RT journal article
T1 Spatial and Temporal Deposition Rate of Beach Litter in Cadiz Bay (Southwest Spain)
A1 Ciufegni, E.
A1 Anfuso Melfi, Giorgio
A1 Gutiérrez Romero, Julia Cristina
A1 Asensio Montesinos, Francisco
A1 Rodríguez Castle, Christian
A1 González Mejías, Carlos José
A1 Álvarez Esteban, Óscar
A2 Física Aplicada
K1 wave
K1 wind
K1 plastic
K1 wet wipes
K1 cigarette butts
K1 cleaning operations
AB This study explores the spatial and temporal distribution of beach litter accumulation rates at seven sites in Cadiz Bay, Southwest Spain, during October 2022 (i.e., autumn) and March 2023 (i.e., spring). Beach litter was collected during low tide conditions at the strandline during two series of 10 consecutive daily surveys. The main aim of this paper is to comprehensively analyze the influence of seasonality and hydrodynamic and wind patterns on litter abundance and composition. In October, 4199 items (22.58 kg) were recorded, increasing to 4634 items (22.68 kg) in March. Overall, the average litter abundance remained relatively consistent but notable variations were observed at different beach locations. Plastic litter was the most abundant in the total litter amount with 71.13% and 88.39% in October and March, respectively. Litter categories increased from 90 to 107 from October to March and the top 10 litter categories included cigarette butts (1746 in autumn and 514 in spring), plastic fragments (985 and 339) and plastic packaging (297 and 211). Statistical analyses showed no significant seasonal impact on litter quantities but confirmed seasonal variations in litter types. For instance, cigarette butts were more abundant in October, i.e., in autumn, as they are linked to the intensive use of beaches during the summer period (June–September), while wet wipes were prevalent in March, i.e., in spring, because they are associated with an increase in wastewater and river discharges recorded during the late autumn and winter months (November–February). No clear correlations were found between litter quantity and wave height, but specific patterns emerged at exposed and sheltered beaches. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing coastal clean-up efforts with customized strategies. Further investigations are needed to fully understand the relationships between litter and environmental factors.
PB MDPI
SN 2071-1050
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32730
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32730
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 06-nov-2026