Journal article
Persistent organic pollutants sorbed in plastic resin pellet — “Nurdles” from coastal areas of Central Chile
K Pozo, W Urbina, V Gómez, M Torres, D Nuñez, P Přibylová, O Audy, B Clarke, A Arias, N Tombesi, Y Guida, J Klánová
Marine Pollution Bulletin | PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD | Published : 2020
Abstract
Plastic resin pellets were collected from coastal areas (n = 7) of central Chile. Pellets were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for polymer identification and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) determination. Screened compounds were PBDEs (n = 10), PCBs (n = 7), and OCPs (n = 13). Pellets were only found at Lenga Beach (San Vicente Bay), which is likely influenced by the presence of industrial activities in the surrounding coastal area. The diameter of the pellets was 4.0 ± 0.6 cm (n = 370), the color varied from white (32%) to yellowing (68%), and the most prevalent polymer identified was high-density polyethylene (99%). POPs ..
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Awarded by Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica
Funding Acknowledgements
The authors thank Fondecyt grant no 1161673 (PI: Karla Pozo) and CIPA, CONICYT Regional, GORE BIO BIO, R17A10003, in Chile. This research was supported by the RECETOX Research Infrastructure (LM2015051 and CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_013/0001761).