Integrated environmental assessment of plastic pollution in the São Francisco River estuary, Brazil.
6 affiliations
- 1Postgraduate Program in Process Engineering, Tiradentes University, 300 Murilo Dantas Avenue, Farolândia, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil. [email protected].
- 2Postgraduation Program in Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Ceará, 2853 Universidade Avenue, Benfica, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- 3Postgraduate Program in Biosciences and Health, Tiradentes University, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
- 4São Francisco River Basin Committee, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
- 5Institute of Technology and Research (ITP), 300 Murilo Dantas Avenue, Farolândia, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
- 6Postgraduate Program in Process Engineering, Tiradentes University, 300 Murilo Dantas Avenue, Farolândia, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Abstract
Plastic pollution has emerged as a major environmental concern due to its persistence, fragmentation, and capacity to release chemical additives into aquatic systems. Estuaries are particularly vulnerable, functioning simultaneously as accumulation zones and transfer pathways for plastic debris and associated contaminants. This study provides a combined assessment of macroplastics, microplastics, and plasticizers (bisphenol A - BPA and dibutyl phthalate - DBP) in the São Francisco River estuary, northeastern Brazil. Surface water and sandy sediment samples were collected at four sites, including urban areas and locations near Conservation Units. Plastic debris was quantified and characterized, while BPA and DBP were determined as chemical markers of plastic pollution. BPA was detected in 100% of water samples and DBP in 67%, with the highest concentrations recorded in the urbanized site of Propriá (BPA: 0.72 mg · L⁻¹; DBP: 2.27 mg · L⁻¹). The highest quantities of microplastics in the water were recorded in Santana de São Francisco (0.49 items/m³) and in the sandy sediment in Pacatuba (22,80 items/m²), with a predominance of white fragments. Macroplastics showed a progressive increase in Pacatuba, totaling 2457 g. The results highlight urban influence and the estuary's role as a retention and transfer zone for plastic pollutants. The study employed multiple methodologies to analyze plastic pollution across scales, providing novel data for environmental monitoring in estuaries and Conservation Units. Findings reinforce the need for policies to reduce plastic use, improve sanitation, and promote environmental education, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 6, 12, and 14.
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BibTeX
@article{maynard2026integrated,
title = {{Integrated environmental assessment of plastic pollution in the São Francisco River estuary, Brazil.}},
author = {Isabella Ferreira Nascimento Maynard and Pamela Cunha Bortoluzzi and Thigna Carvalho Batista and Rosa Cecília Santos and Juliana Cordeiro Cardoso and Rubens Riscala Madi and Eliane Bezerra Cavalcanti and Verônica de Lourdes Sierpe Jeraldo and Maria Nogueira Marques},
journal = {Environmental monitoring and assessment},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s10661-026-16107-1},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42955427},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Integrated environmental assessment of plastic pollution in the São Francisco River estuary, Brazil.
AU - Isabella Ferreira Nascimento Maynard
AU - Pamela Cunha Bortoluzzi
AU - Thigna Carvalho Batista
AU - Rosa Cecília Santos
AU - Juliana Cordeiro Cardoso
AU - Rubens Riscala Madi
AU - Eliane Bezerra Cavalcanti
AU - Verônica de Lourdes Sierpe Jeraldo
AU - Maria Nogueira Marques
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Environmental monitoring and assessment
DO - 10.1007/s10661-026-16107-1
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42955427
AB - Plastic pollution has emerged as a major environmental concern due to its persistence, fragmentation, and capacity to release chemical additives into aquatic systems. Estuaries are particularly vulnerable, functioning simultaneously as accumulation zones and transfer pathways for plastic debris and associated contaminants. This study provides a combined assessment of macroplastics, microplastics, and plasticizers (bisphenol A - BPA and dibutyl phthalate - DBP) in the São Francisco River estuary, northeastern Brazil. Surface water and sandy sediment samples were collected at four sites, including urban areas and locations near Conservation Units. Plastic debris was quantified and characterized, while BPA and DBP were determined as chemical markers of plastic pollution. BPA was detected in 100% of water samples and DBP in 67%, with the highest concentrations recorded in the urbanized site of Propriá (BPA: 0.72 mg · L⁻¹; DBP: 2.27 mg · L⁻¹). The highest quantities of microplastics in the water were recorded in Santana de São Francisco (0.49 items/m³) and in the sandy sediment in Pacatuba (22,80 items/m²), with a predominance of white fragments. Macroplastics showed a progressive increase in Pacatuba, totaling 2457 g. The results highlight urban influence and the estuary's role as a retention and transfer zone for plastic pollutants. The study employed multiple methodologies to analyze plastic pollution across scales, providing novel data for environmental monitoring in estuaries and Conservation Units. Findings reinforce the need for policies to reduce plastic use, improve sanitation, and promote environmental education, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 6, 12, and 14.
SN - 0167-6369
SN - 1573-2959
ER -