Ref.: MpoDe10-001
Apresentador: Renata Nunes Oliveira
Autores (Instituição): Oliveira, R.N.(UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL RURAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO); Ribeiro, M.S.(UNIABEU); Oliveira, F.S.(UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL RURAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO); Maia-Pinto, M.O.(Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro);
Resumo:
Microplastics are small plastic particles of less than 5 mm in size. They are a growing concern for the environment due to their widespread presence in aquatic bodies, and to the potential impact on aquatic life and human health. Microplastics can be primary (particles created and used in cosmetic products (toothpaste, scrubs, etc.)) or secondary (disintegration of plastic products). Brazil is the 4th largest producer of plastic waste in the world, recycling only 1.2% of this type of waste. The presence of microplastics in water resources is a cause of serious environmental impacts. Microplastics can be classified according to their morphology, such as fragments, spheres, membranes, and fibers. Sepetiba Bay is a semi-enclosed coastal bay (area of 520 km2). It is located ~60 km west of town region of Rio de Janeiro/ Brazil. The urbanization and industrialization that occurred between 1960s and 1970s, as well as the agriculture development, led to the disposal of high volumes of untreated domestic and industrial waste into the bay's drainage network. The present work aimed to evaluate sea water of Sepetiba bay for microbeads identification. By varying fluids density, plastic microbeads were identified in Sepetiba Bay. The focus of the present work is the presence of 1st generation microbeads, from beauty/hygiene products. These microspheres present size of approximately 0.5 to 1 mm in diameter. The size of the spheres found was in this range, being taken directly from the water of the bay, not being identified in the sand of the coast. Although there is also in Brazil the Law Project No. 6,528-A, of 2016, which "Prohibits the handling, manufacture, import and commercialization, throughout the national territory, of personal hygiene products, cosmetics and perfumery that contain the intentional addition of plastic microspheres (...)", there is still a lack of control these beads disposal of in aquatic bodies. This study was financed by grant funding CNPq 104104/2023-6, with partial support of CNPq Universal 405922/2016-7, FAPERJ E26/201.381/2021 (260532), Brazil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.