Monitoring of superficial microplastics in Coatepeque lake, 2021-2022

Abstract

In El Salvador there is scarce research about floating plastic microparticles (< 5mm) in lentic continental ecosystems. With the purpose of determining the levels of such material at Coatepeque lake, samplings were carried out through transects between February 2021 to January 2022. Concentrations oscillated between 0.001 and 0.258 microparticles/m³, also there were some places where this material was absent. The highest values occurred in the north, central and east zones of the lake, which could be associated with anthropogenic activities, wind direction and speed. Kruskal-Wallis test determined significative differences (p < .05) between registered levels in dry and wet seasons. Atmospheric factors and anthropogenic activities have an impact on the concentration and spatial distribution of this floating matter in this waterbody.