Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada
Volume 22, Issue 3, September 2022, Pages 193-205

DOI: 10.5894/rgci-n436
* Submission: 11 MAR 2021; Peer review: 24 MAR 2021; Revised: 27 JUL 2022; Accepted: 29 NOV 2022; Available on-line: 27 MAR 2023

Establishing a standard-basis for the characterization of marine microp lastic-pellets

Clara Cabral Almeida^{@ 1}, Willame de Araújo Cavalcante², Camila Dourado Alves Brito^{1, 3}, Lucas Nogueira Guerra Silva^{1, 4}, Mathias Bochow⁵, Sandra Tédde Santaella^{1, 6}

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@ Corresponding author: [email protected]
¹ Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). Institute of Marine Science (Labomar)
² Instituto Federal de Ciência e Tecnologia (IFCE) Email: [email protected]
³ Email: [email protected]
⁴ Email: [email protected]
⁵ Helmholtz Centre Potsdam German Research Centre for Geosciences Email: [email protected]
⁶ Email: [email protected]

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ASBTRACT
Plastic pellets are small granulated microplastics (diameter ranging from 1-5 mm), which are considered as emerging pollutant in aquatic environment. Currently, the literature provides a poor database for classification and standardization of plastic pellets, impairing the comparison of environmental impacts assessed by several studies. Thus, in this work, a classification related to pellet characteristics was proposed in order to establish a standard of identification. Four sampling surveys were carried out in the Pecém-CE port area in the year of 2017 (northeastern coast of Brazil). The pellets were characterized according to its size, shape, transparency, and color. From the characterization of the 1,411 pellets collected, granules with different morphologies were observed. Most classes of pellets had light colors (white 37%, yellow 22% and amber 12%). The classification of the granules resulted in a catalog with 155 classes, divided into four blocks. The standardization of the characteristics of the pellets in classes, provided a documentation of the types of granules produced and found near the port area, making it possible to quantify and characterize the granules manually and with the naked eye. This type of classification can be used anywhere in the world as a tool to assist research on the presence of pellets in the marine environment and the impacts caused by them.

Keywords: beach survey, environmental pollution, plastic pellets, standardized characterization.

RESUMO
Pellets de plástico são pequenos microplásticos granulados (diâmetro variando de 1-5 mm), que são considerados como poluentes emergentes no ambiente aquático. No entanto, a literatura fornece um banco de dados insuficiente para classificação e padronização de pellets plásticos, dificultando a comparação dos impactos ambientais avaliados por diversos estudos. Assim, neste trabalho, foi proposta uma classificação relacionada às características do pellet a fim de estabelecer um padrão de identificação. Quatro coletas foram realizadas na área do porto de Pecém-CE (litoral nordeste do Brasil) em 2017. Os pellets foram caracterizados quanto ao tamanho, forma, transparência e cor. A partir da caracterização dos 1.411 pellets coletados, foram observados grânulos com diferentes morfologias. A maioria das classes de pellets apresentou cores claras (branco 37%, amarelo 22% e âmbar 12%). A classificação dos grânulos resultou em um catálogo com 155 classes, divididas em quatro blocos. A padronização das características dos pellets em classes, permitiu a documentação dos tipos de grânulos produzidos e encontrados junto à zona do porto, permitindo quantificar e caracterizar os grânulos manualmente e à olho nu. Este tipo de classificação pode ser utilizado em qualquer parte do mundo como ferramenta para auxiliar nas pesquisas sobre a presença de pellets no meio marinho e os impactos causados por eles.

Palavras-chave: Pellets plásticos, pesquisa de praia, caracterização padronizada.

 

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