Plastics particles smaller than 5 millimeter, known collectively as microplastics, are among the hazardous contaminants that threaten the marine environment. Microplastics suspended in the water column are of concern because of its widespread distribution and potential to carry on adsorbed contaminants in a global scale as well the and potential ingestion by organisms at the base of the trophic chain. In this context, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of such wastes on surface waters of the western portion of Guanabara Bay, by determining their qualitative and quantitative composition. Microplastics samples were collected in three campaigns in the summer of 2016, through horizontal drag with 330 micrometers net in three different areas potentially affected by plastics. Particles smaller than 5 millimeter were isolated by wet sieving, screened with the aid of an ocular magnifier and classified according to their shape, color and size. The amount of microplastics was determined by gravimetry, manual counting and digital images processing, obtained by light microscopy. The type of polymer in each category was determined by absorption spectroscopy of mid infrared (FT-IR) with attenuated total reflectance (ATR). The results obtained, considering the three campaigns, indicate that the most representative polymers were polyethylene and polypropylene corresponding, respectively, to the mean values of 71.5 more or less 8.1 per cent and 23.8 more or less 5.8 per cent. Particles smaller than 1 mm were the most abundant indicating the mean of 34.0 more or less 9.6 per cent. Plastics classified as fragments and films were the most found representing, respectively, the mean values of 44.3 more or less 9.3 per cent e 33.7 more or less 10.1 per cent. Colored microplastics were the predominant, ones presenting values above 40.0 per cent. The results obtained confirm the occurrence of microplastics in the surface waters of Guanabara Bay, indicating that the lack of solid waste management in its drainage basin contributes to this scenario, which is therefore an environmental problem to be investigated.