Persistent organic pollutants sorbed in plastic resin pellet - "Nurdles" from coastal areas of Central Chile

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Authors

POZO Karla Andrea URBINA Williams GOMEZ Victoria TORRES Mariett NUNEZ Dariela PŘIBYLOVÁ Petra AUDY Ondřej CLARKE Bradley ARIAS Andres TOMBESI Norma GUIDA Yago KLÁNOVÁ Jana

Year of publication 2020
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Marine Pollution Bulletin
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Science

Citation
Web https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X19309427?via%3Dihub
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110786
Keywords Microplastics; Pellets; POPs; San Vicente Bay
Description Plastic resin pellets were collected from coastal areas (n = 7) of central Chile. Pellets were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for polymer identification and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) determination. Screened compounds were PBDEs (n = 10), PCBs (n = 7), and OCPs (n = 13). Pellets were only found at Lenga Beach (San Vicente Bay), which is likely influenced by the presence of industrial activities in the surrounding coastal area. The diameter of the pellets was 4.0 +/- 0.6 cm (n = 370), the color varied from white (32%) to yellowing (68%), and the most prevalent polymer identified was high-density polyethylene (99%). POPs concentrations (ng/g-pellet) ranged from 10 to 133 for Sigma 10PBDEs, from 3 to 60 for Sigma 7PCBs and between 0.1 and 7 for DDTs. Levels of POPs are consistent with other investigations around the world and highlight the sorbtion capacity of plastics resin pellets, and consequently transport of POPs into coastal environments.
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