RESUMEN
Microplastics in aquatic ecosystems harbor numerous microorganisms, including pathogenic species. The ingestion of these microplastics by commercial fish poses a threat to the ecosystem and human livelihood. Coastal lagoons are highly vulnerable to microplastic and microbiological pollution, yet limited understanding of the risks complicates management. Here, we present the main bacterial groups, including potentially pathogenic species, identified on microplastics in waters, sediments, and commercial fish from Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM), the largest coastal lagoon in Colombia. DNA metabarcoding allowed identifying 1760 bacterial genera on microplastics, with Aeromonas and Acinetobacter as the most frequent and present in all three matrices. The greatest bacterial richness and diversity were recorded on microplastics from sediments, followed by waters and fish. Biochemical analyses yielded 19 species of potentially pathogenic culturable bacteria on microplastics. Aeromonas caviae was the most frequent and, along with Pantoea sp., was found on microplastics in all three matrices. Enterobacter roggenkampii and Pseudomonas fluorescens were also found on microplastics from waters and fish. We propose management strategies for an Early Warning System against microbiological and microplastic pollution risks in coastal lagoons, illustrated by CGSM. This includes forming inter-institutional alliances for research and monitoring, accompanied by strengthening governance and health infrastructures.
Asunto(s)
Bacterias , Sedimentos Geológicos , Microplásticos , Animales , Sedimentos Geológicos/microbiología , Bacterias/clasificación , Bacterias/genética , Bacterias/aislamiento & purificación , Peces/microbiología , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisis , Colombia , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Microbiología del Agua , Agua de Mar/microbiologíaRESUMEN
Mangroves in estuaries are highly vulnerable to the impacts of plastic litter pollution, because their location at river mouths and the high capacity of mangrove trees to trap plastic items. Here, we present new results on the abundance and characteristics of plastic litter during high and low rainfall seasons in mangrove waters and sediments of the Saija and Timbiqui River estuaries in the Colombian Pacific. In both estuaries, microplastics were the most common size (50-100 %), followed by mesoplastics (13-42 %) and macroplastics (0-8 %). Total abundances of plastic litter were higher during the high rainfall season (0.17-0.53 items/m-3 in surface waters and 764-832 items/m-2 in sediments), with a moderately positive relationship between plastic abundances recorded in both environmental matrices. The most common microplastics were foams and fragments. Continuous research and monitoring are required for a better understanding and management of these ecosystems and their threats.
Asunto(s)
Microplásticos , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Estaciones del Año , Estuarios , Plásticos , Ecosistema , Colombia , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisisRESUMEN
Petrogenic hydrocarbon spills (PHS) are harmful to mangrove ecosystems along tropical coastlines in the short and long term. The aim of this study was to assess the environmental risk of recurrent PHS on mangrove ecosystems in Tumaco municipality, Colombian Pacific. Mangrove characteristics and management aspects led to subdividing the study area into 11 units-of-analysis (UAs) for which threats, vulnerability, potential impacts, and risks were assessed based on environmental factors and the formulation and use of indicators in a rating scale with five categories, which are very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The results showed that all UAs are highly (64%; 15,525 ha) or moderately (36%; 4,464 ha) threatened by PHS, highly (45%; 13,478 ha) or moderately (55%; 6,511 ha) vulnerable to this kind of pollution, and susceptible to high (73%; 17,075 ha) or moderate (27%; 2,914 ha) potential impacts. The environmental risk was high in 73% (17,075 ha) of the UAs, indicating likely irreversible damage to mangrove ecosystems by PHS, thus pointing to the need of urgent intervention by responsible authorities to ease their recovery and conservation. The methodology and results of this study become technical inputs that serve for environmental control and monitoring, which can be incorporated into contingency and risk management plans.
Asunto(s)
Ecosistema , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Colombia , Hidrocarburos , Medición de RiesgoRESUMEN
Microplastics are emerging pollutants that have been found in different environmental matrices of marine and coastal ecosystems, where they can generate harmful ecological impacts. Little is known about the current state of microplastic pollution in fragile tropical lagoon ecosystems, such as Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM) in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. This study assesses microplastic pollution in surface waters and sediments, and the occurrence of microplastic ingestion in commercially important fish species from CGSM. In waters, microplastic abundances ranged from 0.0 to 0.3 items L-1 while in sediments they varied from 0.0 to 3.1 items kg-1. The most abundant types of microplastics are fibers and fragments, with polypropylene, polyethylene and high-density polyethylene as the most abundant polymers. Also, 100 (i.e. 21.1%) out of 474 individuals from nine fish species had microplastics in their digestive tracts. Microplastics present in water and sediments and in the digestive tract of the analyzed fish species have similar characteristics, also showing a moderate and statistically significant association. Microplastic abundances are higher near river mouths and in urban areas with a high density of fishing activities and aquaculture infrastructures, which are important sources of contaminants. Microplastic pollution in CGSM represents a threat to the lagoon ecosystem and to local people depending on artisanal fishing. Consequently, effective actions to reduce pollution and its socio-environmental impacts are urgently required.
Asunto(s)
Microplásticos , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Animales , Colombia , Ecosistema , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Humanos , Plásticos , Polietileno , Agua , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisisRESUMEN
The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of plastic debris in the stomach contents of two commercially important species Ethmidium maculatum and Mugil cephalus from Peru and relate their characteristics to their diet. The contents of 1820 stomachs were analyzed visually to detect the presence of plastics and prey. Of the analyzed samples, 0.3% contained nine microplastic fragments (0.72-4.54 mm) and one mesoplastic fragment (6.65 mm). Green and blue plastics of polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common. In E. maculatum, copepods were the main prey, followed by diatoms and decapods, and they exhibited the highest amount of plastics. In M. cephalus, the main prey were diatoms, copepods, and dinoflagellates, and they exhibited only one type of microplastic. Although the characteristics of the plastics and the prey of these species may be related (sizes-colors), more research is required to understand this problem in commercially important fishery resources in Peru.
Asunto(s)
Plásticos , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Animales , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Peces , Perú , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisisRESUMEN
Marine litter in mangroves comes mainly from poor waste management practices and its abundance is increased by natural catastrophes occurrence that affects coastal settlements, as occurred in November-2020, when two hurricanes (ETA and IOTA) destroyed homes and deposited litters in mangroves of the Providencia and Santa Catalina islands, in the Colombian Caribbean. This study aims to assess the litter pollution in mangrove forests of these islands after Hurricane IOTA. Litter pollution was high in mangroves near urban areas and low in mangroves with little urban influence. In three mangrove sectors with high pollution, litter densities of 0.4-1.4 items m-2 and masses of 0.1-1.2 kg m-2 were determined; the majority were megalitter (sizes >1 m). Plastics were the most abundant (>60%). Local community is aware of the litter pollution problem and their participation in scientific research and mangroves recovery is key to understanding the impacts of natural and anthropogenic events and for ecosystem conservation.
Asunto(s)
Tormentas Ciclónicas , Ecosistema , Región del Caribe , Colombia , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Islas , Plásticos , Providencia , Residuos/análisis , HumedalesRESUMEN
Microplastic pollution has become a global concern due to its distribution, high abundance, and negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems. These particles enter aquatic systems through the inadequate management of solid waste and wastewater generated from socioeconomic and domestic activities. In Colombia, about 65% of the solid waste generated in coastal populations is improperly managed and discharged into natural water bodies, contributing to microplastic pollution. The present study aimed to determine the abundances, distribution, and physical and chemical characteristics of microplastics in coastal surface waters of the Colombian Caribbean and Pacific. Samplings were carried out at 41 stations distributed across nine study areas during the rainy season of 2017, using a 500-µm mesh plankton net. The microplastic abundances ranged from 0.01 to 8.96 items m-3, with the coastal waters of the Caribbean areas being the most polluted. Microplastics with shapes of fragments, filaments, and foams, composed of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, were the most common. A baseline of microplastic pollution in Colombian coastal water was generated, which will serve to evaluate the effectiveness of the environmental measures implemented to significantly reduce this pollution type, within the sustainable development goals.
Asunto(s)
Microplásticos , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Región del Caribe , Colombia , Ecosistema , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Plásticos , Aguas Residuales , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisisRESUMEN
Plastic pollution is a global problem that poses a threat to coastal and marine ecosystems and human livelihoods and requires effective solutions adaptable to local conditions. In Colombia, the knowledge about marine plastic pollution is still limited and the development of effective strategies for managing marine and coastal environments is crucial. Therefore, plastic pollution was assessed on 43 Colombian sandy beaches on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Amounts of macroplastic ranged from 35 ± 15 to 81 ± 23 items 100 m-1, being product's packaging the most common. Microplastic densities ranged from 3 to 1387 items m-2. The highest microplastic concentrations were found on the beaches from Caribbean cities and in rural areas of Pacific municipalities. Fragments and polyethylene were the most commonly observed shape and polymer categories, respectively. Tourism and poor waste management practices are the primary plastic sources on the studied beaches. Plastic litter on Colombian beaches are a problem that requires prevention, mitigation, and control actions to help conserve this ecosystem.
Asunto(s)
Ecosistema , Plásticos , Playas , Región del Caribe , Ciudades , Colombia , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Humanos , ResiduosRESUMEN
Tourism is an important socioeconomic activity in coastal communities, which deteriorates marine-coastal ecosystem quality when poorly managed, increasing litter pollution on beaches during the main tourist seasons. This study aims to assess the tourism impact on litter pollution on eleven Santa Marta beaches, Colombian Caribbean. During high and low tourist seasons, people on the beaches were counted, macrolitter and microplastics were sampled, and perception surveys about litter on beaches were conducted. During the high tourist season, the number of people and macrolitter pollution increased, compared to the low tourist season. Plastics accounted for 30%-77% of macrolitter and microplastics ranged from 1 to 355 items/m2. Respondents identified tourism as a main litter source and plastics as the most common litter type. All assessed beaches are impacted by tourism causing litter pollution, therefore, stronger controls, educational, and awareness strategies are needed to reduce litter pollution and prevent ecological and socioeconomic impacts.
Asunto(s)
Monitoreo del Ambiente , Plásticos , Playas , Región del Caribe , Colombia , Ecosistema , Humanos , Residuos/análisisRESUMEN
Plastics in Colombian marine-coastal ecosystems are being fragmented by various environmental factors, generating microplastics (sizeâ¯<â¯5â¯mm), an emerging pollutant that is ingested by marine organisms, representing a threat to ecosystems and potentially also to humans. This study aims to evaluate the incidence of microplastic ingestion by fishes from mangrove ecosystems in Cispata, Colombian Caribbean. The digestive tract content of 302 specimens of 22 fish species were analyzed using the KOH digestion method (500â¯g/5â¯L), stereoscopic visual identification and infrared spectroscopy. A total of 69 microplastics were found in the digestive tract of 7% of the analyzed fishes. 55% of the ingested microplastics were filaments, 23% fragments, 19% films, and 3% foam. The results of this study raised concerns about microplastic contamination in the marine environments, a threat to the fishery resource and to public health, which requires actions to prevent and reduce its negative effects.
Asunto(s)
Tracto Gastrointestinal/química , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisis , Animales , Región del Caribe , Colombia , Ecosistema , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Peces , Humanos , Microplásticos , Plásticos , PrevalenciaRESUMEN
Marine litter pollution has become a complex global problem, because of the negative ecological and socioeconomic impacts as well as the human health risks that it represents. In Colombia, mangroves are affected by inadequate solid waste management, which results in litter accumulation. Additionally, the information related to this problem is limited avoiding the development of prevention and reduction strategies. For the first time, pollution by marine litter and microplastics were evaluated in mangrove soils of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, where 540⯱â¯137 and 31⯱â¯23 items/ha of marine litter were determined in mangroves near and away from populated centers respectively. Plastics represented between 73 and 96% of litter, and microplastic quantity oscillated between 31 and 2,863 items/kg finding the highest concentrations in mangroves near to the population. This study contributes to the knowledge of the marine litter problem in mangroves of the Colombian Caribbean, becoming a help for their conservation.
Asunto(s)
Plásticos/análisis , Contaminantes del Suelo/análisis , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisis , Colombia , Contaminación Ambiental , Humanos , Agua de Mar/análisis , Suelo/químicaRESUMEN
The gut contents of 292 planktivorous fish, from four families (Atherinopsidae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae and Scombridae) and seven species, captured along the coast of the southeast Pacific, were examined for microplastic contamination. Only a small fraction of all studied fish (2.1%; 6 individuals) contained microplastic particles in their digestive tract. Microplastics found were degraded hard fragments and threads, ranging from 1.1 to 4.9 (3.8±SD 2.4) mm in length, and of various colours, which suggests that the planktivorous fish species examined herein did not capture microplastics on the basis of their colour. The low prevalence of microplastic contamination in planktivorous fishes found in this study suggests that the risk of accidental ingestion by these species might be limited in the coastal upwelled waters of the southeast Pacific, perhaps due to small human population and highly dynamic oceanographic processes.