Urban River Microplastics as Vectors for Pharmaceutical Contaminants in a Savannah Region (Caatinga Biome)
The study investigates the presence of emerging contaminants in a river within a watershed located in the Brazilian semiarid region, specifically within the Caatinga biome, emphasizing the importance of environmental monitoring in areas that have historically been underrepresented in scientific research. The analysis focused on the associations between microplastics and pharmaceutical compounds, demonstrating that the discharge of untreated domestic effluents and the low efficiency of sanitation systems increase water resource contamination and threaten water security. The interdependence between these variables underscores the need for integrated public policies for waste management, complemented by environmental education strategies and technological innovations. The work makes an unprecedented contribution to expanding knowledge about emerging pollutants in semiarid environments, highlighting the urgency of holistic approaches, continuous monitoring, and strengthening environmental governance to ensure the sustainability and resilience of ecosystems like the Caatinga in the face of the challenges posed by global environmental change, urban growth, and those outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals.
Citação
@online{yannice_tatiane_da_costa2026,
author = {Yannice Tatiane Da Costa , Santos and Anderson Targino Da
Silva , Ferreira and Lyndyanne Dias , Martins and Hellen Da Silva ,
Sousa and Francisco Wedson , Faustino and Maria Carolina Hernandez ,
Ribeiro and Maria , Kuznetsova and Anderson Zanardi De , Freitas and
Niklaus Ursus , Wetter},
title = {Urban River Microplastics as Vectors for Pharmaceutical
Contaminants in a Savannah Region (Caatinga Biome)},
volume = {5},
number = {1},
date = {2026-01-16},
doi = {10.3390/microplastics5010013},
langid = {pt-BR},
abstract = {The study investigates the presence of emerging
contaminants in a river within a watershed located in the Brazilian
semiarid region, specifically within the Caatinga biome, emphasizing
the importance of environmental monitoring in areas that have
historically been underrepresented in scientific research. The
analysis focused on the associations between microplastics and
pharmaceutical compounds, demonstrating that the discharge of
untreated domestic effluents and the low efficiency of sanitation
systems increase water resource contamination and threaten water
security. The interdependence between these variables underscores
the need for integrated public policies for waste management,
complemented by environmental education strategies and technological
innovations. The work makes an unprecedented contribution to
expanding knowledge about emerging pollutants in semiarid
environments, highlighting the urgency of holistic approaches,
continuous monitoring, and strengthening environmental governance to
ensure the sustainability and resilience of ecosystems like the
Caatinga in the face of the challenges posed by global environmental
change, urban growth, and those outlined in the Sustainable
Development Goals.}
}