RT journal article
T1 Assessment of Organic Pollutants Desorbed from Plastic Litter Items Stranded on Cadiz Beaches (SW Spain)
A1 Traverso Soto, Juan Manuel
A1 Figueredo Fernández, Manuel Alfredo
A1 Punta Sánchez, Irene
A1 Campana, Olivia
A1 Ciufegni, E.
A1 Hampel, Miriam
A1 Buoninsegni, J.
A1 Manzano Quiñones, Manuel Alejandro
A1 Anfuso Melfi, Giorgio
A2 Ciencias de la Tierra
A2 Química Física
A2 Tecnologías del Medio Ambiente
K1 coastal monitoring
K1 leaching
K1 organic pollutants;
K1 FTIR
K1 GC–MS
AB This paper constitutes a preliminary study that evaluates the organic pollutants desorbed from “fresh” plastic litter, i.e., recently stranded items, on three beaches in Cadiz (SW Spain): Bajo de Guia, La Jara, and La Puntilla. Beach litter items were collected and classified in laboratory according to their composition and use. Leachates were obtained by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and analysed with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Fifty-five target organic compounds—including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, fragrances, insect repellents, and UV filters—were quantified. Plastics accounted for the majority of litter by both number and weight. Cigarette butts and wipes were also prevalent and served as key sources of leachable PAHs. With respect to the main pollutants found in plastic films, hard plastics, and wipes, fragrances such as OTNE1 (1-Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalene), OTNE2 (2-Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalene), DEET (N, N-Diethyl-Meta-Toluamide), galaxolide, and tonalide were dominant, with concentrations exceeding 100 ng/g in some cases. DEET was the most common insect repellent detected. These findings underscore the role of beach litter, especially plastic waste, as a vector for persistent and emerging organic pollutants, highlighting the urgent need for improved waste management and monitoring practices to mitigate ecological risks associated with plastic pollution.
PB Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
SN 2305-6304
YR 2025
FD 2025-08
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37861
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37861
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 09-nov-2026