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Vlachogianni T, Scoullos M. Baseline assessment of macrolitter on the coastline of Algeria: Fit-for-purpose data for tailor-made measures to navigate the Plasticene Age. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 205:116646. [PMID: 38936004 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Curbing the growing threat of marine litter requires reliable, coherent and fit-for-purpose data. The present study reports the findings of beach macrolitter surveys carried out in seventeen sites along the coastline of Algeria. The median litter density recorded along these sites amounted to 578 items per 100 m of coastline (range: 317-2684 items/100 m). Every surveyed beach exceeded the European threshold value of 20 items per 100 m of coastline by a significant margin. In addition, the evaluation conducted employing the Mediterranean threshold value of 130 items per 100 m of coastline indicated that each of the seventeen surveyed beaches resides within the non-Good Environmental Status spectrum. A significant proportion of the litter, accounting for 43 %, is attributed to food and beverage consumption-related items, highlighting the impact of single-use food packaging, including food and beverage containers resulting from unsustainable practices mainly by beach users and inadequate waste management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomais Vlachogianni
- Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE), Athens, Greece.
| | - Michael Scoullos
- Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE), Athens, Greece; Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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2
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Markić A, Iveša N, Budiša A, Kovačić I, Burić P, Pustijanac E, Buršić M, Banai B, Legin DP, Palatinus A, Tutman P. Fragmented marine plastics as the prevalent litter type on a small island beach in the Adriatic. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116467. [PMID: 38744047 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The issue of plastic pollution has dramatically intensified in the recent years. Our study investigates extensive plastic contamination of a sandy beach on a small Adriatic island. The beach was sampled on three occasions, in 2013, 2020 and 2022, using 1 m2 quadrats placed along the lower and upper strandlines, resulting in average litter concentrations of 385 ± 106, 1095 ± 522 and 129 ± 37 item m-2, respectively. The lower size limit of collected litter was 1 mm, thus including large microplastics. Plastic fragments (49-74 %) and plastic pellets (15 %-37 %) were predominant litter categories. The proportion of fragments is significantly higher during the tourist season with a more intensive cleaning regime (April-October), as opposed to the off-season (November-March). Fisheries and aquaculture litter was identified as a relevant source of pollution. More research is needed in the future into the microplastics smaller than 1 mm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Markić
- MoreSe, Non-profit organisation, Franje Iskre 4, 52210 Rovinj, Croatia; Blue Spark, Environmental Consultancy, Put za Marleru 20, 52204 Ližnjan, Croatia.
| | - Neven Iveša
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100 Pula, Croatia
| | - Andrea Budiša
- MoreSe, Non-profit organisation, Franje Iskre 4, 52210 Rovinj, Croatia; Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ines Kovačić
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100 Pula, Croatia
| | - Petra Burić
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100 Pula, Croatia
| | - Emina Pustijanac
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100 Pula, Croatia
| | - Moira Buršić
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100 Pula, Croatia
| | - Benjamin Banai
- Banai Analitika, obrt za obradu podataka, vl. Benjamin Banai, Josipa Jurja Strossmayera 341, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Dora Pokas Legin
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100 Pula, Croatia
| | - Andreja Palatinus
- Poslovno svetovanje, Andreja Palatinus s.p., Pot v dolino 3C, 1261 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Pero Tutman
- Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište Ivana Meštovića 63, 21000 Split, Croatia
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Ilechukwu I, Das RR, Jamodiong EA, Borghi S, Manzano GG, Hakim AA, Reimer JD. Abundance and distribution of marine litter on the beaches of Okinawa Island, Japan. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 200:116036. [PMID: 38237260 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
This study evaluated the distribution and abundance of marine litter on 30 beaches around Okinawa Island, Japan. Beach quality indices and multivariate statistical analyses were used to assess the quality of the beaches and their pollution patterns. A total of 11,626 items weighing 513.49 kg with an average density of 0.13 ± 0.10 items/m2 were collected. Litter was dominated by plastics (81.72 %), broken glass (8.38 %), and cigarette butts (7.44 %), and 74.05 % of total litter was from land-based sources. Single-use plastics (SUPs) were present in all surveyed beaches and made up 30.54 % of the total litter. The clean coast index (CCI), plastic abundance index (PAI), and hazardous index (HI) were between 0.1 and 7.6, 0.1-4.0 and 0.01-1.42, respectively, indicating low to moderate levels of pollution of Okinawan beaches. This study should aid in the formation of strategies to deal with marine litter in Okinawa, other areas of Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifenna Ilechukwu
- Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology (MISE) Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0123, Japan.
| | - Rocktim Ramen Das
- Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology (MISE) Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0123, Japan
| | - Emmeline A Jamodiong
- Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology (MISE) Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0123, Japan
| | - Stefano Borghi
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia; Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0123, Japan
| | - Geminne G Manzano
- Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology (MISE) Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0123, Japan
| | - Agus Alim Hakim
- Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology (MISE) Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0123, Japan; Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University, JI. Agatis, Kampus IPB Dramaga Bogor, 16680, West Java, Indonesia
| | - James Davis Reimer
- Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology (MISE) Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0123, Japan; Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0123, Japan
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4
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Kapetanović D, Vardić Smrzlić I, Kazazić S, Omanović D, Cukrov N, Cindrić AM, Rapljenović A, Perić L, Orlić K, Mijošek T, Redžović Z, Gavrilović A, Radočaj T, Filipović Marijić V. A preliminary study of the cultivable microbiota on the plastic litter collected by commercial fishing trawlers in the south-eastern Adriatic Sea, with emphasis on Vibrio isolates and their antibiotic resistance. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 187:114592. [PMID: 36657339 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Mediterranean Sea is the sixth largest area of marine litter accumulation in the world, and plastic pollution is a growing problem in its Adriatic sub-basin. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cultivable microbiota associated with plastic litter collected by commercial fishing trawlers in the south-eastern Adriatic Sea in comparison with microbiota in seawater and sediment. Plastic litter in the sea contains an autochthonous microbiota that is different from that of the surrounding seawater and sediment. Vibrio abundance was higher on plastic litter than in surrounding seawater and sediment. All isolated Vibrio showing resistance to ampicillin and vancomycin, while resistance to other antibiotics depended on the isolated species. Overall, this study provides for the first time information on the cultivable microbiota associated with plastic litter collected by commercial fishing trawlers and provides a data base for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damir Kapetanović
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | | | - Snježana Kazazić
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dario Omanović
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Neven Cukrov
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Ana Rapljenović
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Lorena Perić
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Karla Orlić
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tatjana Mijošek
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Zuzana Redžović
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Gavrilović
- University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tena Radočaj
- University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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5
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Cesarano C, Aulicino G, Cerrano C, Ponti M, Puce S. Marine beach litter monitoring strategies along Mediterranean coasts. A methodological review. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 186:114401. [PMID: 36462417 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Marine beach litter (MBL) represents a serious issue for marine life, coastal ecosystems, human health and several economical activities. The Mediterranean Sea is a semi enclosed basin particularly vulnerable to this problem. Its coasts are threatened by critical anthropogenic pressures that sum up with intensive fishing and shipping, and the slow turnover of its waters. In the last decades, several scientific and participative initiatives have been conducted to study, monitor and clean-up shorelines. These studies were generally characterized by differences in timing and frequency of the surveys, as well as in litter sampling, classification and analysis. This paper presents a systematic review of current literature concerning MBL monitoring strategies along the Mediterranean coasts. Scopus indexed studies are analysed to identify discrepancies and similarities among the applied protocols, understand where current gaps lie, and point out what would be needed to develop a basin-scale efficient monitoring for the Mediterranean Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Cesarano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Aulicino
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli studi di Napoli Parthenope, Napoli, Italy.
| | - Carlo Cerrano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy; Reef Check Italia onlus, Ancona, Italy; Fano Marine Center, Fano, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Roma, Italy
| | - Massimo Ponti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Ravenna, Italy; Reef Check Italia onlus, Ancona, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Roma, Italy
| | - Stefania Puce
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
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6
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Geomorphological and hydro-oceanographic analysis related to the characteristics of marine debris on the south coast of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. RENDICONTI LINCEI. SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12210-022-01125-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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7
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Mandić M, Gvozdenović S, De Vito D, Alfonso G, Daja S, Ago B, Cela E, Ivanović A, Zoto A, Malovrazić N, Beli E, Ingrosso G, De Leo F, Pestorić B, Lule A, Vata F, De Rinaldis A, Carpentieri C, Bode A, Nazaj S, Hoxhaj M, Durmishi C, Paladini G, Peraš I, Raičević M, Fraissinet S, Boero F, Piraino S. Setting thresholds is not enough: Beach litter as indicator of poor environmental status in the southern Adriatic Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 177:113551. [PMID: 35314395 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study deals with the issue of beach litter pollution in the context of the Descriptor 10 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Good Environmental Status of EU waters and Ecological objective 10, Common indicator 22 of IMAP. Analyses of the amount, distribution and categorization of beach litter were conducted on nine beaches during 108 surveys covering the area of 206.620 m2 in Albania, Italy and Montenegro. Our findings showed that the level of beach litter pollution on south Adriatic beaches is significantly above the adopted threshold values, with a median item numbers of 327, 258 and 234 per 100 m of beach stretch for Albania, Italy and Montenegro, respectively. It can be concluded that, when it comes to beach litter pollution, GES has not been achieved. Given the defined baseline and threshold values at the EU level, the process of reducing the total amount of marine litter in southern Adriatic Sea will be very challenging and needs urgent and specific actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Mandić
- University of Montenegro, Institute of Marine Biology, Kotor, Montenegro.
| | | | - Doris De Vito
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare - CoNISMa, Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Alfonso
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare - CoNISMa, Roma, Italy
| | - Shkelqim Daja
- Universiteti Politeknik i Tiranes - Fakulteti i Gjeologjise dhe Minierave, Tiranë, Albania
| | - Besnik Ago
- Universiteti Politeknik i Tiranes - Fakulteti i Gjeologjise dhe Minierave, Tiranë, Albania
| | - Eralba Cela
- National Coastline Agency of Albania, Tirana, Albania
| | | | - Alba Zoto
- National Coastline Agency of Albania, Tirana, Albania
| | | | - Elena Beli
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare - CoNISMa, Roma, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Ingrosso
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare - CoNISMa, Roma, Italy
| | - Francesco De Leo
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare - CoNISMa, Roma, Italy
| | - Branka Pestorić
- University of Montenegro, Institute of Marine Biology, Kotor, Montenegro
| | - Arjol Lule
- Universiteti Politeknik i Tiranes - Fakulteti i Gjeologjise dhe Minierave, Tiranë, Albania
| | - Flavio Vata
- National Coastline Agency of Albania, Tirana, Albania
| | | | | | - Aida Bode
- Universiteti Politeknik i Tiranes - Fakulteti i Gjeologjise dhe Minierave, Tiranë, Albania
| | - Shaqir Nazaj
- Universiteti Politeknik i Tiranes - Fakulteti i Gjeologjise dhe Minierave, Tiranë, Albania
| | - Monika Hoxhaj
- Universiteti Politeknik i Tiranes - Fakulteti i Gjeologjise dhe Minierave, Tiranë, Albania
| | - Cercis Durmishi
- Universiteti Politeknik i Tiranes - Fakulteti i Gjeologjise dhe Minierave, Tiranë, Albania
| | | | - Ines Peraš
- University of Montenegro, Institute of Marine Biology, Kotor, Montenegro
| | - Milena Raičević
- Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone Management of Montenegro, Montenegro
| | - Silvia Fraissinet
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare - CoNISMa, Roma, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Boero
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare - CoNISMa, Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Stefano Piraino
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare - CoNISMa, Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy.
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8
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Orthodoxou DL, Loizidou XI, Baldwin C, Kocareis C, Karonias A, Ateş MA. Seasonal and geographic variations of marine litter: A comprehensive study from the island of Cyprus. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 177:113495. [PMID: 35245764 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Twenty beaches located around the island of Cyprus, in the eastern Mediterranean, were identified as monitoring sites. They were monitored over four monitoring sessions from January to September 2021 to assess marine litter amounts, categories, and spatiotemporal distribution. A total of 42,499 marine litter items were collected. The average marine litter density was 0.19 items/m2. Most of the collected items were plastics, with single-use plastics being ubiquitous. Plastic fragments >2.5 cm made a significant proportion of the plastic litter collected, particularly in the northern coasts of the island. Cigarette butts were abundant on touristic beaches, especially in the tourism period. The study identifies significant temporal and spatial variations in the abundance and distribution of marine litter, as well as variations related to waste management or lack thereof.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xenia I Loizidou
- AKTI Project and Research Centre, 95 Kyrenias Avenue, 2113 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Christina Baldwin
- AKTI Project and Research Centre, 95 Kyrenias Avenue, 2113 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Cemile Kocareis
- Famagusta Walled City Association (MASDER), Bishop Chapel, 99450 Famagusta, Cyprus
| | - Anastasis Karonias
- Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre, 2 Akropoleos Street, 2101 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Maria Ayça Ateş
- North Cyprus Diving Centre Association, Demak Is Hani, No: 24 Muftu Ziya Efendi Sok., Nicosia, Cyprus
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9
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ERTAŞ A, Ribeiro VV, Castro ÍB, SAYIM F. Composition, sources, abundance and seasonality of Marine Litter in the Çakalburnu lagoon coast of Aegean Sea. JOURNAL OF COASTAL CONSERVATION 2022; 26:8. [PMID: 35370451 PMCID: PMC8961094 DOI: 10.1007/s11852-022-00856-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The Aegean Sea is one of the most contaminated by marine litter (ML) in the World. In this study, the Turkish Aegean Region was evaluated in light of the sources, abundance and composition of ML along Çakalburnu Lagoon coast. Macroscopic ML with > 3 cm was collected and separated into composition and sources categories. ML abundance was calculated by its density in items/m2 (Mean ± SD). Beach cleanliness was evaluated according to Clean-Coast Index (CCI). Seasonality was found as factor for ML composition, sources and abundance at Çakalburnu coast. Plastic was the most abundant material, followed by unidentifiable items. The major sources of ML were mixed packaging, domestic and fisheries activities. The mean ML density was 0.64 ± 0.09 items/m2. Çakalburnu coast was classified as dirty during all seasons. Therefore, ML contamination on Çakalburnu coast represent a potential threat to coastal and marine environments. Thus, the present study can serve as a base for the elaboration of mitigating actions urgently needed at Çakalburnu Lagoon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alperen ERTAŞ
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, İzmir Turkey
| | | | | | - Ferah SAYIM
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, İzmir Turkey
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10
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Ribeiro VV, Pinto MAS, Mesquita RKB, Moreira LB, Costa MF, Castro ÍB. Marine litter on a highly urbanized beach at Southeast Brazil: A contribution to the development of litter monitoring programs. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 163:111978. [PMID: 33465634 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.111978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal distribution of Marine Litter (ML) on Santos beaches was assessed using a citizen science strategy. Plastics and cigarette butts (CB) were the dominant items in all sampling campaigns. Seasonal distribution did not result in significant differences for most items. Plastic and CB amounts were high in summer compared to autumn. For all sampled sites the presence of beach users influenced ML densities. However, results showed that some sites presented an additional influence of local hydrodynamic. Moderate amounts of hazardous items including metal, glass, CB, sanitary waste and plastic tubes used to pack and market illicit drugs represented between 20.8 and 31% of all ML over the seasons. The beaches of Santos were classified as dirty in autumn and spring and as extremely dirty in winter and summer. These findings can serve as a baseline to support mitigating actions by public authorities and start monitoring programs of ML not only in Santos but also in other urbanized beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor V Ribeiro
- Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Mônica F Costa
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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