Microplásticos en aguas superficiales y sedimentos de manglar en tres islas del Archipiélago de Jambelí, Ecuador
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57188/Keywords:
Fibras, distribución, fragmentos, contaminaciónAbstract
La contaminación por microplásticos se ha convertido en una de las amenazas ambientales más graves para los ecosistemas acuáticos, afectando tanto la biodiversidad como los servicios ecosistémicos esenciales, dada su persistencia, y efectos acumulativos, es crucial valorar la presencia de microplásticos en cuerpos de agua, especialmente en ecosistemas sensibles como los manglares. El estudio se centró en la presencia de microplásticos en las aguas superficiales y sedimentos de manglar en tres islas del archipiélago de Jambelí, Ecuador. Se lograron identificar y analizar diferentes tipos de microplásticos, siendo las fibras las más comunes, especialmente en las islas Bellavista y Costa Rica. Los resultados revelaron concentraciones mayores en las áreas cercanas a las actividades humanas como la pesca y el turismo, y resaltaron la importancia de los manglares como sumideros naturales de estos contaminantes. Se observó una diversidad cromática, especialmente en los sedimentos, sugiriendo un proceso de degradación de los plásticos, con predominancia de colores como azul, rojo y negro. Los resultados resaltan la necesidad de monitorear la contaminación por microplásticos en estos ecosistemas para evaluar su impacto en la biodiversidad y en los servicios ecosistémicos esenciales para las comunidades locales. La investigación proporciona datos clave para el desarrollo de estrategias de conservación y manejo sostenible de los manglares.
Downloads
References
Andoy, C. J. M., Ochigue, P. C. D., Romarate, R. A., Rodil, M. S. P., Nakano, H., & Bacosa, H. P. (2025). Spatial and vertical distribution of microplastics in mangrove sediment in the southern Philippines. Marine Environmental Research, 209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107223
Chalán, L., Jaramillo, L., Calva, O., & Gordillo, I. (2015). Plan de Desarrollo y Ordenamiento Territorial de Jambelí. https://jambeli.gob.ec/images/marzo2018/PDOT-JAMBELi.pdf
De Lena, A., LeeTanjay, Q., Bridson, J. H., Parker, K., Pantos, O., Masterton, H., Ruffell, H., & Abbel, R. (2025). Abundances and characteristics of small (< 0.3 mm) and large (0.3–5 mm) microplastics found in Aotearoa New Zealand beach sediments. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118144
Fernandes, A. N., Bertoldi, C., Lara, L. Z., Stival, J., Alves, N. M., Cabrera, P. M., & Grassi, M. T. (2022). Microplastics in Latin America Ecosystems: A Critical Review of the Current Stage and Research Needs. In Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (Vol. 33, Issue 4, pp. 303–326). Sociedade Brasileira de Quimica. https://doi.org/10.21577/0103-5053.20220018
Gao, P., Huang, D. M., Hu, W., Chen, W., Fadhullah, W., & John, A. (2025). Marine microplastic pollution in Peninsular Malaysia: A meta-analysis. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104228
Guo, Y., Wang, M., Wang, M., Jiang, F., Guo, X., Xing, M., Han, Q., Jia, B., Pan, H., & Chen, M. (2025). Characteristics of microplastic pollution in sediments and error analysis of ecological risk assessment in Qin River, China. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138869
He, X., Xu, S., Ren, H., Yang, X., Su, F., Gao, S., Xie, C., Zhao, J., Jin, Z., Shen, X., Che, R., & Xiao, D. (2025). Microplastic pollution threatens mangrove carbon sequestration capacity. Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, 100593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2025.100593
Helmberger, M., Auscavitch, S., Linehan, J., Shank, T., Cordes, E., & Rotjan, R. (2025). Microplastic accumulation visually and fluorescently undetectable within deepwater corals of the remote equatorial Pacific. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.DSR.2025.104550
Hernández-Morales, G., López-Mendez, M. C., Rico-Barragán, A. A., Pérez-Moreno, J., Peña-Montes, C., Peralta-Pelaez, L. A., & González-Moreno, H. R. (2025). Microplastic Pollution in Tropical River: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Based Characterization of Abundance and Polymer Composition in Water and Sediments from Filobobos River, Mexico. Hydrology, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12050124
Hidalgo-Ruz, V., Gutow, L., Thompson, R. C., & Thiel, M. (2012). Microplastics in the marine environment: A review of the methods used for identification and quantification. Environmental Science and Technology, 46(6), 3060–3075. https://doi.org/10.1021/es2031505
Ibrahim, Y. S., Abd Razak, N. I., Roslan, N. S., Yusof, K. M. K. K., Mohd Ali, A. A., Omar, N. F., Chinglenthoiba, C., Mohamad, N. N., & Anuar, S. T. (2025). Morphochemical information on microplastic fibers found in edible tissue of local commercial fishes from the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca for potential human consumption. Environmental Science: Advances, 4(6), 964–979. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4va00425f
INVEMAR. (2018). Metodología para el muestreo y análisis de microplásticos en aguas superficiales y sedimentos de manglar. www.invemar.org.com
Kholis, N., Manullang, C. Y., Anuar, S. T., Atmadipoera, A. S., Zuraida, R., & Patria, M. P. (2025). Microplastic occurrence in the deep-sea sediment of the Indonesian Throughflow, Banggai Sea. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2025.100780
Kovač Viršek, M., Palatinus, A., Koren, Š., Peterlin, M., Horvat, P., & Kržan, A. (2016). Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis. Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE, 118. https://doi.org/10.3791/55161
Kye, H., Kim, J., Ju, S., Lee, J., Lim, C., & Yoon, Y. (2023). Microplastics in water systems: A review of their impacts on the environment and their potential hazards. In Heliyon (Vol. 9, Issue 3). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14359
Li, C., Zhu, L., Dong, X., Zong, C., & Li, D. (2025). A comprehensive evaluation of pelagic microplastic pollution in surface water near the Xisha Islands of the South China Sea. Gondwana Research, 140, 135–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2024.12.011
Menezes, K. M., Costa, M. B. da, Schuab, J. M., Dalbó, G. Z., Alves, M. M., Ocaris, E. R. Y., & Rodrigues, F. L. (2025). Microplastic contamination in the mangroves of Piraquê-Açu and Piraquê-Mirim rivers, Aracruz (Brazil): An analysis in sediment, water, and biota. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117696
Mohamed, C. A. R., Shahruddin, A. N., Pradit, S., Loh, P. S., Nitiratsuwan, T., Kobkeatthawin, T., Noppradit, P., Le, T. P. Q., Oeurng, C., Sok, T., Lee, C. W., Bong, C. W., Lu, X., Anshari, G. Z., Kandasamy, S., & Wang, J. (2023a). Depth Profiles of Microplastic in Sediment Cores in the Mangrove Area of Kuala Gula Mangrove, Malaysia. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11061223
Mohamed, C. A. R., Shahruddin, A. N., Pradit, S., Loh, P. S., Nitiratsuwan, T., Kobkeatthawin, T., Noppradit, P., Le, T. P. Q., Oeurng, C., Sok, T., Lee, C. W., Bong, C. W., Lu, X., Anshari, G. Z., Kandasamy, S., & Wang, J. (2023). Depth Profiles of Microplastic in Sediment Cores in the Mangrove Area of Kuala Gula Mangrove, Malaysia. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11061223
Monnanni, A., Rimondi, V., Morelli, G., Nannoni, A., Cincinelli, A., Martellini, T., Chelazzi, D., Laurati, M., Sforzi, L., Ciani, F., Lattanzi, P., & Costagliola, P. (2024). Microplastics and microfibers contamination in the Arno River (Central Italy): Impact from urban areas and contribution to the Mediterranean Sea. Science of The Total Environment, 955. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177113
Morante, F., Gonzalez, M., Olaya, P., & Garcés, D. (2012). Valoración de procesos erosivos y depositación mediante aplicación de métodos granulométricos y de difracción de rayos X en sedimentos de borde litoral en el Archipélago de Jambelí, Ecuador (E. Berrezueta & M. J. Domínguez, Eds.; 3rd ed., Vol. 3). IGME-CYTED.
Morici, E., Cammilleri, G., Scirè, S., Bonomo, F. P., Tranchina, L., Terracina, F., Galluzzo, P., Ferrantelli, V., Monteverde, V. P., Galluzzo, F. G., Davì, S., Licciardi, M., & Dara, S. (2025). Survey on the presence of floating microplastics, trace metals and metalloids in seawater from Southern Italy to the United States of America. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117507
Muñiz, R., & Rahman, M. S. (2025). Microplastics in coastal and marine environments: A critical issue of plastic pollution on marine organisms, seafood contaminations, and human health implications. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2025.100663
Paduani, M., Ross, M., & Gardinali, P. (2025). Microplastic Filtration by a Coastal Mangrove Wetland as a Novel Ecosystem Service. Microplastics, 4(2), 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics4020015
Pardo, K. (2024). Comparación de la contaminación por micro y macroplásticos en las playas Monteverde, Cadeate y Montañita en la provincia de Santa Elena. [Uiversidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena]. https://repositorio.upse.edu.ec/handle/46000/10854
Pradit, S., Noppradit, P., Loh, P. S., Nitiratsuwan, T., Le, T. P. Q., Oeurng, C., Mohamed, C. A. R., Lee, C. W., Lu, X., Anshari, G. Z., Kandasamy, S., & Wang, J. (2022). The Occurrence of Microplastics in Sediment Cores from Two Mangrove Areas in Southern Thailand. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030418
Praveena, S. M., Ahmad Pakharuddin, N. A., Nafisyah, A. L., Karuppannan, S., & Sundaramanickam, A. (2025). Baseline assessment of microplastics pollution in beach sediments along tropical coastline (Kuala Langat, Malaysia). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117938
Priya, A. K., Muruganandam, M., Imran, M., Gill, R., Vasudeva Reddy, M. R., Shkir, M., Sayed, M. A., AlAbdulaal, T. H., Algarni, H., Arif, M., Jha, N. K., & Sehgal, S. S. (2023). A study on managing plastic waste to tackle the worldwide plastic contamination and environmental remediation. Chemosphere, 341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139979
Reynaud, J.-Y., Witt, C., Pazmiño, A., & Gilces, S. (2018). Tide-dominated deltas in active margin basins: Insights from the Guayas estuary, Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Marine Geology, 403, 165–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2018.06.002
Ricciardi, M., Pironti, C., Motta, O., Miele, Y., Proto, A., & Montano, L. (2021). Microplastics in the aquatic environment: Occurrence, persistence, analysis, and human exposure. Water (Switzerland), 13(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/w13070973
Roshni, K., Renjithkumar, C. R., Amal, R., & Devipriya, S. P. (2025). Characterization and risk assessment of microplastics accumulated in sediments and benthic molluscs in the mangrove wetlands along the south-west coast of India. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117955
Sagot Valverde, J. G. (2022). Monitoreo y caracterización de microplásticos en arenas de playas y aguas costeras de Costa Rica. Revista Internacional de Comunicación y Desarrollo (RICD), 4(17). https://doi.org/10.15304/ricd.4.17.8807
TUNÇ DEDE, Ö., & TEPE, Y. (2025). An overview on microplastic pollution in the Black Sea coastal waters of Türkiye. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104319
Vélez, P., Romero, D., & Yánez, G. (2024). Microplastics in Ecuador: A review of environmental and health-risk assessment challenges. In Heliyon (Vol. 10, Issue 1). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23232
Villamar, J. E. (2022). Análisis de la presencia de microplásticos en diferentes organismos marinos del Ecuador 2018-2021. Universidad Estatal Península de SSanta Elena.
Wang, J., & Zhang, Z. (2025). Distribution and diversity of microplastics along the aquatic food web in the largest mangrove reserve of China. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137697
Wang, Z., Hu, M., Fan, J., Zheng, H., Wang, C., Ahmad, M., Li, L., Zhao, G., Zhang, G., Zhang, Y., Hu, J., & Wang, Y. (2025). Microplastic pollution in the Indian Ocean: Fiber-dominated contamination and comparative bioaccumulation in Auxis thazard and Symplectoteuthis oualaniensis. Marine Environmental Research, 210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107304
Wu, F., Zhang, C., Li, X., Liu, S., Wang, J., & Huang, W. (2025). Distribution, Diversity, and Ecological Risks of Microplastics in Mangrove Ecosystems of a Southeastern Chinese Estuary. Toxics, 13(6), 494. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13060494
Wu, L., Li, C., Huang, C., Luo, Y., Huang, J., Chen, F., Huang, X., & Sun, R. (2025). Ocean current modulation of the spatial distribution of microplastics in the surface sediments of the Beibu Gulf, China. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137332
Zambrano Witong, K. T., Medina Cedeño, J. C., Pincay Cantos, M. F., & Calderón Pincay, J. M. (2024). Valoración de la presencia de microplásticos en la playa de San Vicente de la provincia de Manabí – Ecuador. Revista Científica y Tecnológica UPSE, 11(2), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.26423/rctu.v11i2.826
Zhiminaicela-Cabrera, J., Quevedo-Guerrero, J., & Morocho-Castillo, A. (2020). Deforestation and vegetation cover changes in the Jambelí Archipelago, using Landsat-8 satellite images. Manglar, 17(2), 153–157. https://doi.org/10.17268/manglar.2020.023
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Brigitte Quizhpe-Asencio, Alex Luna-Florin, Juan Paredes-Moran
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Manglar is an open access journal distributed under the terms and conditions of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license
