Status of Microplastic Accumulation in Water and Sediments of Selected Estuarine Ecosystem of Southern Kerala, India

Abstract

Some research assesses the spatial and temporal variations in microplastic pollution in specific ecosystems, such as the estuarine regions of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, taking into account its potential effects on the aquatic ecosystem and the lack of information on the abundances of microplastic in estuarine water and sediments. The estuarine environment has raised growing apprehensions over plastic waste smaller than 5 mm in diameter locally and globally. Microplastic pollution in water and sediments of Southern Kerala was monitored at regular intervals from February 2020 through January 2022. During the course of two years, seasonal samples of water and sediment were taken at 16 locations. Microplastics were sorted and labelled based on their material make-up, size, colour, and kind. Polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and other polymers were found to make up the majority of the microplastics studied. Secondary microplastics with a length of less than 1 mm predominated in both the water and the sediment. Microplastics were more often seen in white, and analysis of the chemical makeup of the particles found in all of the samples revealed a predominance of polyamide. This study aims to conduct a thorough evaluation of microplastic pollution, including its origins and potential risks, in two environmental mediums such as estuarine water and sediments.