23 Results Found

The rise of sun and beach tourism has led to concerns about the environmental impact of sunscreens on marine ecosystems. Although the contaminants included in sunscreens are being studied from various perspectives, there are still gaps in the underst...

Among many coastal hazards, rip currents have gradually become one of the most noticeable hazards. Studies have demonstrated that most drowning accidents at beaches around the world are related to rip currents. In this study, online and field questio...

Large Woody Debris (LWD) accumulation serves essential ecological functions and benefits society’s coastal ecosystems (e.g., beaches). Thus far, the ecosystem services perspective has paid little attention to LWD. Therefore, we aim to contrast...

This study is based on a 10-day survey carried out at seven beaches in March 2023 in El Puerto de Santa María municipality (SW Spain). An amount of 5592 items were collected, with a combined weight of 26 kg. Fresh litter, which refers to litte...

In addition to its ecological and recreational relevance, beach cleanliness is also one of the five most important aspects (i.e., the “Big Five”) for beach visitors around the world. Nonetheless, few efforts have been carried out to guide...

While aerial shark spotting has been a standard practice for beach safety for decades, new technologies offer enhanced opportunities, ranging from drones/unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that provide new viewing capabilities, to new apps that provide...

Detecting environmental exposures and mitigating their impacts are growing global public health challenges. Antibody tests show great promise and have emerged as fundamental tools for large-scale exposure studies. Here, we apply, demonstrate and vali...

Coastal sites offer a range of services that contribute to human wellbeing. While some of the services are entirely human-made (e.g., parasol and sunbed rental), others are produced thanks to the contribution of marine ecosystems (e.g., water clarity...

Considering the rapid growth of tourism in recent years and the acknowledgement that exposure to solar UV radiation may cause skin cancer, sunscreens have been widely used by beachgoers in recent decades. UV filters contained in sunscreens, however,...

This study aimed to quantify marine litter before and during the COVID pandemic found on urban touristic beaches closed to beachgoer access in northeastern Brazil. Litter identification and quantification was conducted during April, June, and August...

The bathing water microbiome consists of pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. However, the targets of the Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) focus exclusively on fecal pollution. This study aims to i...

Escherichia coli is commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract of warm-blooded animals and is routinely used as an indicator of fecal contamination in recreational waters. While most E. coli are commensal, some can harbor pathogenic potential, posi...

Coastlines are suffering from the effects of erosive processes, the decrease in sediment supply, the rise in mean sea level, and the construction of coastal infrastructure and drainage works, which are further exacerbated by global climate change. Th...

High counts of bacteria are present in beach sand, and human health threats attributable to contact with sand have been reported. In this study, we investigated fecal indicator bacteria in the top surface sand of coastal beaches. Monitoring investiga...

Many skin cancer screenings occur in non-traditional community settings, with the beach being an important setting due to beachgoers being at high risk for skin cancer. This study is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial of a skin canc...

Rip currents are fast-moving, narrow channels of water that flow seaward from the shoreline, typically forming within the surf zone and extending beyond the wave-breaking region. These currents pose significant hazards to swimmers, contributing to nu...

The strict quarantine measures employed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic have led the global tourism industry to a complete halt, disrupting the livelihoods of millions. The economic importance of beach tourism for many destinations has led man...

Posidonia oceanica seagrass, endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, provides ecological goods and ecosystem services of paramount importance. In shallow and sheltered bays, P. oceanica meadows can reach the sea surface, with leaf tips slightly emerging, f...

Palytoxins (PLTXs) and ovatoxins (OVTXs) are a group of highly potent marine toxins that pose significant health risks through seafood contamination and environmental exposure. OVTX-producing algae have been linked to dermatitis and respiratory distr...

Beach water quality is an important factor concerning public health and tourism linked to the “Sun, Sea and Sand” market and is usually assessed in international regulations by the quantification of Escherichia coli and enterococci counts...

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) such as Escherichia coli and Enterococcus released into surface waters have strong potential to impact human health. We assessed the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) b...

The dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata produces several families of toxic polyketides. Despite only a few field measurements of these phycotoxins in seawater and aerosols, they are believed to be responsible for dermatitis and the toxic inhalations...

This study focuses on the impact of wastewater discharges from the Besòs treatment plant on the coastal water quality of Barcelona, particularly under adverse weather conditions. A simplified mathematical model was developed to predict, in rea...