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Plastic Contamination in Brazilian Freshwater and Coastal Environments: A Source-to-Sea Transboundary Approach

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Plastics in the Aquatic Environment - Part I

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 111))

Abstract

Plastic debris is ubiquitous in aquatic environments. Freshwater and estuarine ecosystems are not different, and plastic contamination is abundant. Despite ecological and socioeconomic importance, previous reviews identified a low number of publications regarding these ecosystems. An organized review to provide a comprehensive qualitative overview of the plastic debris pollution in Brazil was conducted, considering the literature available (n = 37) on Brazilian freshwater and estuarine areas. Literature was reviewed analysing the potential sources, distribution and contamination patterns in different environmental compartments aiming at gathering information that will contribute to the understanding of the status of the plastic pollution in these Brazilian systems. Results indicate that research regarding freshwater systems is almost absent, whilst estuaries present studies considering all-sized plastics. Sources of plastic debris varied according to the environmental compartment. Composition and distribution are also dependent of the compartment investigated; however, there is a clear dominance of plastics. Regarding distribution, it is a clear knowledge gap, considering that most studies analysed describe the levels of pollution without concluding about pathways and trajectories. Interaction between plastic debris and biota was highlighted, including benthos, mammals, reptiles, molluscs, and fishes. The source-to-sea approach might be a key approach to comprehensively understand the plastic debris problems within the Brazilian coast.

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Acknowledgements

APK would like to thank Lucas Gottardello Chierigatti for elaborating map. APK kindly thanks the support from the Federal Institute of Paraná (IFPR, Paranaguá Campus). AL acknowledges the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through the Lisbon’s Regional Operational Programme (LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-032209) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science & Technology (FCT) through the project PTDC/BIA-BMA/32209/2017 (SARDITEMP). AL also thanks FCT through the project UIDB/04292/2020 granted to MARE (Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre) at the ISPA – University Institute (Department of Biosciences). This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) – Brazil – Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Department of Biosciences, Lisboa, Portugal

    André R. A. Lima

  2. Federal University of Paraná, Post-Graduation in Environment and Development, Curitiba, Brazil

    Manuela D. Silva

  3. Federal University of Paraná, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Pontal do Paraná, Brazil

    Fernanda E. Possatto

  4. Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil

    Guilherme V. B. Ferreira

  5. Federal Institute of Paraná (IFPR), Environmental Studies Department, Paranaguá, Brazil

    Allan P. Krelling

Authors
  1. André R. A. Lima
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  2. Manuela D. Silva
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  3. Fernanda E. Possatto
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  4. Guilherme V. B. Ferreira
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  5. Allan P. Krelling
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Allan P. Krelling .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. German Federal Institute of Hydrology, Koblenz, Germany

    Friederike Stock

  2. German Federal Institute of Hydrology, Koblenz, Germany

    Georg Reifferscheid

  3. German Federal Institute of Hydrology, Koblenz, Germany

    Nicole Brennholt

  4. P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    Evgeniia Kostianaia

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Lima, A.R.A., Silva, M.D., Possatto, F.E., Ferreira, G.V.B., Krelling, A.P. (2020). Plastic Contamination in Brazilian Freshwater and Coastal Environments: A Source-to-Sea Transboundary Approach. In: Stock, F., Reifferscheid, G., Brennholt, N., Kostianaia, E. (eds) Plastics in the Aquatic Environment - Part I. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 111. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2020_514

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