Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Data Collection on Marine Litter Ingestion in Sea Turtles and Thresholds for Good Environmental Status
Published on: May 18, 2019
Assessing the risk of marine litter accumulation in estuarine habitats
Inés Mazarrasa1, Araceli Puente1, Paula Núñez1
1Environmental Hydraulics Institute, Universidad de Cantabria - Avda. Isabel Torres, 15, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain.
Abstract:
Rivers and estuaries are among the main entrances of litter to the marine environment. This study characterizes marine litter deposits in three estuaries of the Gulf of Biscay, assesses its potential impact in estuarine habitats based on expert elucidation, and develops a methodology to estimate the associated environmental risk. Litter was ubiquitous in the estuaries of study, mostly represented by plastic debris and sanitary waste. High marsh communities acted as litter traps, showing significantly higher litter densities than adjacent habitats. The expected impact was valued to be low but different across habitats and possible litter-habitat interactions. The estimated risk was low but different across habitats and estuaries, determined by the probability of encounter and the expected impact. This study contributes to increase the scarce knowledge available on the threat that marine litter poses in estuarine environments and presents a methodology to help identify those habitats under a higher risk.
Related Concept Videos
Habitat Fragmentation
Design Example: Analyzing Capacity Contours for Flood Risk Assessment
Relative Risk
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Repetitive IV Injections
Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Intermittent IV Infusions

