Distribuição e ocorrência de microplásticos em estuários da Baía de São José, margem equatorial brasileira

Abstract

ABSTRACT Microplastic pollution in the aquatic environment poses a major threat to this ecosystem, causing serious impacts to marine life. Among the largest generators of plastic waste on the planet, Brazil stands out in fourth place, producing around eleven million tons per year. The present study aims to investigate microplastic pollution in two important estuaries of the São José Bay (Tibiri and Paciência), in three environmental compartments: water, sediment and biota. Water and sediments were collected on the banks and in the center of the estuaries. The biota included bivalves (Mytella charruana) and seven species of fish. The MPs were analyzed under an optical microscope, categorized by shape, size and color. Statistical analyses (Shapiro-Wilk, Levene, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, PERMANOVA, PERMDISP, PCoA) evaluated differences between areas and samples. Regarding water and sediment, the results indicated a heterogeneous distribution with significant differences between the two studied areas. Fragments were the predominant form of microplastics, followed by fibers, which corroborates previous studies that present these as the most frequent forms of microplastics. The blue color was the most frequent in the different environmental matrices analyzed. Most of the particles were in the size range of 10-3 - 1 mm. Most of the organisms analyzed presented microplastics, suggesting widespread contamination and evidencing the relationship between dietary habits and the bioaccumulation of these particles. The results highlight the need for continuous monitoring of microplastics to understand their distribution and environmental impacts, in addition to the risks to human health.