Microplastic in the Coastal Sea Waters of Russian Far East

Abstract

Their availability, low cost, applicability in virtually any industrial sector and any household have not only resulted in plastics becoming an everywhere used material, but owing to its specific structure resulting in an issue pertaining to environmental pollution. There are 13 monitoring stations within research area to include recreational and industrial areas differing in hydrodynamic behaviour. The research geography bearing in mind the Russia’s scale is not vast so far, yet it is being expanded yearly. Research was done at seven Vladivostok beaches, two beaches at the head of the Amur Bay and three beaches of the Posyet Bay. All the samples taken at the western side of the bay at the depths of 2-6m contained microplastic particles. Quality analysis of all the samples collected was carried out using mass-spectrometric method and that of infrared microscopy. It has been found that the chemical constitution of the samples studied is represented mostly by polyethene, polypropylene, particles of polystyrene and polyvinylchloride. Coastal samples frequently contain cellulose. A certain amount of methylaniline, formaldehydes, and monocarbozides was detected. All the said gives ground for ascertaining harmful influence of microplastics not only on sea water quality but on the state of marine biota.