TY - JOUR
T1 - A baseline study of microplastic pollution in a Southern Indian Estuary
AU - Unnikrishnan, Vishnu
AU - Valsan, Gokul
AU - Amrutha, K.
AU - Sebastian, Joju George
AU - Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson
AU - Khaleel, Rizwan
AU - Chandran, Thara
AU - Reshma, S. R.
AU - Warrier, Anish Kumar
N1 - Funding Information:
VU and AKW thank Dr. K. Balakrishna for kindly providing access to the multi-parameter probe for physicochemical measurements. AKW thanks the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, for a research project (File no. CRG/2021/004725 dated 24th June 2022). KA thanks the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for a research fellowship under the DST-INSPIRE scheme (Sanction no. DST/INSPIRE Fellowship/2018/IF180508 dated September 25, 2019). The authors are grateful to Mr. Raghu for providing the boating facility to collect the samples. The authors are thankful to the two anonymous reviewers and the Editor-in-chief for their critical comments that helped in improving the quality of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/1
Y1 - 2023/1
N2 - Knowledge on the processes controlling the vertical distribution of microplastics (MPs) in estuaries is less. This research was carried out to determine the MP distribution in the surface, middle, and bottom layers of the Udyavara River Estuary in southwest India. The mean (± standard deviation) concentrations were 320.83 (± 98.30), 514.55 (± 352.16), and 755.03 (± 400.96) particles/m3, respectively. Fibres, films, and fragments dominated, and 57 % of the MPs had a size range of 0.3–1 mm, while 43 % had a size of 1–5 mm. The main polymers were high-density polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate. A positive correlation (r = 0.421, p = 0.0205, n = 30) exists between the MPs and salinity, suggesting that the MPs are held by dense saline waters. The mean pollution load index value was 2.25 indicating severe pollution. Microplastic pollution is due to harbour, fishing, industrial activities, the effects of southwest monsoon rain, and tidal currents.
AB - Knowledge on the processes controlling the vertical distribution of microplastics (MPs) in estuaries is less. This research was carried out to determine the MP distribution in the surface, middle, and bottom layers of the Udyavara River Estuary in southwest India. The mean (± standard deviation) concentrations were 320.83 (± 98.30), 514.55 (± 352.16), and 755.03 (± 400.96) particles/m3, respectively. Fibres, films, and fragments dominated, and 57 % of the MPs had a size range of 0.3–1 mm, while 43 % had a size of 1–5 mm. The main polymers were high-density polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate. A positive correlation (r = 0.421, p = 0.0205, n = 30) exists between the MPs and salinity, suggesting that the MPs are held by dense saline waters. The mean pollution load index value was 2.25 indicating severe pollution. Microplastic pollution is due to harbour, fishing, industrial activities, the effects of southwest monsoon rain, and tidal currents.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85143844623&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85143844623&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114468
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114468
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85143844623
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 186
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
M1 - 114468
ER -