Analysis of the number of bibliographic publications on the presence of microplastics in sediments in the Americas.

Resumen

Objective: To examine the scientific activity of the American continent in detail  during a period of ten years (from 2014 to 2024).

Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative methodology was employed, analyzing articles related to the presence of microplastics (MPs) in sediments, sourced from the Scopus database.

Results: A total of 2,050 articles were retrieved, of which 123 (6%) focused specifically on MPs in sediments. The leading contributors were Brazil, the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The most frequently cited authors included Alexander Turra, Patricia L. Corcoran, and A.D. Vethaak. A variety of methodologies were used, including density separation of MPs, oil extraction protocols, and FTIR spectroscopy, among others.

Study limitations/Implications: No standardized methodology exists for the main steps involved in the determination of microplastics (MPs), even as their detection continues to increase across diverse environmental sediments.

Findings/Conclusions: The production of scientific articles on microplastics (MPs) in sediments has increased over the past ten years, driven by the growing detection of these contaminants in sediment samples.