Environmental Pollution,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
305, P. 119315 - 119315
Published: April 16, 2022
Microplastics
(MPs)
and
its
associated
organic
inorganic
contaminants
are
one
among
the
significant
health
hazards
to
almost
all
biota,
including
human.
We
investigated
polymer
hazard
risk
adsorbed
in
MPs
at
six
prominent
beaches
of
Chennai
on
southeast
coast
India.
The
spatial
variation
during
northeast
(NE)
monsoon
(range:
76-720
items/kg,
mean:
247.4
items/kg)
was
higher
than
that
southwest
(SW)
84-498
302.7
items/kg).
In
both
seasons,
polyethylene
(PE)
polypropylene
(PP)
were
dominant
polymers
fibre
predominant
shape
MPs,
likely
be
derived
from
fishing,
textile
urban
activities
this
region.
Scanning
electron
microscope
(SEM)
images
exhibited
various
surface
weathering
features
grooves,
cracks,
fractures,
adhering
particles,
pits,
vermiculate
textures
reinforcements.
Energy
dispersive
X-ray
spectrometer
(EDS)
results
showed
have
major
(Si,
Al,
Na,
Mg,
Ca,
Fe
Ti)
trace
(Cu,
Cr,
Ni,
Pb
Zn)
metals.
Though
pollution
load
index
(PLI)
presented
low
degree
MP
contamination
beach
sediments,
hazardous
such
as
polyvinyl
chloride
(PVC),
polyamide
(PA)
polystyrene
(PS)
contributed
high
(PHI)
potential
ecological
(PERI),
posing
very
biota.
trajectories
obtained
particle-tracking
coupled
with
hydrodynamic
simulation
clearly
20%
settled
along
remaining
moved
towards
north,
alongshore
offshore
(∼50
km)
within
30
days,
NE
due
current
reversal,
floating
debris
drifted
south,
∼40
km
indicating
role
circulation
fate
transport
pathways
plastic
debris.
