Plastic debris, persistent organic pollutants and their toxicity impacts in coastal areas in Central Chile.

The chemical components of plastic wastes have made their disposal a major economic, social, and environmental problem worldwide. This study evaluated the acute toxicity and genotoxicity of marine plastic debris on the beaches of Concepción Bay, Central Chile, taken during three periods (spring, summer, and winter). An integrated approach was used, including chemical and toxicological data, using the Microtox® test with Vibrio fischeri and SOS chromotest with Escherichia coli and concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The results presented here exclusively include the novel data obtained from the winter campaign, revealing high concentrations of PBDEs (238 ± 521 ng g-1). In addition, the genotoxicity and acute toxicity tests were sensitive for most of the samples studied. This investigation is the first attempt to analyse the toxicity of plastic debris in coastal areas along the Chilean coast.

Ocean-based sources of plastic pollution: An overview of the main marine activities in the Peruvian EEZ.

Marine-based activities are a critical source of plastic waste into the ocean. This is particularly important in countries with a competitive fishing industry, such as Peru. Thus, this study aimed to identify and quantify the major flows of plastic waste accumulating in the ocean from ocean-based sources within the Peruvian Economic Exclusive Zone. A material flow analysis was elaborated to analyze the stock of plastic and its release to the ocean by a set of Peruvian fleets, including the fishing industry, merchant vessels, cruises, and boating vessels. Results show that in 2018 between 2715 and 5584 metric tons of plastic waste entered the ocean. The fishing fleet was the most pollutant, representing approximately 97 % of the total. Moreover, fishing gear loss represented the highest single-activity contribution, although other sources, such as plastic packaging and antifouling emissions, have the potential to become vast sources of marine plastic pollution.