs.
The state of microplastic pollution in México: a review and evolving perspectives
A PRISMA-based review of microplastic research in Mexico documented growing contamination across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments, characterized the dominant polymer types and particle shapes, and identified major knowledge gaps needing attention in the Mexican context.
Review of current trends, advances and analytical challenges for microplastics contamination in Latin America
This review compiled 78 studies on microplastic contamination across Latin America and found that research in the region remains limited, with Brazil accounting for 34% of all studies. Fibers were the most prevalent microplastic type found, making up 62% of particles, with polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, and polystyrene accounting for 80% of identified polymers. The study highlights significant gaps in standardized methodologies that make it difficult to establish baseline microplastic pollution levels across the region.
Microplastics hotspots on a tropical estuarine-bay system
Researchers investigated microplastic hotspot accumulation and export dynamics within a tropical estuarine-bay system, finding that spatial patterns of MP concentration are linked to hydrodynamic processes and land-based inputs, with accumulation zones creating localised contamination risks associated with negative socio-environmental impacts.
Analysis of Brazilian plastic waste management in the global context and case study of the City of Vitória, Espírito Santo
This review analyzes Brazil's plastic waste management and finds that the country recycles only about 1% of its plastic waste, far behind nations with comparable economic development. Researchers documented extensive microplastic pollution in waterways, atmosphere, and mangrove ecosystems around the city of Vitoria. The study highlights that without significant improvements to waste collection and recycling infrastructure, microplastic contamination will continue to grow in Brazilian environments.
Single-use plastic in Brazil: policies and laws
This book volume reviews policies and laws addressing single-use plastics in Brazil, examining how different sectors of society have organized to advocate for regulatory measures. Understanding how policy instruments are developed and implemented is important for the global effort to reduce plastic waste and downstream microplastic contamination.
Policy priorities: emerging trends in a global response
This policy review examines global regulatory responses to plastic and microplastic pollution, identifying focal areas, gaps, and future directions by drawing parallels to historical policy development around air pollution management.
Microplastics in Latin America Ecosystems: A Critical Review of the Current Stage and Research Needs
This systematic review of 196 studies reveals that Latin America, which consumes 8% of the world's plastic but recycles only 4.5%, has significant gaps in microplastic contamination data. Understanding the distribution of microplastics in Latin American ecosystems is critical for assessing potential health risks to the region's populations.