Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41533276›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental monitoring and assessment2026

Differential accumulation of enterococci and arsenic in pelagic Sargassum and seagrass wrack on South Florida beaches.

Afeefa A Abdool-Ghany, Ayaaz Amirali, Rivka Reiner, Sofia Hoffman, Isabela Tavarez, Matthew Roca, Jiayu Li, Helena Solo-Gabriele

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Environmental monitoring and assessment, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Afeefa A Abdool-GhanyDepartment of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA. aaa625@miami.edu.
Ayaaz AmiraliDepartment of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Rivka ReinerDepartment of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Sofia HoffmanDepartment of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Isabela TavarezDepartment of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Matthew RocaDepartment of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Jiayu LiDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Helena Solo-GabrieleDepartment of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA. hmsolo@miami.edu.

Funding

Hinkley Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management SUB00003838National Science Foundation 2009310National Science Foundation 2149857National Science Foundation 2330722
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Wrack, composed of organic debris like seagrass and the brown macroalga, Sargassum, accumulates on beaches and when present in overwhelming quantities can impact ecosystem function and public health through microbial contamination, trace element accumulation, and toxic gas emissions. Although studies have started to evaluate the impacts to the microbial quality from different types of wrack, few evaluate the impacts of trace elements. This study assessed enterococci and arsenic levels in beach environments across five South Florida beaches with varying wrack types (Sargassum vs. seagrass) and management practices. Enterococci levels did not significantly differ between wrack types (p = 0.30), with a maximum of 9,600 CFU/g. However, Sargassum exhibited significantly higher arsenic concentrations (up to 64.3 mg/kg) compared to seagrass (2.18 mg/kg) (p < 0.001). In sand, arsenic levels were statistically higher (4.92 mg/kg) when Sargassum was managed through integration. These findings emphasize the need to consider wrack composition when assessing arsenic impacts and can inform beach management strategies to minimize environmental and public health risks associated with excessively large Sargassum strandings.

Indexed as

ArsenicBathing BeachesEnterococcusEnvironmental MonitoringSargassumWater MicrobiologyWater Pollutants, ChemicalFloridaSeashoreArsenicWater Pollutants, ChemicalBacteriaCoastal beach managementMetalsSandSeaweed

Identifiers

PMID41533276
PMCPMC12804244

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.