Occurrence and contents of trace metals and rare earth elements on plastic pellets

Laís A Souza; Ana C S S Santos; Josepha M Leão; Otto C Schaeppi; Vanessa Hatje

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114261

Occurrence and contents of trace metals and rare earth elements on plastic pellets

Mar Pollut Bull. 2022 Dec;185(Pt A):114261. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114261. Epub 2022 Nov 5.

Authors

Laís A Souza¹, Ana C S S Santos², Josepha M Leão², Otto C Schaeppi², Vanessa Hatje³

Affiliations

¹ Centro Interdisciplinar de Energia e Ambiente, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Ondina, Salvador, BA 40170-290, Brazil; Departamento de Química Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Jorn Aníbal Fernandes, s/n - Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE 50740-560, Brazil. Electronic address: lais.asouza@ufpe.br.
² Centro Interdisciplinar de Energia e Ambiente, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Ondina, Salvador, BA 40170-290, Brazil.
³ Centro Interdisciplinar de Energia e Ambiente, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Ondina, Salvador, BA 40170-290, Brazil; Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Ondina, Salvador, BA 40170-290, Brazil.

PMID: 36347193
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114261

Abstract

We determined the occurrence of pellets (2-5 mm) and their composition in terms of trace metals and rare earth elements (REE) on nine sandy beaches of the coast of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. We compared the occurrence of pellets between oceanic and sheltered beaches and the effect of fluvial contribution on the occurrence of these microplastics. The number of pellets found was surprisingly low (i.e., max 45 pellets per m² in an oceanic beach without fluvial river inputs). Thus, the studied beaches exhibited a very low pollution index. Concentrations of ∑REE in pellets varied between 0.36 and 1.74 mg kg^-1 and were ~5-fold higher in white/transparent pellets than in brown pellets. The sum of trace metals (i.e., Fe, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was also highest in the white pellets (357 ± 12 mg kg^-1). Plastic pellets are a potentially important vector of REE exposition to biota.

Keywords: Brazil; Contamination; Metals; Microplastic; REE; Sandy beaches.

MeSH terms

Environmental Monitoring
Metals, Rare Earth*
Plastics
Trace Elements*
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Trace Elements
Metals, Rare Earth