Presence of Microplastics in the Vaquita Marina Protection Zone in Baja California, Mexico
Arely Areanely Cruz-Salas,
Juan Carlos Alvarez-Zeferino,
Jocelyn Tapia-Fuentes,
Sheila Liliana Dafne Lobato-Rocha,
Alethia Vázquez-Morillas,
Sara Ojeda-Benítez,
Samantha E. Cruz-Sotelo
Affiliations
Arely Areanely Cruz-Salas
Laboratorio de Residuos Sólidos, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Campus Mexicali, Calle Normal s/n Boulevard Benito Juárez. Col. Insurgentes Este, Mexicali 21280, B.C., Mexico
Juan Carlos Alvarez-Zeferino
Departamento de Energía, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Av. San Pablo No. 180 Col. Reynosa Tamaulipas, Alcaldía Azcapotzalco Ciudad de México 02200, C.P., Mexico
Jocelyn Tapia-Fuentes
Laboratorio de Residuos Sólidos, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Campus Mexicali, Calle Normal s/n Boulevard Benito Juárez. Col. Insurgentes Este, Mexicali 21280, B.C., Mexico
Sheila Liliana Dafne Lobato-Rocha
Laboratorio de Residuos Sólidos, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Campus Mexicali, Calle Normal s/n Boulevard Benito Juárez. Col. Insurgentes Este, Mexicali 21280, B.C., Mexico
Alethia Vázquez-Morillas
Departamento de Energía, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Av. San Pablo No. 180 Col. Reynosa Tamaulipas, Alcaldía Azcapotzalco Ciudad de México 02200, C.P., Mexico
Sara Ojeda-Benítez
Laboratorio de Residuos Sólidos, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Campus Mexicali, Calle Normal s/n Boulevard Benito Juárez. Col. Insurgentes Este, Mexicali 21280, B.C., Mexico
Samantha E. Cruz-Sotelo
Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Campus Mexicali, Blvd. Benito Juárez S/N, Parcela 44, Mexicali 21280, B.C., Mexico
Microplastics (MP) have been evidenced in marine and coastal areas worldwide, including the Gulf of California in Mexico, where the Vaquita Marina refuge area is located, which in turn borders the protected natural area Alto Golfo de California y Delta del Rio Colorado. This research aimed to determine the concentrations of microplastics in the Vaquita protection zone, analyzing samples of ten transects of surface water and samples in the sand of five beaches on the coast surrounding the Vaquita protection polygon. The total concentrations of MP in the surface water transects were from 0.000 to 0.020 MP/m3 and their most recurrent characteristics were fragments (69.0%), the chemical composition of polyethylene (60.0%), the blue color (39.0%) and a size of 2.1–3.0 mm (31.0%). While for the beaches, these corresponded to averages ranging from 28.2 ± 36.4; 17.6 to 200.7 ± 77.9; 193.7 MP/m2, the most common characteristics of MP from beaches were filaments (33.2%), PE (32.3%), white (28.0%), and a size of 4.1–5.0 mm (32.0%). The results suggest that part of the MP on the beaches and in the Vaquita Marina refuge area could come from urban areas such as the Gulf of California and activities such as fishing. It is recommended to study all the transects of the Vaquita Marina polygon and more beaches surrounding it in different seasons to better understand the status of MP pollution.
