Microplastics in bivalves, water and sediments from a touristic sandy beach of Argentina

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 173; no. Pt B; p. 113023
• Main Authors: Truchet, D.M., López, A.D. Forero, Ardusso, M.G., Rimondino, G.N., Buzzi, N.S., Malanca, F.E., Spetter, C.V., Severini, M.D. Fernández
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Acrylic resins; Animals; Argentina; Beaches; Biota; Bivalves; Bivalvia; Cellulose; Chromium; Clay minerals; Coastal zone; Endangered species; Environmental Monitoring; Fibers; Fractures; Geologic Sediments; Heavy metals; Humans; Metal ions; Microorganisms; Microplastic pollution; Microplastics; Minerals; Mollusks; Molybdenum; Mussels; Plastic debris; Plastic pollution; Plastics; Polyacrylates; Polyamide resins; Polyamides; Polymers; Rare species; Sandy beaches; Sediment; Sediments; Titanium; Tourists; Toxicity; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Argentina; PP; PS; ATR-FTIR; Cellulose; STR; ABS; Polyacrylates; EDX; MesoPs; Metal ions; CB; W.w; CI; PMDS; Bivalves; PVDF; MPs; PA; PEST; PE; Sandy beaches; CPE; PVA; SEM; PAN; PVC; PAM; PET
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113023

This study assesses for the first time the concentrations of microplastics (MPs) in sediments, water and two human-consumed mussels with different ecological traits (Amarilladesma mactroides and Brachidontes rodriguezii) in a touristic sandy beach of Argentina. MPs were characterized through FTIR and SEM/EDX techniques. All the samples presented MPs with similar concentrations as other human-impacted coastal areas of the world, being black and blue fibers of < 0.5 and 0.5-1 mm the most abundant. SEM images exhibited cracks and fractures with clay minerals and microorganisms adhered to MPs surface. EDX spectrums showed potentially toxic elements, such as Cr, Ti, and Mo. FTIR identified polymers such as cellulose, polyamides, and polyacrylates in most of the samples analyzed. Our study demonstrates that microplastic pollution is a common threat to sandy beaches in Argentina, worsened by plastic particles carrying metal ions with potential toxic effects to the biota, including A. mactroides, an endangered species. •Meso/microplastics were found in waters, sediments, and bivalves in Argentina.•Microplastics ranged from 0.15–0.5 item g ww-1 in mussels.•Cr, Mo, Ti, Al, and Fe were detected on the surface of fibers.•The most abundant microplastics were cellulose, polyamides, and polyacrylates.