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Plastic pellets (Nurdles) contamination along the Dhanushkodi region, Palk Bay, Southeast coast of India
Summary
When a cargo ship sank off India's coast in 2025, it spilled millions of tiny plastic pellets (called nurdles) that washed up on beaches, with some spots covered by nearly a million pellets per square meter. These pellets are made of common plastics (polypropylene and polyethylene) that can break down into microplastics over time, harming marine animals that eat them and potentially entering the seafood we consume. The findings highlight why plastic spills need faster cleanup and stronger shipping regulations, since this kind of pollution doesn't just disappear—it lingers in coastal ecosystems for years.
Nurdles pose a significant threat to marine life, as their ingestion by animals can cause physical harm and toxic exposure. Their persistence in the environment contributes to long-term pollution in coastal ecosystems. The Liberian cargo ship MSC ELSA 3, which sank off the Kerala coast on May 25, 2025, was carrying 640 containers, including hazardous cargo. Among these were 13 containers with plastic pellets (nurdles) (< 1-5 mm). The pollution caused by nurdles in the Dhanushkodi region poses a significant threat to coastal biodiversity. This study aims to estimate the qualitative and quantitative distribution of plastic pellets (nurdles) along the Dhanuskodi coastal region. Furthermore, this study evaluated pellet pollution index (PPI), polymer hazard index (PHI), and the chemical characteristics of collected pellets in the Dhanushkodi region. The nurdles were abundant on Dhanushkodi beach, with an average abundance of 83,463 no./m2. Among the 10 sampling highest pellet density was reported in Mukundarayar Chathiram coast (n = 962,841 no./m2; Ave: 320,947 no./m2; 38.45%), followed by Dhanushkodi Beach (n = 512,600 no./m2; Ave: 170,867 no./m2; 20.47%), Dhanushkodi old church (n = 406,479 no./m2; Ave: 135,493 no./m2; 16.23%), respectively. Most of the polymer found in the pellets was PP (polypropylene) (89%) and PE (polyethylene) (11%), as determined using FTIR-ATR (Fourier Transform Infrared-Attenuated Total Reflectance) analysis. The PPI findings show that pollution levels were very high (80%) and very low (20%). The PHI values (9075-22,176) are due to the presence of polymers with high to very high hazard scores, such as PE and PP. The findings of this study emphasise the urgent need for continuous monitoring, effective mitigation strategies, and stricter regulations to prevent and manage plastic pellet pollution in marine environments.