title: Marine debris in a World Heritage Listed Brazilian estuary.
abstract: Using monthly otter-trawl deployments, spatial and temporal variability among the relative densities of marine debris were assessed in the Paranaguá estuarine complex; a subtropical World Heritage Listed area in southern Brazil. During 432 deployments over 12 months, 291 marine debris items were identified; of which most (92%) were plastic, and more specifically shopping bags, food packages, candy wrappers and cups typically >21 mm long. The most contaminated sectors were those closest to Paranaguá city and the adjacent port, and had up to 23.37±3.22 pieces ha(-1). Less urbanized sectors had between 12.84±1.49 and 9.32±1.10 pieces ha(-1). Contamination did not vary between dry or wet seasons, but rather was probably affected by consistent urban disposal and localized hydrological processes. Marine debris might be minimized by using more environment friendly materials, however a concrete solution requires adequately integrating local government and civil society.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Beira Mar, s/n, 83255-976, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: fernandapossatto@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Fernanda E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Possatto
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Beira Mar, s/n, 83255-976, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Henry L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Spach
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Beira Mar, s/n, 83255-976, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: André P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Cattani
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Beira Mar, s/n, 83255-976, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lamour
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Beira Mar, s/n, 83255-976, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lilyane O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Beira Mar, s/n, 83255-976, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nathalie M A
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Beira Mar, s/n, 83255-976, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil; NSW Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries Conservation Technology Unit, PO Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia.
authors.forename: Matt K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Broadhurst
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D063366:Estuaries; D018857:Food Packaging; D010969:Plastics; D012621:Seasons; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products
keywords: Biodiversity hotspot; Marine litter; Plastic bags; Plastic fragments; Pollution; Risk to marine life