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Microplastic pollution in coastal Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh: Quantification, distribution, and characteristics
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This study surveyed microplastic pollution along the Cox's Bazar coastline in Bangladesh, one of the world's longest beaches, finding significant contamination in both sediments and seawater with levels varying by tidal zone and beach location. Polyethylene was the most common polymer type, and scanning electron microscopy revealed weathered particle surfaces indicating long-term environmental exposure. The findings establish a baseline for microplastic monitoring in a heavily visited coastal region with limited waste management infrastructure.
This study assessed microplastic (MP) pollution in coastal sediments and nearshore seawater along Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, integrating spatial quantification with morphology, polymer fingerprinting, and a weathering or oxidation proxy. Surficial sediments (n=18; high-tide line [HTL] and low-tide line [LTL]) and seawater (n=12) were collected from Laboni, Sugandha, and Kolatoli beach points. Microplastics were isolated via density separation and wet peroxide oxidation, enumerated by stereomicrocopy, and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Polymer composition was confirmed using ATR-FTIR with library matching, and oxidative weathering was evaluated using a carbonyl index (CI). MP abundance differed significantly between HTL and LTL across all sampling locations (p<0.05), indicating shoreline deposition as a key accumulation pathway. Sediment MPs were highest at Laboni HTL (44.0±15.9 items kg -1 ) and lowest at Kolatoli LTL (3.3±1.2 items kg -1 ). Seawater MPs exhibited a similar spatial variation, with the highest concentration at Laboni (17.3 ± 6.1 items L⁻ 1 ) and the lowest at Kolatoli (8.7 ± 5.8 items L⁻ 1 ). Fibrous morphotypes dominated across the matrices, and colored particles accounted for 57% of the observed MPs. ATR-FTIR identified polyethylene (41%) and polyvinyl chloride (29%) as predominant polymers. CI results indicated advanced oxidation in PET relative to polyolefins, suggesting heterogeneous aging and a variable interaction potential with contaminants. In summary, Cox's Bazar serves as a key sink and redistribution area for microplastics, highlighting the importance of implementing targeted coastal waste management strategies, tourism industry interventions, and sustained monitoring frameworks.
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Abundance, Types, and Polymer Composition of Microplastics Present in a Coastal Region of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
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This study provided the first quantification and polymer characterization of microplastics in seawater and beach sediments at Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh—the world's longest sea beach—across three sampling locations. Microplastic abundance was moderate at 369 items/kg in sediment and 210 items/m³ in seawater, with polyethylene (41%) and PVC (29%) the dominant polymers and colorful particles comprising 57% of the total. The findings establish a baseline contamination dataset for this high-traffic coastal site and raise concerns about regional marine pollution inputs to the Bay of Bengal.
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This study provided the first description of microplastic presence, quantity, and diversity in intertidal sediments from Cox's Bazar, the world's longest natural beach in Bangladesh. Microplastics were extracted from 24 sediment samples and analyzed by density separation, revealing widespread contamination with diverse polymer types.
An Integrated Spatial Assessment of Macro-, Meso-, and Microplastic Pollution Along Cox’s Bazar Beach in Bangladesh
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Researchers conducted the first comprehensive assessment of macro-, meso-, and microplastic pollution along the full coastline of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, sampling 23 stations across tourism, active, and less active beach zones. Plastic abundance varied significantly by zone and land use, with fragments and films as dominant types, reflecting Bangladesh's high plastic waste mismanagement rates.
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