Microplastics in water and surface sediment of the Cháparra River, Arequipa, Peru; [Microplásticos na água e sedimentos superficiais do río Cháparra, Arequipa, Peru]

Mitma F.C.; Iannacone J.; Canchari-Madueño F. · Produccion y Limpia (2026) · DOI: 10.22507/pml.v21n1a3708

Resumen

Introduction: Microplastics (MPs), derived from plastic degradation and human activities, accumulate in water and sediments, transport pollutants, and affect ecosystems and human health, highlighting the need to study their impact on various watersheds. Objective: To evaluate MPs pollution in water and surface sediments in the Cháparra River, Arequipa Region, Peru. Materials and methods: Water and surface sediment samples were collected and analyzed at 12 sites along the Cháparra River using the density separation method and reading of MPs through a microscope in a laminar flow chamber. Results: They show the abundance of MPs in water presented a median of 40 to 2.460 ítems/m3 and in sediment between 66,67 to 500 ítems/kg at the evaluated sites. The majority size was 20 to 1.000 µm in water (94,71 %) and in sediment (86,14 %), the predominant color was blue in water (59,62 %) and in sediment (60,54 %) and the prevailing form was the fragment in water (69,76 %) and in sediment (67,92 %). Conclusions: There is contamination by MPs with a great abundance in water and sediment of the Cháparra River, with predominant characteristics in size, shape and color of <1.000 µm, fragment and transparent, respectively.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Universidad Científica del Sur; Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal