Temporal analysis of cigarette butt accumulation on a touristic beach in Cartagena, Colombia.

ABSTRACT: Cigarette butts (CBs) are among the most common types of litter found in coastal environments, including beach sand. They are considered hazardous waste due to their significant toxicity and the potential threats they pose to both ecosystems and public health. This study examines historical CB density data collected from Bocagrande Beach, Colombia, across two distinct periods: 2011-2015 and 2021-2022. It includes an assessment of variations in key pollution indexes, the Plastic Abundance Index (PAI), Clean Coast Index (CCI), Cigarette Butt Abundance Index (CBAI), and Cigarette Butts Pollution Index (CBPI). The methodology used visual identification surveys and the systematic collection of CBs and cigarette butt fibers (CBFs) within 500-m² transects. A key finding of this researc

SUBMITTER: Diaz-Mendoza C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12426091 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature