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Maritime and lagoon beaches sediments mineral phases and potentially toxic elements characterization and evaluation of microplastics retention
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Researchers characterized beach sediments from 16 locations in Portugal, including both ocean-facing and lagoon beaches, looking at mineral content, toxic elements, and microplastic presence. They found elevated levels of arsenic, chromium, and zinc at some sites, along with microplastic contamination across the study area. The findings suggest that both chemical and microplastic pollution in beach sediments may pose risks to people who use these coastal areas.
The present study aimed to characterize the texture, mineral phases, and geochemical composition of sixteen sediment samples of beaches in Portugal, from maritime and Ria de Aveiro lagoon environments. Additionally, the presence of Microplastics (MPs) in these sediments was estimated. Sediments from both environments were classified as sands, with a quartz content ranging ∼70–90 %. The physicochemical parameters showed neutral conditions, with pH between 6.16 and 7.05, typically of this type of setting. The concentration of As, Cr, and Zn was above sediment guidelines, suggesting anthropogenic contamination, particularly in one location, posing a risk to beach users. Contamination indices and toxicological assessment confirmed anthropogenic contamination, particularly by Cr on the maritime beaches, highlighting pollution and toxicity risk. This may be linked to industrial, domestic, and agricultural activities, population density, traffic, as well as traditional fishing practices. MPs were identified in both sediments and water samples from maritime and Ria de Aveiro beaches, ranging 38 to 958 MP/kg. The more abundant identified MPs were PUR, ABS, and PE, mainly in the form of fibers, with different colors. • Concentration of As, Cr, and Zn in sediments was above sediment guidelines. • Contamination indices and toxicological assessment confirmed anthropogenic contamination. • Microplastics (MPs) were identified in all sediments and water samples. • More abundant MPs were PUR, ABS, and PE, mainly in the form of fibers.
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Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of multiple contaminant types along India's Maharashtra coast, including microplastics, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and plasticizers in both water and sediment. They found widespread contamination with microplastics present at all 17 sampling stations, alongside concerning levels of other pollutants. The study highlights how coastal communities face exposure to a cocktail of emerging contaminants, with microplastics potentially acting as carriers for other harmful substances.
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Researchers characterized microplastics collected from beaches on Ilha Grande — a protected island in Brazil — and used advanced spectroscopic techniques to identify toxic inorganic contaminants adsorbed onto the plastic surfaces, including arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel, lead, and tin. The study confirms that microplastics on beaches are not only a physical hazard but also act as concentrators and carriers of heavy metals, compounding their environmental and human health risks. The findings call for future quantification studies to better understand contamination levels in this ecologically sensitive area.
Abundance, Distribution, and Characterization of Microplastics on Two Recreational Beaches in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
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Researchers surveyed two popular beaches in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, and found alarmingly high levels of microplastics in the sediment — up to 857 particles per kilogram — with polypropylene and polyethylene being the dominant types and metals including arsenic and chromium detected within the plastic particles. This is significant for public health because beachgoers have direct skin contact with and may incidentally ingest sediment, and the co-occurrence of heavy metals on microplastics compounds the risk.
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