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Semi-enclosed estuarine beaches as hotspots of marine litter accumulation: integrating seasonal assessment and hydrodynamic modeling
Summary
Researchers found that beaches in a river-and-bay area on India's west coast get flooded with trash—over 90% of it plastic—especially during monsoon season, when rain washes litter from cities into the water. This matters because much of that plastic breaks down into microplastics that can end up in seafood and drinking water, and the study shows poor waste management on land is the main culprit, meaning better trash systems in cities could directly reduce the plastic pollution people are exposed to through the coastal environment and food chain.
Anthropogenic marine litter has emerged as one of the most pervasive environmental problems worldwide, exerting multifaceted ecological, economic, and social impacts. This study assessed the seasonal dynamics and composition of beached litter on urbanized tropical beaches located within a semi-enclosed estuarine bay system along the west coast of India. A total of 5695 litter items were recorded, with the highest abundance observed during the monsoon season (N = 3571; 14.28 ± 0.54 items. m), followed by post-monsoon (N = 1080; 4.32 ± 0.80 items m) and pre-monsoon (N = 1044; 4.17 ± 0.79 items m). Across all seasons, plastics consistently dominated the litter composition, representing more than 90% of the total litter items. Seasonal differences in litter density were statistically significant, with litter densities during the monsoon season being markedly higher than those recorded during the pre- and post-monsoon periods, indicating the important role of enhanced river discharge, surface runoff, and hydrodynamic transport processes in driving litter accumulation along estuarine beaches. Beach environmental quality was evaluated using multiple environmental indices, including the Clean Coast Index (CCI), Clean Environment Index (CEI), Plastic Abundance Index (PAI), Hazardous Item Index (HII), Pollution Load Index (PLI), and Environmental Status Index (ESI), which consistently revealed the poor environmental quality and elevated pollution risk, particularly during the monsoon. The Delft3D FM modeling framework demonstrated that local hydrodynamic processes govern the advection, retention, and redistribution of anthropogenic litter. Source apportionment analysis revealed that land-based activities contributed more than 75% of total litter across all seasons, driven by urban runoff, tourism, and inadequate waste management. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive waste management strategies and seasonal intervention measures to mitigate litter impacts on tropical coastal systems.