Microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of Bangladesh: Distribution, patterns, and abundance

Microplastics (MPs), less than 5 mm in length, have become a major environmental issue due to their hazardous physical and chemical properties. The research investigated 54 sediment samples collected from three different zones of the beaches, namely the wrack line, beach face, and swash zone. This s...

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Main Authors: Kamrunnahar Kanak, Md. Kawser Ahmed, Muhammad Saiful Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, K. M. Azam Chowdhury, Kazi Belayet Hossain
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Heliyon
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167540
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author Kamrunnahar Kanak
Md. Kawser Ahmed
Muhammad Saiful Islam
Mahmudul Hasan
K. M. Azam Chowdhury
Kazi Belayet Hossain
author_facet Kamrunnahar Kanak
Md. Kawser Ahmed
Muhammad Saiful Islam
Mahmudul Hasan
K. M. Azam Chowdhury
Kazi Belayet Hossain
author_sort Kamrunnahar Kanak
collection DOAJ
description Microplastics (MPs), less than 5 mm in length, have become a major environmental issue due to their hazardous physical and chemical properties. The research investigated 54 sediment samples collected from three different zones of the beaches, namely the wrack line, beach face, and swash zone. This study aims to enumerate the number and polymeric variety of microplastics found in beach sediments from coastal islands of Bangladesh, including Sandwip, Kutubdia, and Saint Martin's Island in the northeastern Bay of Bengal. NaCl solution with the density of 1.2 g/cm3 was used as a density-separating solvent. Microplastics were extracted using conventional protocols, yielding an average of 193 ± 68.9, 175.5 ± 63.1, and 266.3 ± 232 particles per kg from the collected samples of Sandwip, Kutubdia, and Saint Martin's Island respectively, with five morphotypes: fiber, film, fragment, foam, and pellet, where fiber dominated each island. White microplastics were most spread in both Sandwip and Saint Martin's Island, whereas translucent and blue were most abundant in Kutubdia. Moreover, polypropylene (PP) was shown to be the greatest number of polymer groups among those analyzed microplastic particles using ATR-FTIR (Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared) spectrometer. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it was also possible to detect surface degradation, rupture, or fracture that was probably caused by the environment. The study emphasizes the critical need for continued research and monitoring to better understand the dynamics of microplastic pollution and its long-term impacts. By tackling the underlying causes and implementing effective management practices, we can achieve a cleaner and more sustainable future for coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
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spelling doaj-art-4a1fb4f586a74a7293a4a75207de5e7a2024-12-13T10:59:37ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-12-011023e40723Microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of Bangladesh: Distribution, patterns, and abundanceKamrunnahar Kanak0Md. Kawser Ahmed1Muhammad Saiful Islam2Mahmudul Hasan3K. M. Azam Chowdhury4Kazi Belayet Hossain5Department of Oceanography, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; Corresponding author.Department of Oceanography, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, BangladeshFiber and Polymer Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka 1205, BangladeshDepartment of Oceanography, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, BangladeshDepartment of Oceanography, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, BangladeshBangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute, Cox's Bazar, BangladeshMicroplastics (MPs), less than 5 mm in length, have become a major environmental issue due to their hazardous physical and chemical properties. The research investigated 54 sediment samples collected from three different zones of the beaches, namely the wrack line, beach face, and swash zone. This study aims to enumerate the number and polymeric variety of microplastics found in beach sediments from coastal islands of Bangladesh, including Sandwip, Kutubdia, and Saint Martin's Island in the northeastern Bay of Bengal. NaCl solution with the density of 1.2 g/cm3 was used as a density-separating solvent. Microplastics were extracted using conventional protocols, yielding an average of 193 ± 68.9, 175.5 ± 63.1, and 266.3 ± 232 particles per kg from the collected samples of Sandwip, Kutubdia, and Saint Martin's Island respectively, with five morphotypes: fiber, film, fragment, foam, and pellet, where fiber dominated each island. White microplastics were most spread in both Sandwip and Saint Martin's Island, whereas translucent and blue were most abundant in Kutubdia. Moreover, polypropylene (PP) was shown to be the greatest number of polymer groups among those analyzed microplastic particles using ATR-FTIR (Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared) spectrometer. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it was also possible to detect surface degradation, rupture, or fracture that was probably caused by the environment. The study emphasizes the critical need for continued research and monitoring to better understand the dynamics of microplastic pollution and its long-term impacts. By tackling the underlying causes and implementing effective management practices, we can achieve a cleaner and more sustainable future for coastal communities and marine ecosystems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167540MicroplasticsCoastal islandShorelineAnthropogenic factorsBay of Bengal
spellingShingle Kamrunnahar Kanak
Md. Kawser Ahmed
Muhammad Saiful Islam
Mahmudul Hasan
K. M. Azam Chowdhury
Kazi Belayet Hossain
Microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of Bangladesh: Distribution, patterns, and abundance
Heliyon
Microplastics
Coastal island
Shoreline
Anthropogenic factors
Bay of Bengal
title Microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of Bangladesh: Distribution, patterns, and abundance
title_full Microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of Bangladesh: Distribution, patterns, and abundance
title_fullStr Microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of Bangladesh: Distribution, patterns, and abundance
title_full_unstemmed Microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of Bangladesh: Distribution, patterns, and abundance
title_short Microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of Bangladesh: Distribution, patterns, and abundance
title_sort microplastic pollution along the coastal island shorelines of bangladesh distribution patterns and abundance
topic Microplastics
Coastal island
Shoreline
Anthropogenic factors
Bay of Bengal
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167540
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